Only in a liberal bastion like San Francisco can this happen. It sounds like a payout to someones political buddies more than anything. By the time the final tab comes in, the cost of designing and installing a ramp to the president's chair at the Board of Supervisors - a project now under way - is expected to top out at $699,413. First, it took two companies, at a total cost of $132,205, to come up with a design that passed architectural muster for a designated historic landmark. The cost in city staff time to oversee the planning hit $38,434. That's $170,639. Then came the job itself. To install the ramp, the board's majestic podium is being taken apart, raised five steps above the chamber's floor, then put back together. Costs include $25,200 for materials, $201,678 for labor and $49,000 for a set of historically accurate brass handrails. Outside historic experts to keep an eye on the work are getting $48,824. Miscellaneous costs bring the construction job's total to $477,000 and change. Also, because the job could take 10 weeks, the supervisors have set aside $51,042 to pay for relocating board meetings. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/28/BA7I1KMRO0.DTL#ixzz1WQzdw4lT