Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting: Free Muni Pilot and Law Enforcement Alternatives Report - May 12, 2021
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Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting: Free Muni Pilot and Law Enforcement Alternatives Report - May 12, 2021
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Appropriations Committee met on May 12, 2021, from approximately 11:45 a.m. to after 7:00 p.m. The committee considered two major items: a proposed three-month free Muni pilot program (ordinances 210453 and 210454) and a hearing on a Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) report examining law enforcement functions that could be civilianized (item 210357). The meeting included extensive public testimony and debate on both items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Free Muni Pilot: Approximately 25 callers spoke, the vast majority in support. Speakers included community members, representatives from the San Francisco Youth Commission, SOMCAN, Urban Habitat, and the DSA. They argued the pilot would provide financial relief to low-income riders, encourage transit use, reduce congestion, and help meet climate goals. A few callers opposed the pilot, raising concerns about cost and prioritizing service restoration. One caller noted that free muni would save the average rider $81 per month.
- Law Enforcement Report: Over 50 callers provided public comment. Many urged defunding the police and reallocating funds to community-based alternatives such as the Compassionate Alternative Response Team (CART), citing racial disparities and ineffective policing. Others, including representatives from the Hotel Council, Chamber of Commerce, and individual residents, called for maintaining or increasing police staffing, foot patrols, and academy classes, citing safety concerns and recent crime increases.
Discussion Items
Free Muni Pilot Program (Items 210453 and 210454)
- Supervisor Dean Preston introduced the proposal to make Muni fare-free for three months (July–September 2021) using $9.3 million from the COVID Contingency Reserve. He later offered amendments to increase the appropriation to $12.5 million to cover free paratransit services (required under the ADA) and updated ridership projections.
- Chair Matt Haney and President Shamann Walton expressed strong support, emphasizing the pilot’s potential to boost ridership and put money back in residents’ pockets. Supervisor Gordon Mar also supported.
- Supervisor Ahsha Safaí raised concerns about the use of reserves, existing overcrowding on buses, and the need to prioritize service restoration. SFMTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin testified that the agency’s immediate priority is addressing severe crowding (e.g., on the 14 Mission line) and the agency’s structural deficit. He noted that a free-fare pilot would likely increase ridership before service could be expanded, worsening crowding. He also argued that the majority of financial benefit would go to more affluent riders, as lower-income residents already receive discounts.
- BLA analyst Dan Goncher reported that the original appropriation did not cover ADA paratransit, estimated at $1.8 million, and that the COVID reserve would still have a balance of $495.8 million after the appropriation.
- The committee voted 5-0 to accept the amendments and to continue the items as amended to the next committee meeting.
Law Enforcement Alternatives Report (Item 210357)
- BLA analyst Nick Minard presented findings on civilianization, traffic enforcement, calls for service, police work orders, and sheriff’s contract with DPH. Key data: In 2019, police responded to 109,000 calls related to mental health, homelessness, wellness checks, and noise complaints (15% of all calls). 18,620 traffic stops were for equipment, registration, or local ordinance violations (29% of all traffic stops). The report estimated that diverting all priority B “mentally disturbed person” calls to the Street Crisis Response Team (SCRT) would free up about 23 FTEs of police time.
- Chief Bill Scott confirmed the department’s support for SCRT and the new Street Wellness Response Team for wellness checks, but noted that further planning and infrastructure are needed. He discussed racial disparities in traffic stops (e.g., Black drivers are 34% of equipment violation stops but 14% of driving population) and ongoing reform efforts.
- Undersheriff Joe Engler and CFO Crispin Hollings addressed the sheriff’s budget, including the closure of County Jail 4 (CJ4). They reported that CJ4 had approximately 100 FTEs, and that despite closing the facility, the sheriff’s office had retired 30 deputies and still had significant overtime due to staffing shortages and the need to keep CJ4’s kitchen operational until a remodel at CJ2 is complete (estimated within the year).
- Department of Public Health and Fire Department representatives also answered questions about the proposed Street Wellness Response Team and coordination with the SCRT.
- The committee did not vote on any budgets but filed the hearing.
Key Outcomes
- Free Muni Pilot (Items 210453 and 210454): The committee approved amendments increasing the appropriation to $12.5 million and including free paratransit. The amended items were continued to the May 19, 2021 committee meeting.
- Law Enforcement Hearing (Item 210357): The hearing was filed without a vote.
- Procedural Motions: The committee voted to excuse Supervisor Ronan from voting on the Muni items (5-0), and later excused Supervisors Ronan and Mar from the remainder of the meeting (3-0). A recess was taken during the law enforcement hearing.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. This is the May 12th uh budget and appropriations committee meeting. I am Matt Haney, Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. I'm joined by committee members, President Walton, Supervisors Preston, Safai, and Marr. Supervisor Ronan will be joining us at a later part of the meeting. Our clerk is Ms. Linda Wong, and I want to thank Colina Mendoza and Jim Smith from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. A quick reminder that given the length of today's meeting, we will be limiting public comment to one minute for all of uh the items on budget and appropriations today. Our plan for this meeting is that we are going to start with items one and two, which are the MTA items. And after those items are heard, we will take a recess. Then we will reconvene this meeting and hear the third item, which is the BLA's law enforcement report. Madam Clerk, uh, do you have any announcements? Yes, Mr. Chair, due to the COVID-19 health emergency and to protect board members, city employees, and the public, the Board of Supervisors, Legislative Chamber, and Committee Room are closed. However, members will be participating in the meeting remotely. This precaution is taking pursuit to the various local state and federal orders, declarations and directives. Committee members will attend the meeting through video conference and participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they're physically present. Public comment will be available on each item on this jet agenda. Channels 267899 and SFGTV.org, streaming the number across the screen. Comments or opportunities to speak during public comment period are available via phone call by calling 415 65501. Meeting ID 187153564A, then press pound twice. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up, down star three to be added to the speaker line. Best practices are to call from a quiet location, speak clearly and slowly, and turn down your television. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in the following way. Email to myself, the budget and appropriations committee clerk at L-I-N D A dot W O N G at SFGO V Dorg. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and will be included as part of the official file. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of May 18, unless otherwise stated. Finally, we have Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino interpreters joining us at this meeting for agenda item number three. Spanish and Chinese interpretation services will be available from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. And Filipino Interpretation Service will be available from 1 p.m. to 5 30 p.m. Callers who need interpretation services are encouraged to call in early to ensure our interpreters are available. Mr. Chair, this concludes my announcement. Thank you, Madam Clerk. First, I want to make a motion to excuse Supervisor Ronan from attending today's meeting until 1 p.m. Is there a second? Second. Great. Can we have a roll call vote on that, please? Yes, on that motion, Vice Chair Safai. Vice Chair Safai. Member Mark? Safai I, thank you. Member Mar. Aye. Member Preston. Aye.
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