San Francisco Budget and Appropriations Committee Special Meeting - June 14, 2021

The committee met on Monday, June 14, 2021, from 11:00 AM to after 9:00 PM, with a lunch recess from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. Chair Matt Haney presided, joined by Vice Chair Safai and Supervisors Walton, Mar, and Ronan. The committee reviewed and voted on interim budget items, heard presentations from 18 city departments, and accepted public testimony on the proposed two-year budget for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Key themes included oversight, accountability, racial equity, and post-COVID recovery investments.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1, 2, 7, 8 (Interim budget and salary ordinances, OCI budget and bond issuance) were approved unanimously (5-0) and forwarded to the full Board for June 22, 2021, or July 13, 2021, respectively.
• Items 3 and 4 (Hearings on administrative provisions) were filed without objection.
• Items 9 and 10 (Official advertising and outreach newspaper designations) were approved (4-0-1, with Vice Chair Safai absent) and forwarded to the July 13, 2021 Board meeting.
• Item 11 (Street artist certificate fee reduction from $849 to $0 via $80 legislative reduction and $80 rebate) was approved (4-0-1) and forwarded to July 13, 2021.
• Item 12 (Cost of living adjustment for the BLA contract, an increase of $38,411) was approved (4-0-1) and forwarded to July 13, 2021.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Over a dozen callers provided public comment at the end of the meeting on items 5 and 6. Several speakers from community organizations (e.g., Filipino Community Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Council of Community Housing Organizations, San Francisco Rising, SEIU 1021, climate advocacy groups) urged restoration of funding for immigrant rapid response, tenant counseling, workforce development, and climate equity proposals (e.g., 1% of the city budget for climate action). A few callers also supported the climate equity hub and sustainable funding roadmap.

Discussion Items

• Departmental Presentations (18 departments):
  • OEWD: Director Sofus highlighted $45M in new investments for small business relief, workforce recovery, and a city-core ambassador program ($12M). Two new permitting specialist positions added. Seventy-two percent of grants went to minority-owned businesses. Responded to questions on commercial eviction protections and equity.
  • DBI: Acting Director O’Reardon reported a $89.9M budget, 20 vacant positions, and technology upgrades. Addressed backlog, whistleblower reporting, and compliance with the new bad-actor legislation.
  • Planning: Director Hillis noted a $60M fee-revenue-driven budget, 34 vacancies, and the new Community Equity Division focused on racial and social equity. Discussed Prop H implementation, shared spaces program, and west-side planning.
  • Assessor-Recorder: Assessor Torres presented a $39M budget, 28 vacancies, and a $27M recovery in underpaid taxes. Emphasized technology improvements and racial equity efforts including an appraiser trainee program.
  • Treasurer: Treasurer Cisneros budgeted $26.1M in general fund support, 14 exempt positions, and continued fee waivers. Work on guaranteed income pilots, digital payments (33% growth), and language access improvements.
  • Controller: Controller Rosenfield outlined $77.4M budget, 4 new positions for public integrity and performance auditing. Updated on street cleanliness inspections restarting, cybersecurity, and contracting equity reporting.
  • General City Responsibility: Michelle Allersma explained this non-operational department (no staff) holds citywide revenues and baseline transfers (e.g., MTA, libraries).
  • City Administrator: Administrator Chu reviewed $550M budget, 950 FTE (233 vacancies). Highlights included Prop B implementation, digital equity (fiber to public housing), language access scaling, and Moscone convention incentives.
  • City Attorney: Attorney Herrera presented a $99M budget, 32 vacancies, and ongoing public integrity investigations (e.g., Recology settlement recovering $100M). Discussed technology upgrades and family-friendly remote work policy.
  • Department of Technology: Director Grewal reported $49M pass-through for hardware/software, 30 vacancies, 27 exempt positions, and digital equity initiatives (fiber to affordable housing, text-to-911, expanded language access).
  • Human Rights Commission: Director Davis described $4.8M investment split with OEWD, support for Dreamkeeper, reparations task force, and Office of Sharp. Noted need for more staff to manage equity plans and language access.
  • Public Works: Acting Director DeGraffenreid presented $350M budget, 233 vacancies (105 operational), and a $3M increase in clean corridors program. Addressed pit stop bathroom reductions (from 60 to 25 permanent) and the clean corridors SF program.
  • MOHCD: Director Shaw proposed $219M budget, 7 vacancies, and $10M housing innovation fund. Discussed right-to-counsel full funding, Prop I implementation, and tenant outreach needs.
  • Mayor’s Office: Budget Director Groffenberger presented $9.7M budget including a new Mayor’s Office of Justice Innovation (3 positions: victim rights advocate, call diversion project manager, support).
  • Ethics Commission: Deputy Director Takemoto requested 8 new positions (total 33) to enhance investigative capacity, ethics training, and program performance reporting.
  • Board of Appeals: Executive Director Rosenberg presented a flat budget with one vacancy and proposed fee surcharge increases (planning/DBI from $20 to $22.50, DPW from $7 to $9, DPH from $46 to $50.50).
  • Department of Elections: Director Arntz outlined $8.3M estimated cost for upcoming recall election (pending state reimbursement), 2 vacancies, and outreach to vulnerable voters.
  • SF Environment: Director Raphael noted no general fund support; $19M budget decrease due to expiry of multi-year grants. Advocated for funding for a climate equity hub and sustainable revenue study.
  • Board of Supervisors/Clerk: Clerk Calvio presented a $922K increase (5%) for fiscal year 2022, including a request to reclassify administrative assistants to legislative assistants (cost ~$600K) and $45K for language access after 5:30 PM.

Key Outcomes

• Items 1, 2, 7, 8 moved to full board with positive recommendations.
• Items 3, 4 filed.
• Items 9, 10, 11, 12 moved to full board with positive recommendations.
• Items 5 and 6 (main budget ordinances) were continued to the June 16, 2021, committee meeting.
• Multiple departments noted pending BLA reports and follow-up for next week.
• The committee committed to further discussions on pit stops, language access staffing, climate equity funding, and immigrant services restoration.