San Francisco Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting - June 23, 2022
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San Francisco Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting - June 23, 2022
The Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Supervisor Hillary Ronin, met on June 23, 2022, to review the Mayor's proposed FY2022-2023 and FY2023-2024 budgets. The committee heard from Budget and Legislative Analysts (BLA) and department heads, approving most departmental budgets with BLA-recommended adjustments. Key debates centered on funding for affordable housing (Prop I), the Tenderloin recovery, alternative street response, park rangers, District Attorney's victim services, and the Police Department's budget. The committee voted to amend and continue the Prop I appropriation, and recessed the Police budget for further negotiation, with a final decision expected on June 27, 2022.
Consent Calendar
- Adult Probation Department: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $646,010 in FY2022-23 and $138,924 in FY2023-24.
- Superior Court: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $100,000 each fiscal year.
- Human Rights Commission: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $194,846 in FY2022-23 and $250,527 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Department of Children, Youth and Their Families: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $410,000 each fiscal year, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Department of Early Care and Education: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $260,352 in FY2022-23 and $116,352 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Department of Human Resources: Accepted BLA technical recommendations, with reductions of $896,431 in FY2022-23 and $3,765,353 in FY2023-24, but retained three positions (two in government operations recovery initiative, one in external affairs) as agreed.
- Department on the Status of Women: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $155,576 in FY2022-23 and $55,576 in FY2023-24.
- Asian Art Museum: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $55,644 in FY2022-23 and $59,767 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Fine Arts Museums: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $124,457 in FY2022-23 and $122,964 in FY2023-24.
- Arts Commission: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $166,138 in FY2022-23 and $5,000 in FY2023-24.
- War Memorial: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $348,698 in FY2022-23 and $203,543 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Fire Department: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $411,040 in FY2022-23 and $241,059 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures; a pending issue on position authority for the stress unit will be addressed on June 27.
- Sheriff's Department: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $787,052 in FY2022-23 and $38,660 in FY2023-24, plus prior year encumbrance closures.
- Sheriff's Department of Accountability: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $454,810 in FY2022-23 (one-time) and no reductions in FY2023-24.
- Department of Police Accountability: Accepted BLA recommendations, with reductions of $30,000 each fiscal year.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were received on the items discussed during this meeting. Public comment on the annual appropriation and salary ordinances was scheduled for June 24, 2022. Public comment was taken on the continuance of the Francisco Park Conservancy resolution, but no speakers were present.
Discussion Items
- File 211194 – Prop I Affordable Housing Funding: Supervisor Preston proposed amendments to the appropriation ordinance to fund the Housing Stability Fund Oversight Board recommendations through long-term debt financing (COPs) totaling $122 million. The amendments included $60 million for land acquisition, $20 million for non-licit social housing, $20 million for public housing life safety, $12 million for educator housing, and $10 million for SRO elevator upgrades. The committee voted unanimously to adopt the amendments and continue the item to June 29, 2022.
- Planning Department: Disagreed with BLA policy recommendation to place $4.2 million for Tenderloin community grants on reserve. The department argued the funds were for planned improvements and coordination. Supervisors Walton and Chan expressed concern about equity and lack of detail. The committee accepted BLA technical adjustments but continued discussion on the policy item, requesting a detailed plan.
- Department of Emergency Management: Disagreed with BLA policy recommendation to cut $3 million for the CART alternative street response pilot. Chair Ronin reaffirmed commitment to CART's three core aspects. The committee accepted BLA technical recommendations but rejected the policy cut, keeping the $3 million.
- Recreation and Park Department: Disagreed with BLA policy recommendation to reduce new park ranger positions from 10 to 5. The department presented a counterproposal with attrition savings. Supervisors debated need vs. other city investments. The committee accepted BLA technical recommendations and continued policy discussion.
- District Attorney's Office: Disagreed with BLA policy recommendations related to victim services (Recommendation 8) and vacant positions (Recommendations 9-11). The DA's office argued that cuts would disrupt services to 8,000 victims annually and that attrition rates should account for expected turnover. Chair Ronin expressed intent to cut the victim services program but the committee continued discussion on specific positions and attrition rates.
- Public Defender's Office: Disagreed with BLA recommendation to downgrade a confidential secretary position (0922) to a lower classification. The committee accepted the other two BLA recommendations but rejected the downgrade to avoid reducing the current employee's salary.
- Police Department: Disagreed with all four BLA recommendations: increasing sworn attrition, reducing two of five analyst positions, deferring $1.5 million for records management system, and deferring facility master planning. Chief Scott argued cuts would harm operations given a 349 officer deficit. Supervisor Walton proposed reducing overtime by 25% and placing four academies (two on reserve) rather than the proposed eight over two years. Chair Ronin expressed frustration that SFPD was the only department not agreeing to any cuts. The committee recessed the item to allow the department to renegotiate with BLA, with final action expected June 27.
Key Outcomes
- File 211194 (Prop I appropriation) was amended and continued to June 29, 2022.
- File 220693 (Francisco Park Conservancy resolution) was continued to the call of the chair.
- Most departmental budgets were approved with BLA technical recommendations.
- The Police Department budget was recessed for further negotiation; the committee will consider additional cuts (overtime and academies) on June 27.
- The committee rescinded earlier votes on Files 211194 and 220693 to re-hear them at a later date.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. This is the June 23rd, 2022 budget and appropriations committee meeting. I am Supervisor Hillary Ronin, Chair of the Committee. I am joined by committee members, Supervisor, well, will be shortly. Asha Safai, committee members Gordon Markani Chan and President Shaman Walton. Our clerk is Brent Halipa. And I want to thank Matthew Ignau from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, Madam Chair. With our return to the chamber, just a friendly reminder for those in attendance to please to make sure to uh silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Uh the Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential, and we'll be taking public comment as follows. First public comment will be taken on uh each item considered today, with the exception of items one and two on today's agenda. Uh public comment on annual appropriation and salary ordinances will be held at this committee's meeting on Friday, June 24th. On the rest of today's items, those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those uh who are waiting on the telephone line. Uh for those watching either channels 2678 or 99 and sfgovtv.org. The public comment uh call in number his streaming across the screen. That number is 415 65501. Again, that's 415 655-0001 and enter the meeting ID of 2493-226-0748, then pound and then pound again. Uh when connected, you will hear meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listening mode only. Uh when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called. Those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on telephone should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the budget and appropriations committee clerk at B R E N T dot J A L I P A Hat S F G O V dot O R G. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That's one, Dr. Carlton, be good look. Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. And thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes my announcements. Thank you so much. Um as I said yesterday, just want to talk a little bit about process for today. Uh this week the budget and legislative analysts will report on the department's budgets, and the departments will have an opportunity to agree or disagree with the BLA's recommendations. We have prioritized departments by those who agree, then those who agree with the technical recommendations but not the policy recommendations, and finally those departments that do not agree. Public comment day will be tomorrow, Friday, June 24th. Um that day is reserved for public comment only. Uh today any public comment will be limited to one minute. Uh, we will have a designated break probably at around one o'clock, but I will um give a more precise time as we get close uh to that time. Um first, before we start with the budgets, we're gonna consider a uh uh another item related to the budget. So, Mr. Clerk, can you please call file number two one one one nine four? Thank you, madam chair. File uh number two one one one nine four left unfinished from the June 22nd agenda uh is an ordinance appropriating um sixty-four million one hundred and fifty thousand from the fiscal cliff reserve to the mayor's office of housing and community development for rent relief under the rent resolution and relief fund and sixty-four million one hundred fifty thousand for the acquisition, creation, and operation of affordable social housing under the housing stability fund in fiscal year uh 2021 to 2022. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this ordinance should call 415 65501. The meeting ID is 2493-226-0748, then press pound twice.
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