San Francisco BOS Budget and Appropriations Committee Recessed Meeting - June 23, 2023
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San Francisco BOS Budget and Appropriations Committee Recessed Meeting - June 23, 2023
The Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan, convened on June 23, 2023, at approximately 10:00 AM to review department budgets for FY 2023-2024 and FY 2024-2025. The meeting focused on proposed reductions from the Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) and policy disagreements. No public comment was taken; it was deferred to the recessed meeting on Monday, June 26, 2023. The meeting recessed at approximately 1:45 PM after approving a motion to carry over remaining agenda items.
Consent Calendar
- San Francisco Public Library: Agreed to BLA reductions totaling $485,000 per year (ongoing) from materials/supplies and salary attrition savings. Disagreed on three upward substitutions (chief information officer, fleet logistics supervisor, city archivist) costing $240,241 total, arguing they are necessary for recruitment and capacity. The committee expressed skepticism but will continue discussion.
- City Attorney: Agreed to BLA reductions: $363,183 in FY23-24 ($163,183 ongoing, $200,000 one-time) and $170,377 in FY24-25 (ongoing).
- Department of Emergency Management (DEM): Agreed to BLA reductions: $359,172 in FY23-24 ($156,224 ongoing, $202,948 one-time) plus $68,144 in encumbrance closures. Disagreed on two policy recommendations: (1) $1.277 million for DMAC operations (part of $5.5 million initiative) and (2) a reserve recommendation for $4 million in work orders for the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center. DEM argued the DMAC is still being stood up and asked for flexibility. The committee leaned toward placing the $4 million on reserve.
- Superior Court: Agreed to BLA reductions of $75,000 ongoing per year.
- Fire Department: Agreed to BLA reductions of $484,210 in FY23-24 ($421,194 ongoing, $63,016 one-time) and $197,260 in FY24-25.
- Juvenile Probation: Agreed to BLA reductions of $295,081 in FY23-24 ($243,924 ongoing, $51,157 one-time) plus $104,592 in encumbrance closures; $246,005 in FY24-25.
- Adult Probation: Agreed to BLA reductions of $396,399 in FY23-24 ($65,000 ongoing, $331,399 one-time) plus $32,326 in encumbrance closures; $65,000 in FY24-25.
- Department of Police Accountability: Agreed to BLA reduction of $20,000 (one-time) in FY23-24 only.
- Office of the Inspector General (Sheriff): Agreed to BLA reductions of $467,360 in FY23-24 ($42,826 ongoing, $424,534 one-time) and $33,420 in FY24-25 (corrected from initially stated $42,826).
- Sheriff's Department: Agreed to BLA reductions of $627,551 in FY23-24 ($70,551 ongoing, $557,000 one-time) plus $95,102 in encumbrance closures; $70,551 in FY24-25. Disagreed on an upward substitution for a strategic planning position ($33,184), arguing it was justified by a DHR analysis.
- Public Defender: Agreed to BLA reduction of $15,873 (one-time) in FY23-24 plus $9,358 in encumbrance closures. Disagreed on a policy recommendation regarding a chief of confront and advocacy position ($15,996 in FY23-24, $16,331 ongoing in FY24-25), noting it was already approved in a prior budget cycle. Supervisor Walton supported the department; the committee indicated willingness to approve.
- District Attorney: Agreed to BLA reductions of $253,761 in FY23-24 ($13,000 ongoing, $240,761 one-time) plus $1,000 in encumbrance closures; $13,000 in FY24-25.
Discussion Items
- San Francisco Public Library Upward Substitutions: The library requested three position upgrades: CIO (deputy director 2 to manager 3, cost $16,130), fleet/logistics supervisor (senior materials supervisor to manager 1), and city archivist (page to manager 1). Total cost $240,241. BLA flagged this as a policy matter given the city's structural deficit. The committee leaned against approval, with Chair Chan and Supervisors Safai and Walton expressing concern about cumulative costs. The library offered to increase salary savings to account for delayed hiring. Discussion included the Ocean View branch feasibility study; Supervisor Safai proposed reserving remaining funds for the Orizaba site, which the library accepted.
- DEM Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMAC): DEM presented the $5.5 million initiative to coordinate drug enforcement. BLA recommended placing $4 million on reserve for work orders still being finalized, and considered the remaining $1.277 million a policy decision. DEM agreed to the reserve but asked for quick action. Supervisors debated the long-term sustainability and mission clarity. Supervisor Ronan criticized the approach as a short-term "gimmick" and called for systemic changes. Vice Chair Mandelman supported the DMAC as necessary to address street conditions. Chair Chan requested a detailed breakdown of all street response programs (FTEs and costs) and updates on DEM's capital project at 1101 Turk Street.
- Police Department Overtime and TrueNARC: The police department disagreed with two BLA recommendations: (1) a $1.4 million cut to overtime (reduced from $2.7 million after discussions) and (2) a policy recommendation not to fund $200,000 for 10 TrueNARC devices. Chief Redmond argued both are critical given staffing shortages (84 civilian vacancies, ongoing sworn attrition) and the need for efficiency in drug enforcement. BLA countered that the department already budgets $81 million in overtime for FY23-24 (quadruple historical levels) and that TrueNARC devices are redundant with existing lab testing. The committee requested data on drug arrests per district and discussed command staff structure. Chair Chan noted the police budget has increased 12.2% since FY2019-20 to $692 million. The committee will continue discussion.
Key Outcomes
- Motions Passed: The committee voted unanimously to carry over the balance of today's agenda items to the recessed meeting on Monday, June 26, 2023, and to recess this meeting until that time.
- Next Steps: The recessed meeting on June 26 will include public comment on the budget (agenda items 1 and 2) and further deliberation on outstanding policy disagreements. Departments are to provide requested documents (e.g., DEM street response details, police arrest data, library Ocean View project information) to the committee and BLA.
- Reserve Items: The committee indicated willingness to place DEM's DMAC work orders ($4 million) on reserve pending a finalized plan. The police overtime reduction and TrueNARC funding will be revisited.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Thank you. Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the June 23rd 2023 meeting of the budget and appropriation committee. I'm Supervisor Connie Chan, Chair of the Committee. I'm joined by Vice Chair Rafael Mendelman, Supervisors Safi Asha Safai, Hilary Ronan, and Shaman Walton. Our clerk today is John Carroll. I would like to thank uh SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcement? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. It's just a friendly reminder to those in attendance in the public viewing area. Please make sure to silence your cell phones, your electronic devices, and other devices you may have so as to not interrupt our proceedings today in the chamber. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. Public comment on the proposed budget as agenda items one and two will be taken on Monday, June 26th in a meeting to start at 10 a.m. And the public comment on the balance of the items of the agenda will be taken before committee action on those items. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take public comment from those who are waiting on the telephone line. For those who are watching remotely or through streaming on sfgovtv.org, the public comment call in number is moving across your screen at this time. Follow the instructions on the screen, and when you are connected, you'll hear the meeting discussions, but your telephone line will be muted and in listening mode only. If your item of interest comes up on our agenda and public comment is called on that item, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those in the telephone line should dial star three to be added to the queue. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down the volume on your television or other listening devices you may have with you in order to prevent us from having issues with an echo on your line. That way we can hear you clearly. Or you may send your comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in the clerk's office, that's room two forty-four. City Hall's address is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodley Place, San Francisco, California, 94102. Whatever materials we receive from you, we will add to the file and send to the members of the budget appropriations committee for their consideration on the matter on which you are commenting. And that is the end of the pre-meeting announcements, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um before we start, I'd like to take a quick moment to let everyone know how today's hearing will run. We will call up departments in order listed on the agenda today. Then we will hear the budget and legislative analysts on their recommendations for further reduction and the department's response. Um for any departments that actually have multiple uh recommendation around either the reduction or policy recommendation that uh that there may be disagreement. Uh we will be uh going one uh recommendation at a time to allow the uh department present the reasoning for disagreement and then for the budget and legislative analysts to respond to that. Uh so instead of like a whole the entire uh lists of things that going through, we're gonna do it one by one to prevent confusion and much easier for also for everyone, including our controllers to track uh the um results. So with that, um Mr. Clerk, could you please call item one and two together? Agenda item numbers one and two are the proposed budget and appropriation and salary ordinance for the fiscal years ending June 30th, 2024 and June 30th, 2025. Item one appropriates all estimated receipts and all estimated expenditures for departments of the city and county of San Francisco for or as of June 1st, 2023, excuse me. And excuse me. Item number two enumerates positions in the annual budget and appropriation ordinance, continuing creating or establishing these positions. Enumerating and including therein all positions created by charter or state law for which compensations are paid from city and county funds and appropriated in the annual appropriation ordinance, authorizing appointments or continuation of appointments there too, specifying and fixing the compensations and work schedules thereof and authorizing appointments to temporary positions and fixing compensations. Thank you. And just also a reminder for uh everyone that after the presentation and conversation, they will uh we will go into recess till Monday. That's when the public commons will take place for item one and two, and that is Monday, June 26th, starting at 10 a.m. And all the public comments starting on Monday will also be limited to one minute. Um so with that, uh our first city department presenting today is the San Francisco Public Library.
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