Public Works says $13.8M in cuts trim staff by 46 positions; mayor restores street-cleaning funding

San Francisco Public Works told the commission on Thursday that the mayor's proposed FY25-26 budget would require a 15% reduction to the department's general fund baseline, a cut the department said originally equated to about $13.8 million and led to the planned elimination of 46 positions.

Director Carla Short said the department met an initial 15% reduction target and later was asked to absorb further adjustments. "Reducing 46 positions was a very, very difficult decision to make," Short said, adding that 44 of the positions were vacant and two were filled management positions that would result in layoffs. She said employees facing layoffs were notified before the budget was publicly released and that staff had been provided a packet about rights and re-assignment possibilities.

The nut graf: The cuts would affect both back-office (analysts, accountants, IT and survey positions) and some trade roles, while the mayor's budget partially restored funding for visible street-cleaning services. How the city balances those priorities will affect permitting, contract processing and frontline services.

Short told the commission the amended budget package included specific reductions and restorations: a…