San Francisco Environment Department warns budget cuts will constrain climate work; refuse-rate administrator recommends partial funding package

The San Francisco Environment Department told the Commission on the Environment that proposed reductions in general-fund support and possible cuts to work-order funding from the Public Utilities Commission would reduce the department ability to perform climate and clean-transportation work.

Director Tyrone Joo briefed commissioners on the mayors proposed budget and on recent refuse-rate board proceedings. Joo said the mayors proposal reduced the departments general-fund allocation from prior-year assumptions and that the result is a drop to about $904,000 in the first budget year and $600,000 in the second year for general-fund support for the departmentthe latter reduction was driven in part by omission of overhead in the second year, the director said.

Joo and staff explained the reductions would require shifting or curtailing grants, incentives, and contracts and could limit work on items such as the Climate Equity Hub and landscaping work that had previously received funding.…