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San Francisco supervisors vote 6-5 to send public advocate charter amendment to November ballot
Summary
On July 29, 2016, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 6-5 to submit a charter amendment to the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot that would create an Office of the Public Advocate with authority to review and investigate complaints about the administration of city programs, including specified whistleblower complaints.
On July 29, 2016, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 6-5 to submit a charter amendment to the Nov. 8, 2016 ballot that would create an Office of the Public Advocate with authority to review and investigate complaints about the administration of city programs, authorize review of specified whistleblower complaints, allow appointment of the director of the Office of Citizens' Complaints, and set policies on funding and staffing.
The measure matters because it would establish a new elected office with review and investigatory powers over city programs and would set operative dates to take effect if approved by voters on Nov. 8, 2016. Supporters said the office would provide a public check on city administration; opponents — and five dissenting supervisors — voted against placing it on the ballot.
Supervisor Kompos asked the board for a clarification before the vote. Deputy City Attorney John Givner told the board that the intent of the measure is not to require duplicate investigations of individual police misconduct. "It is not the intent of the board that the public advocate will be investigating allegations of individual police misconduct such that police officers accused of misconduct would be investigated twice, once by the OCC and once by the public advocate," Givner said, and noted that the statement had been relayed to the Police Officers Association during meet-and-confer discussions.
The roll call produced six yes votes and five no votes. Supervisors Kim, Mar, Peskin, Yi, Avalos and Campos voted aye. Supervisors Tang, Weiner, Breed, Cohen and Farrell voted no. The clerk announced, "There are 6 ayes and 5 noes," and that the charter amendment "will be submitted." The item was described on the record as "Charter amendment fourth draft to amend the charter of the city and county of San Francisco to create the office of the public advocate…" with the operative election date set for 11/08/2016.
The item was followed by the public comment period; speakers who addressed other city concerns spoke during the same meeting but did not alter the board's formal action on the charter amendment.
The board did not record a formal motion-maker or seconder in the transcript; the clerk ran a roll call vote as shown above.
