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Mayor Lee discusses fresh‑food pilot, retiree health care and format of monthly question time
Summary
At the boardof supervisorsmonthly question time, Mayor Edwin Lee told supervisors he supports expanding coordinated fresh‑food retail efforts, reiterated steps taken to address the city's multi‑billion dollar retiree health care liability, and defended the current question‑time format while inviting improved, constructive dialogue.
Mayor Edwin M. Lee appeared at the Board of Supervisors' monthly question time to answer supervisors' questions on neighborhood fresh‑food access, San Francisco's unfunded retiree health care liability and proposals to change the structure of mayoral question time.
Supervisor Maher introduced legislation to create a "Healthy Food Retailer Incentives Program" to coordinate Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and Department of Public Health efforts to help corner and convenience stores stock fresh produce. Maher said pilot programs in the Tenderloin and the Bayview have helped stores move away from a reliance on alcohol, tobacco and processed foods and that the new legislation would sustain and expand those efforts. Maher asked whether the mayor would support funding an OEWD staff position to coordinate the program.
Mayor Lee said he supports the goals and described the proposal as consistent with his Invest in Neighborhoods initiative, part of a broader jobs and neighborhood investment effort. Lee said the city needs programmatic funding, not just staff time, noting a storefront/tenant improvement and technical assistance program could cost approximately $50,000 to $100,000 per business. He listed recent and ongoing OEWD and Department of Public Health activities to attract grocery stores to underserved neighborhoods and to support corner store conversions.
Supervisor Carmen Chu asked about the city's retiree health care liability, which has been reported at roughly $4.36 billion in prior actuarial work. Lee said the city will pay approximately $173 million this year for current retirees' health benefits and recounted previous reforms and ballot measures that have required employees to begin contributing toward retirement costs and created an employer trust for retiree health care. He described a wellness leadership council he formed with department heads and labor representatives, and said the city must pursue multi‑pronged, consensus reforms and savings to address long‑term costs.
Supervisor David Campos urged structural changes to the monthly question‑time format to allow more follow‑up and dialogue. Lee disagreed with restructuring that would risk turning the sessions into confrontational "gotcha" moments; he said preparing questions in advance allows his office to provide detailed, data‑driven answers and that he remains available for policy discussions outside the formal session. Lee said he would work with supervisors to improve substantive dialogue while avoiding spectacle.
Speakers quoted in this report appeared during the mayoral question time agenda item of the board meeting.
