Board approves two-month funding to hold some Department of Public Health jobs through holidays; larger restoration continued to Dec. 15

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Nov. 24 approved a two-month supplemental appropriation intended to preserve specific Department of Public Health (DPH) positions through the holiday season, and continued consideration of a larger funding restoration until Dec. 15.

The two-month appropriation motion, offered by Supervisor Campos and supported by a majority of the board, moves $1,881,896 to sustain the currently filled positions for two months while the board continues to pursue other options to reduce layoffs and seek state and federal reimbursements. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, 8 ayes to 3 noes.

Why it matters: Supervisors spent more than two hours debating the supplemental after multiple members described the DPH cuts as falling disproportionately on frontline workers—many of whom are women and people of color—and warned the reductions risked disrupting public-health services and the Healthy San Francisco program.

Discussion and context: Supervisor Avalos said the city had “eliminated hundreds of positions” in DPH and described a wide set of service disruptions to clinics and hospitals, and argued the city should preserve frontline jobs where possible. She said the fiscal stakes were high because the school district and other agencies face downstream costs tied to service reductions.

Controller Ben Rosenfield responded to several supervisors’ questions by explaining the mechanics of the proposed appropriation: the revised supplemental would advance money from later in the fiscal year within DPH’s budget and that if state or federal reimbursements (a Medicaid plan amendment the state submitted to the federal government) arrived by the close of the fiscal year, the controller would seek reappropriation to make DPH whole.

Some supervisors warned that the state and federal revenues were uncertain. Supervisor Ellsberg warned that relying on possible state funds would be “akin to spending your lottery winnings before you even scratch the lottery ticket,” and the controller said he could not certify those revenues at the time of the hearing because of open questions about federal approval and the state’s implementing steps.

Board action: The board voted to appropriate $1,881,896 for the two‑month preservation of positions (motion by Supervisor Campos; second recorded as Supervisor Daley). Tally: 8 ayes, 3 noes.

Separately, the board voted to continue consideration of the larger supplemental appropriation (the remaining portions of the DPH supplement and related items) to the board meeting on Dec. 15 to allow more time for negotiations and for additional financial information. That continuation passed on a roll call of 7 ayes and 4 noes.

What the actions do and do not do: The two‑month appropriation would allow the administration and DPH to continue paying certain positions in the near term. It does not themselves guarantee long‑term protection if state or federal reimbursements do not materialize or if subsequent budget adjustments are required. Supervisors repeatedly distinguished discussion from formal action: the board’s two‑month appropriation is an interim funding decision; the larger supplemental proposal was continued for further deliberation.

Next steps: The board scheduled further consideration of the larger supplemental appropriation for Dec. 15. Supervisors and the administration said they would continue to press for state and federal reimbursements and to explore budget tradeoffs in the intervening weeks.

Ending: Supervisors framed the vote as an attempt to buy time and mitigate immediate harm to workers and families during the holiday season while acknowledging the significant fiscal uncertainty facing the city in the months ahead.