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Board adopts 2009 budget priorities; divided vote approves firefighter 'rolling brownouts' language
Summary
The Board adopted a resolution setting priorities for the 2009 budget process. The package passed overall, but supervisors divided and separately approved a controversial provision to allow consideration of temporary 'brownouts' of fire stations as a budget option.
The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution outlining its 2009 budget process and policy priorities, including guidance on revenue measures, protecting core services and government efficiency.
Why it matters: The resolution provides the Board’s priorities ahead of the mayor’s balanced budget. It lists revenue options, potential fee increases, labor negotiations and program protections. A divided portion of the resolution — language that asks the mayor to consider, as a last-resort budget option, scheduled temporary reductions in fire-station staffing or “rolling brownouts” — passed separately after further debate.
Debate and votes: Supervisors discussed the balance between revenue and reform, the role of parcel taxes, and whether the budget priorities should explicitly embrace the Controller’s budget-improvement proposals. Supervisor Ellsburn (Ellsberg) opposed the measure without stronger revenue-and-reform linkages. The section dealing with potential firefighter staffing changes was severed and voted on separately; that divided portion passed (7–3) with Supervisor Chu recused for that part. The remainder of the resolution passed on a separate roll call (8–3).
Public-safety details: Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White testified to mandated response-time guidelines (NFPA standards cited) and cautioned that withholding staff or brownouts risked missing response targets and increasing life- and property-loss. Several supervisors urged caution, sought more analysis and called for parity among union concessions. Others argued temporary brownouts could spread reductions more evenly across departments.
What's next: The budget priorities set a framework the mayor’s office must follow when proposing a balanced budget. The Board directed additional oversight and hearings on implementation details and required that any potential brownouts be carefully studied against response-time standards and public-safety impacts.
Sources: Remarks and votes at the May 12 Board of Supervisors meeting; testimony from San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White.
