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Board approves 2008–09 budget after late amendments, rejects full public‑financing restoration
Summary
After lengthy debate and multiple amendments, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the consolidated 2008–09 city budget on first reading, approving a series of restorations and reserves while rejecting motions to fully restore $5 million from the public financing fund.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved the consolidated annual appropriation and related budget measures for fiscal year 2008–09 on first reading after extensive debate and a series of last‑minute amendments.
The board approved the package, as amended, by a 9–2 vote on first reading. The adopted package included multiple cost‑neutral additions and targeted restorations made during the committee and full‑board process and placed some new items on reserve pending further planning.
The budget package sent forward today incorporated several high‑profile amendments that had been debated on the floor and in Budget & Finance. Among the motions approved were: reinstating a city hall fellow position in the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (approved unanimously in roll call as an amendment earlier in the meeting); reallocating $152,000 from an LGBT planning add‑back to a Bernal preschool planning allocation (motion approved on the floor); and placing $1,000,000 intended for a proposed “therapeutic foster care” program on committee reserve pending a plan rather than releasing the funds immediately (the board approved placing the amount on Budget & Finance Committee reserve after discussion with the Controller).
Board members repeatedly described the package as the product of difficult choices in the face of a large structural shortfall. Supervisor Magoldrick, chair of the Budget Committee, described a process that began with a projected discretionary shortfall and said the committee restored a record amount of general‑fund add‑backs while proposing some targeted no‑cost shifts.
Public financing debate, votes
A major floor fight centered on whether to restore $5,000,000 that the mayor’s budget had assumed would be available from the city’s public campaign financing account. Supervisor Ammiano moved to restore the full $5,000,000; that motion failed in a roll call vote, 3 ayes to 8 noes. Supervisor Mercarini offered a compromise to leave $2,000,000 in place and move $3,000,000 back into the budget; that motion also failed (4 ayes, 7 noes). Speakers on both sides framed the debate as a question of political values versus fiscal prudence: supporters said restoring the money protected a nascent public financing program for future mayoral and supervisorial races, while opponents warned the move would hollow the general‑fund reserve and worse affect basic city services if revenues fell.
Other notable floor actions
- The board approved a no‑cost shift requested by Supervisor Ammiano to fund a city hall fellow in the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement to support enforcement of Healthy San Francisco. - The board approved restoring $170,000 discovered to have been double‑budgeted and used to reestablish two Office of Legislative Analyst positions (after a sequence of votes and a rescission attempt, the restoration ultimately passed during the session). - Several smaller, targeted restorations were approved (e.g., a $100,000 transfer for an international arts festival to the Entertainment Commission, and technical salary swaps at San Francisco General to restore one senior technician position).
Why this matters
Approving the budget—initially on first reading—was the culmination of months of hearings and a high‑stakes negotiation between the Mayor’s Office and the Board. The package tries to balance service restorations requested by community groups with the realities of an out‑year projected shortfall. The public‑financing votes showcased a central tension the board faces: whether to protect dedicated program accounts created by voters or to preserve flexible reserves for city services during volatile economic periods.
What’s next
The budget passed on first reading; by ordinance procedure the measure returns for final adoption. Several reserve items require additional plans from departments or committee review before funds can be released. The board and the Mayor’s Office will continue discussions about how to protect ongoing services as revenue estimates evolve.
