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Board tables repeal of rule requiring mayor’s appearance after lengthy debate over ballot measures and public will
Summary
The board debated a proposed repeal of Board Rule 3.91 (which relates to the mayor appearing before the Board of Supervisors). After extended floor speeches citing prior ballot measures (Prop I and Prop E) and arguments about voters' will, the Board voted to table the proposed rule change; the item will return to the calendar.
San Francisco — The Board of Supervisors debated and then tabled a proposed change to the board’s rules that would have repealed Rule 3.91, the standing rule addressing the mayor’s appearance before the board. The debate on March 11, 2008 included references to prior ballot measures and sharply differing views among supervisors about the appropriate relationship between the legislative and executive branches of city government.
Why it matters: The rule relates to expectations — not a charter requirement — about whether the mayor should appear for regular policy discussions before the board. Supporters of keeping the rule argued that maintaining a standing expectation of mayoral engagement responds to voter preference; opponents said the charter and the electorate had rejected a mandatory requirement and that preserving separation of powers matters.
What happened on the floor
Supervisor Daly urged colleagues to reject the motion to repeal the rule and asked colleagues to "vote this rule down," citing the number of San Franciscans who had supported a policy statement in earlier elections and arguing that the public had expressed a continued desire for mayoral engagement. Other supervisors made longer floor remarks: some described the ballot history, campaign spending and targeted opposition; others said the item was divisive and proposed tabling rather than forcing a roll call on repeal.
A motion to table the item was moved and seconded; the chair accepted the tabling motion and, without objection, the board tabled the rules change. The transcript records a motion to table made by Supervisor Dufty and seconded by Supervisor Ammiano; the item was tabled without objection and will return to the board calendar at a later date.
Key points of debate
- Supporters of keeping the advisory policy argued the voters had previously supported a policy statement (Prop I) calling for mayoral participation and that maintaining the rule preserves an expectation of engagement.
- Opponents cited the failure of a later charter amendment (Prop E) to compel mayoral attendance and warned against mandating mayoral appearances; some worried the item had become politically charged and would further damage relationships between the branches.
- Multiple speakers noted campaign spending by outside interests during the Prop E campaign and argued that the measure’s defeat did not fully overturn the public’s earlier policy preference.
What’s next
The item is tabled; supervisors who proposed the tabling motion said the author could choose to reintroduce the measure later or withdraw it. Because the item was tabled without objection, no final change to the board rules occurred on March 11.
