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Board backs hire of recreation directors; debate centers on midyear budget trade-offs
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution urging the mayor to reinstate hiring for vacant recreation director positions; supporters called the step essential for youth violence prevention, while opponents warned the resolution lacked concrete budget trade-offs ahead of midyear cuts.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the mayor to reinstate hiring for vacant recreation director positions across the Recreation and Parks Department, a move supporters said would keep facilities open and support violence-prevention efforts.
Supervisor Ammiano and others said testimony at the committee hearing made clear the short-staffing of recreation centers undermines the city's investment in capital improvements and the programs meant to serve youth and families.
—When we go to the voters and ask them for $185,000,000 in general obligation bonds,— Supervisor Peskin said, —we represented to the voters that if they would invest in capital, we would invest in an operating budget where we would have the requisite number of gardeners, custodians, park rangers and recreation directors.—
Opponents on the board argued the resolution amounted to a policy statement without clear budget offsets in a year with significant midyear cuts looming. Supervisor Ellsburn said he welcomed the message but would withhold a yes vote because the resolution did not identify corresponding cuts or revenue sources.
Department of Recreation and Parks operations director Denny Kern told the board that depending on counting conventions the department currently had about three immediate full-time recreation director requisitions available; including requisitions pulled earlier in the year the number of potential hires could be higher. Kern estimated a filled recreation director position costs roughly $85,000 per year including benefits.
Controller's office staff estimated roughly $300 million in cash on hand at the start of the fiscal year and suggested the city could afford a modest number of hires on an interim basis, but several supervisors urged that any reinstatement be considered alongside broader budget trade-offs in the midyear process.
The board approved the resolution by roll call, recorded as 8 ayes and 2 noes. The measure is a policy statement urging the mayor to prioritize hiring; it does not itself appropriate funds.
