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Supervisors press controller and DPH over late overtime supplement tied to rising overtime costs
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted to approve an ordinance reallocating salary savings to cover roughly $65.4 million in overtime and related costs, but not before supervisors pressed the controller and Department of Public Health about why the city failed to seek a required supplemental appropriation before departments exceeded overtime budgets.
The Board of Supervisors on May 2 considered an ordinance (Item 19) that would deappropriate approximately $62.3 million from permanent salaries and mandatory fringe benefits and appropriate roughly $65.4 million to overtime across multiple departments, plus about $4.2 million in ambulance service revenue for the Fire Department. The ordinance requires an eight-vote threshold under Charter section 9.113(c).
Supervisor Preston asked why departments — particularly the Department of Public Health (DPH) — did not bring a supplemental appropriation before exceeding overtime appropriations as required under Administrative Code section 3.17.B. Preston said the six‑month budget status report indicated DPH had already exceeded its overtime budget by Dec. 31, 2022, yet the supplemental ordinance was not introduced until March 7, 2023. "There's a reason for that provision," Preston said, arguing the charter and administrative code are meant to give the board time to "meaningfully weigh in."
Controller Ben Rosenfield told the board his office has "a limited ability to control non‑salary overtime spending once it's authorized" but that the controller's office would provide earlier notifications in the future. Rosenfield said his office intends to issue a notice at the first-quarter mark if it detects overtime trends indicating the six‑month report will show an overrun. "Our office can't control that, but we can provide earlier notice," he said.
Budget Chair Supervisor Chan explained that much of the overtime resulted from storm response late in the year and that in several departments the overtime surge was tied to emergency operations and storm clean-up. Chan said the supplemental request differs from an earlier police supplemental because the current request is funded in part by ambulance service revenue and staff hiring cost savings, not the general reserve.
A DPH representative acknowledged that department trends "exceeded our budget appropriation" and said DPH had been monitoring the situation while continuing to maintain services; the speaker said processes would be reviewed and that future supplementals would be filed as needed.
On the roll call the ordinance passed on first reading with 11 ayes: Supervisors Engadio, Mandelman, Melgar, Peskin, Preston, Ronan, Safaie, Stephanie, Walton, Chan and Dorsey.
Supervisors said they want procedural changes, earlier notifications, and departmental commitments to file supplementals before appropriations are exceeded in the future. The controller committed to earlier notice at first-quarter, and the budget office and departments said they would evaluate staffing and emergency planning for future budgets.
