Budget committee approves consent items, asks staff for hiring data and advances wildfire emergency income study after public appeals

The Budget and Finance Committee approved a package of consent items and voted to advance several separate items after public commenters urged continued funding for Trans Latina services and a citywide guaranteed-income program.

The committee, presided over by President Morales, approved consent items 1, 2, 4–10, 12–16 and 18 as presented. Councilmembers present — Jorovsky; Bloomingfield; Macascar; Councilmember Hernández — voted in favor. The roll call recorded five yes votes and the consent items were adopted as presented.

The committee then considered an update on a prioritized hiring and critical recruitment process (item 3). Councilmember Hernández asked staff for more granular data on whether vacancies reflect positions eliminated, lateral moves or retirements. City administrative staff said that those specific vacancy categories are not compiled in the current report. The committee approved the report “as amended” with an additional instruction from Councilmember Hernández to produce the requested vacancy details for future committee review. The item was approved with five yes votes.

On item 11, a…