Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lafco Workplan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LAFCO narrows 2021-22 project slate to three priorities: Clean Power SF, public bank oversight, gig-worker research
Summary
Executive Officer presented a multi-item work plan including urgent utility-debt research, a solar-plus-storage resilience pilot, Clean Power SF oversight, a worker-led cooperative feasibility study (~$300,000 estimate) and public bank support. Commissioners voted to amend the slate and continue item 6 for further scoping and budgeting.
Executive Officer Brian Goebel presented LAFCO—s proposed projects for fiscal year 2021-22 and asked the commission to authorize development of scopes and fundraising where necessary.
Goebel emphasized the urgency of an analysis of utility arrearages and options for debt relief ahead of the state disconnection-moratorium expiration on June 30. He proposed engaging a prequalified consultant to research funding options, coordinate with Clean Power SF and SFPUC, and recommend local measures to reduce the risk of disconnections and protect low-income and high-risk neighborhoods.
Separately, Goebel proposed an SF-focused resilient solar-plus-storage demonstration at a community facility or housing site to test islanding and resilience use cases for disadvantaged neighborhoods, and to produce lessons for future scale-up. He proposed using prequalified consultants for a scope of work.
On labor and gig-work issues, Goebel proposed two related projects: (1) a worker-led research project to study the viability of a worker-owned ride-hail/delivery cooperative in San Francisco, in partnership with Turning Basin Labs; the proposal included hiring worker-researchers and an estimated project budget of about $300,000 to be raised from private foundations, and (2) a follow-up representative survey of app-based workers to measure post-Prop 22 outcomes and to analyze effective hourly wages using Driver—s Seat cooperative app data. Turning Basin Labs and worker researchers (including Marty and staff from the organization) introduced their worker-led approach and said the research would center worker-defined metrics of job quality.
Goebel also noted an MOU/expenditure balance of about $137,000 available for certain oversight work and reminded commissioners that some projects would require external fundraising or sponsor agencies. Several commissioners and public commenters urged LAFCO to prioritize Clean Power SF oversight, a public bank role, and gig-worker work rather than attempting to carry all proposed projects at full staff cost.
After discussion, the commission voted to amend the proposed slate to focus on three buckets (A: Clean Power SF oversight including ratepayer equity and related solar/storage work; B: public bank oversight role as defined in pending Board of Supervisors legislation; C: gig-worker projects including the worker-led cooperative study and the post-Prop 22 survey) and to request that the executive officer draft a policy memo summarizing LAFCO—s year-2020 findings and recommended policy actions to the Board of Supervisors. The amended item was continued to the next regular meeting for refined scopes, budgets and identification of funding sources (including whether MOU funds, general fund or outside foundations would be used).
