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San Francisco Ethics Commission seeks $6.26 million budget to fund three‑year “Ethics at Work” initiative
Summary
The Ethics Commission submitted an FY2021 transmittal seeking about $6.26 million — up from roughly $4.5 million — to fund a three‑year limited‑term "Ethics at Work" team and fill critical audit and policy roles; staff warned mayoral cuts would force elimination of key audit and policy positions and slow campaign oversight.
The San Francisco Ethics Commission on Tuesday transmitted an FY2021 budget proposal to the mayor and comptroller that would raise the office’s operating funds from about $4.5 million today to roughly $6.26 million in the first three years of a proposed program intended to shore up ethics oversight across city departments.
Executive staff said the centerpiece of the request is a three‑year, limited‑term "Ethics at Work" initiative that would staff a four‑person team to provide department‑level training, incorporate an ethics component into new‑employee orientation and develop practical tools to identify and mitigate "ethics hot spots." The director said the pilot would be evaluated after three years to decide whether to make it permanent.
The commission must submit budget materials that reflect the mayor’s direction to absorb a 3.5% cut for FY21 (and a total 7% for FY22). Staff said that a $161,000 FY21 target is difficult for the small, personnel‑heavy agency — "we're 87% staffing," the director said — and would likely require cuts to personnel services. As an example, the director identified the principal program manager for audits as a position that could be eliminated under the targeted cuts.
Commission staff warned losing that audit management capacity would slow mandatory post‑election campaign audits, delay required lobbying audits and complicate public‑financing certification and disbursement work. "The audit program...will have to be in a static mode," staff said, adding that delayed audits and certification could increase costs and operational burdens for committees that rely on timely closeout reviews.
Commissioners expressed support for exploring alternative or supplemental funding approaches, including a citywide integrity fund, and asked staff to report back on discussions with the mayor’s office, the controller and the Board of Supervisors. "If City Hall is serious about changing the culture, then it's really important to put the resources...absolutely critical to put the resources into changing that culture," one commissioner said.
Public commenters criticized the commission’s track record on enforcement and transparency amid recent federal charges against a city department head. The commission's staff repeatedly noted that investigations are underway and emphasized that allegations remain allegations until proven in court.
The commission will continue budget discussions with City Hall; staff said the transmittal submitted at the meeting is the start of the budget process and that further outreach to the mayor’s office and supervisors is planned.
