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San Francisco Ethics Commission debates mayor'requested 1.5% cuts as new executive director urges review
Summary
At a special Ethics Commission meeting, the mayor's budget office reiterated a 1.5% general fund reduction target for FY2016'17 and commissioners and public speakers pressed for restoring enforcement and auditing staff. New Executive Director Diane Pelham said she needs operational review before recommending budget specifics.
The San Francisco Ethics Commission heard a presentation from the Mayor's Budget Office and extensive public comment on its proposed budget, with commissioners and community groups urging more enforcement staff rather than immediate cuts.
Anthony Abbavan of the Mayor's Budget Office told commissioners the mayor's mid'December instructions call for departments to meet a 1.5% general fund reduction target in the first year (FY2016'17) and a further 1.5% the following year, for a cumulative roughly 3% reduction. Abbavan said the initial submissions are due to the Controller's Office on Feb.22 and encouraged departments to use the budget process to develop multiyear strategic plans.
"The budgets are due to the controller's office, February 22 in the budget system," Abbavan said, summarizing the schedule and describing the interim budget process that takes effect July 1.
Commissioners pressed staff on whether the commission could get leeway to finalize its budget at the commission's normal February 28 meeting rather than lock in a submission by Feb.22. Abbavan said departments should aim for Feb.22 and that his office would work with Executive Director Pelham, but could not promise blanket relief.
New Executive Director Diane Pelham, in her second day on the job, told the commission she is still reviewing operations and programs and urged a methodical approach to the budget. "I very much hearken back to your earlier comment. This is day 2, for me, and I clearly have a lot to learn about how the Commission is operating," Pelham said. She asked the commission to focus on aligning requested resources with clear performance indicators.
Public comment and several commissioners framed the central budget question as one of priorities and capacity. Members of Friends of Ethics, civil grand jurors, labor unions and community groups urged restoring audit and investigative positions, strengthening the whistleblower program and adding a commission secretary required by the city charter.
"This agency being the sleeping watchdog is what has led to the political and economic situation right now where we have private interests ... stake claims on the general fund as their private property," said Mark Solomon of Friends of Ethics, urging the commission to defend its funding.
Commissioner Keane said enforcement and auditing functions must be preserved and asked staff to prepare a budget that adds investigative resources and a commission secretary. Other commissioners asked staff to provide budget-to-actual comparisons for past years and variance columns to inform any request for additional funding.
Chair Rennie characterized the January meeting as informational and said there would be no decision today: staff will draft budget materials for the commission to consider at follow'up meetings and will work with the mayor's office and controller as needed. The commission also said it will consult the Controller's Office about audit support and the prospect of reallocating audit work to speed enforcement casework.
Next steps: staff will prepare more detailed budget-to-actuals and variance data, and the commission will revisit the proposed submission timeline and content at subsequent meetings. No formal budget vote or adoption occurred at this session.
