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Arts institutions, DCYF and other departments warn of service impacts as the mayor’s budget seeks savings
Summary
Heads of museums, DCYF, HSH, DPH and other agencies described staffing shortfalls, program pauses and service priorities during the Budget & Appropriations Committee hearing, and requested additional or reallocated funding to preserve core programs and public access.
Department leaders used the June 13 hearing to press supervisors on specific operational needs and to describe the effects of prior cuts and proposed reductions.
Asian Art Museum director Jay Shui asked for roughly $1.7 million more in non‑personnel funding to restore public program access and building maintenance, saying current city support covers only core essentials. Jason Seifer of the Fine Arts Museums outlined a combined ~$84 million operating footprint and said the Music Concourse Garage governance transition is expected in fall 2024, clarifying that garage revenues do not flow to the museums.
Jim Gohari of the California Academy of Sciences said the academy paused teacher professional development programs because of structural deficits and noted the academy’s total operating budget is about $80 million. DCYF leadership explained a $345.8M total budget that relies on a mix of city general fund, state and federal grants and philanthropic dollars; the department highlighted an $11M mayoral augmentation to avoid deeper program disruptions.
Department of Public Health leaders emphasized that DPH leverages large non‑general funds (Medicare, Medi‑Cal, grants) and said they have closed nursing vacancies through coordinated hiring; at the same time DPH flagged potential second‑year reductions to some CBO contracts and outreach grants that could affect community programs.
HSH said it will reallocate certain one‑time Prop C interest earnings to expand family subsidies and shelter services in a program it calls Safer Families, while warning that shelter funding is partially dependent on uncertain state dollars in future years.
Supervisors asked departments to identify vacancy counts, contract impacts, and performance metrics; many departments supplied staffing charts and promised follow‑up materials for the Budget and Legislative Analyst.
