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Supervisors’ committee backs resolution urging CBDs and BIDs to disclose private donations and surveillance use
Summary
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted to send to the full Board a resolution asking OEWD and Public Works to require community benefit districts, business improvement districts and green benefit districts to disclose annual private contributions, bar anonymous donations over $100 and report use of surveillance technology.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted Jan. 7 to forward to the full Board of Supervisors a resolution urging the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Public Works to require Community Benefit Districts (CBDs), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Green Benefit Districts to disclose private contributions annually, prohibit anonymous donations over $100, and report their use of surveillance technologies at a public hearing.
Vice Chair Eric Peskin introduced the measure, saying it responds to public concerns about private funding and surveillance deployment in commercial districts. Peskin cited press reports and a lawsuit alleging that some cameras “were unlawfully access to, monitor, peaceful protesters,” and said the resolution aims to increase oversight of district-funded surveillance.
The resolution includes an amendment, adopted in committee, to limit required reporting to private contributions exceeding $100. Peskin said the amendment is consistent with the city’s public-ethics reporting thresholds and that the resolution is a nonbinding urging of OEWD to administratively adopt the guidance.
The committee took no public comment on the item. The motion to amend and the motion to forward the item to the Board passed unanimously in committee: Vice Chair Eric Peskin, Supervisor Matt Haney and Chair Supervisor Gordon Marr voted aye.
OEWD staff and speakers at the meeting said they would follow up on specific surveillance-access questions raised by supervisors, including a query about an entry in OEWD’s survey that indicated the U.S. Department of Agriculture had accessed CBD camera records; OEWD said it did not have immediate recall and agreed to provide more details later.
The committee’s action sends the resolution to the Board of Supervisors for consideration on the regular calendar.
