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Budget committee preserves $4 million for Clean Power SF, advances SFPUC budget amendments
Summary
The Board of Supervisors Budget & Finance Committee on June 11 accepted amendments that preserve $4 million in startup reserves for Clean Power SF and forwarded multiple SFPUC budget and bond ordinances to the full Board as amended.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday accepted amendments designed to preserve $4 million in startup funding for Clean Power SF and moved related SFPUC budget amendments to the full Board.
Supervisor John Avalos, who offered the amendment, said the measure preserves a $4,000,000 reserve for the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program by combining budget-analyst recommended savings, modest increases in power enterprise bond authorization and other reassignments. Avalos said the Public Utilities Commission can use a letter of credit if additional funds are needed as the program moves toward launch.
"This plan will preserve $4,000,000 for the start up costs," Avalos said, adding that the package also earmarks $3,000,000 of GoSolar SF funds in fiscal year 2015-16 to benefit early Clean Power SF customers.
The committee—s adopted changes reduce the earlier proposed deappropriation of $19,500,000 from Hetch Hetchy funds for CCA to a smaller amount (the amended documents reduce the deappropriation figure and leave $4,000,000 available for CCA reserves). Committee members said the shift was intended to balance the Hetch Hetchy Power Enterprise budget while maintaining enough reserve to move forward with CCA planning.
Vice Chair Supervisor Eric Marr and Supervisor Scott Wiener expressed support for the compromise, with Marr saying the amendment "protects the integrity of Clean Power SF and our CCA program" and Wiener stressing concern about holding operating funds in reserve but praising the negotiated approach.
Budget analyst staff told the committee the recommended cuts and reprogramming free up funds while still allowing increases in the SFPUC—s overall budget for the coming fiscal years. Chair Mark Farrell said procedural steps would continue over the next weeks and that public comment on mayoral budget items will take place during the scheduled Friday public comment session.
The committee moved the amended ordinances forward to the full Board without recorded objection; final approval and any further changes will occur at the Board of Supervisors meeting.
Next steps: the Public Utilities Commission is expected to consider related matters at its June 24 hearing; the full Board will consider the committee—s amended ordinances at its June 17 agenda.
