Supervisors back resolution urging use of Proposition A funds to preserve City College offerings

Supervisor Eric Marr opened a hearing on City College of San Francisco's budget and accreditation status and introduced a resolution urging the college to prioritize Prop A funds for classroom use and to explore additional local supports such as fee waivers and in‑kind services.

Marr framed the resolution as an effort to keep City College "open and thriving" and asked for community input and a working group to consider strategies for ongoing support. He said the resolution calls for using Prop A proceeds to preserve classroom access and for the city to evaluate fees it charges the college and the potential for in‑kind services.

Monique Zamuda of the Controller's Office provided a staff review of city charges to CCSF. She said departmental charges to the college in fiscal 2011–12 totaled approximately $2,260,000, including elections charges (about $482,000 in the year with Proposition A and trustee elections), discounted PUC power and water and a $247,000 PUC lease for a Southeast community facility (offset in part by Human Services Agency payments), and other routine charges. Zamuda offered to provide further analysis of fiscal impacts and noted that the net effect on the city's General Fund depends on development and other variables for different programs.

Public testimony was extensive. Faculty and program leaders said cuts had already reduced counseling hours, EOPS and adult-education programs; peer-education and violence-prevention programs, art department course repeatability, disabled-students services and senior programs were cited as examples of services at risk. Speakers who identified themselves as faculty, counselors, students and community advocates urged that Proposition A be used primarily to prevent classroom closures and restore student services.

Supervisor Marr and colleagues — including a friendly amendment from Supervisor Avalos to emphasize closing the racial achievement gap — framed the resolution as both a statement of city support and an invitation to a stakeholder working group including the Chancellor, trustees, faculty, students and city budget offices to develop concrete proposals. The committee approved the amended resolution and will forward it to the full Board.

Next steps: The subcommittee asked staff to continue outreach to the Chancellor and trustees and to convene the proposed stakeholder group to develop proposals on fee waivers, in‑kind support and other measures; the Controller's Office will provide further cost detail on city charges where needed.