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Committee backs forwarding ordinance to restore $1.04M to convention facilities fund
Summary
Legislative aide Jeremy Pollock presented an ordinance to appropriate about $1.043 million in hotel tax revenue to restore a cut to the Moscone Center maintenance contract; public commenters and labor representatives urged restoration to avoid frontline cuts and protect event business.
The Budget & Finance Committee considered an ordinance to appropriate $1,043,160 in hotel tax revenue from the General Fund to restore reductions to the Convention Facilities Fund in the City Administrator's office for fiscal year 2009—6. The ordinance, sponsored by Supervisor Ross Mercarini (via legislative aide Jeremy Pollock), was described as restoring a 2.5% reduction in the hotel tax allocation to the convention facilities department.
Jeremy Pollock told the committee that a closer review with the budget analyst and department staff showed the earlier reduction would fall on the maintenance contract for the Moscone Center and would represent roughly 26 hours of staff cuts, directly affecting frontline maintenance workers. Pollock said sponsors wished to avoid reducing janitorial and maintenance services while continuing support for public financing programs created by Measure O.
During public comment labor representatives and room/venue workers urged the committee to restore the appropriation. Mark Solomon (North Mission) asked the committee to link restorations to public financing protections; "Juan," representing Moscone Center workers, emphasized that cuts to hours could reduce service quality and risk events moving to other cities. Mary Anne Hohenstein (SEIU Local 1877) said convention facilities budgets are largely frontline staff and asked the committee to restore funding immediately because the city was several months into the fiscal year.
The committee took a motion without objection to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a recommendation.
Votes at a glance: the committee forwarded Item 1 to the full Board with recommendation; the sponsor was Supervisor Ross Mercarini (presented by legislative aide Jeremy Pollock).
