Budget committee advances multiple reserve releases and appropriations, delays two major procurement items

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee met in a specially timed session and moved several budget items to the full Board while delaying two major procurement decisions for further review.

The committee forwarded a resolution enabling the ABAG Finance Authority to issue up to $17,000,000 in tax‑exempt bonds to finance capital facilities used by nonprofit institutions, including a loan to Burke School. Jennifer Gridley, president of Burke School’s board of trustees, was present to answer questions. The committee moved the resolution to the full Board with a recommendation.

On transportation, the committee considered Municipal Transportation Agency staffing reductions proposed in an ordinance that would decrease total MTA staffing by two positions. Deputy controller Monique Smuta described two requested deletions (a manager position in the controller’s office and a position at the Fine Arts Museum) and the committee agreed to continue the item for one week so the measure can complete two Board readings and allow coordination with the mayor’s signoff timeline.

The committee also approved a resolution to accept and spend $3,693,215 in federal bus and bus facility funds for design and construction of Muni’s Islas Creek motor‑coach maintenance facility and purchase of automatic vehicle locator equipment. Judson True of the MTA said the project’s original two‑phase plan has been combined into one phase to save construction costs and reduce facility wear, a change that pushed the project’s groundbreaking later than originally scheduled. True said additional funding — including Prop K and anticipated federal dollars — will be requested from the…