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Board hears charter amendment proposal to let supervisors designate limited mandated appropriations; Controller outlines scale
Summary
Supervisor Avalos proposed allowing the Board to designate limited, one‑year 'mandated' appropriations with mayoral veto and an 8‑vote override; the Controller and mayor's office warned of fiscal implications while labor groups urged the change as a democratic check.
Supervisor John Avalos presented a charter amendment that would permit the Board of Supervisors to designate certain appropriations in the budget as mandated spending for a single fiscal year. Avalos said the change would allow the Board to ensure delivery of specific services (for example, substance abuse residential services) by tying a dollar amount to a mandated appropriation while preserving mayoral veto power and an 8‑vote override to protect balance of power.
Controller Peg Stevenson briefed the committee on scale: the city budget runs roughly $5–6 billion and typical board budget adjustments have been $20–40 million annually. The controller noted a measure like this could shift spending between years and affect how year‑end balances are used.
A mayor’s office representative, Star Terrell, reiterated the mayor’s strong opposition and urged continued collaboration rather than a structural change that could limit executive flexibility in emergencies.
Public comment divided along labor and business lines. SEIU speakers and other union representatives supported the amendment as a check on executive authority to protect services and jobs; business groups including the Chamber urged against placing the measure on the ballot, warning of fiscal unpredictability. After discussion the committee voted to forward the item as a committee report with a positive recommendation to the full board.
