Committee forwards Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund payroll-deduction request to full board

The Rules Committee voted to forward a request to add the Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (BayLEAF) to the list of organizations eligible for employee payroll deductions.

Sergeant Art Howard of the San Francisco Police Department, who identified himself as the executive director of BayLEAF, described the nonprofit as a peer-driven organization that provides mental-health and emergency financial support to active and retired law-enforcement personnel and their families across the Bay Area. He said BayLEAF covers its administrative costs through board donations so that 100% of public donations go to direct assistance, and that combined-charity funding declines in recent years prompted the group to seek an alternative fundraising path through payroll deductions.

Public supporters who spoke included Ann McGee, a BayLEAF board member and civilian volunteer, who said the board is "run with integrity" and serves active and retired personnel and their families. John Ehrlich, BayLEAF's secretary, clarified the group's request: "We are not asking for money. We are asking for the ability to have employees from San Francisco donate through charitable causes to our 501(c)(3)." A member of the public expressed concern about the need to solicit for widows and families, but no formal opponents spoke against the payroll-deduction request during the committee hearing.

The committee voted to forward the request to the full Board of Supervisors as a committee report. The clerk recorded the vote as Vice Chair Cheryl (aye), Member Mandelmann (aye), Chair Walton (aye).