It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Budget season.
You will likely be hearing a lot more about San Francisco’s budget over the coming weeks, as Mayor London Breed, the Board of Supervisors, and dozens of city departments vie to secure their vision of the city’s funding for the next two years.
So far, Breed has solicited suggestions from city departments and created a budget proposal. The proposal includes cuts for roughly half of departments — intended to reduce the city’s expected $291 million deficit — while other departments including the police and Public Health are in for big increases, under current plans.
But there are still lots of hoops to jump through before the process is finished, including feedback from city departments, public comment, and new plan proposals from Supervisor Connie Chan, chair of the Budget and Appropriation Committee.
Take a look at the budget timeline to see what is happening when:
Date
Event
Details
December
The Mayor sends
budget instructions
to city departments
The Mayor requested that each
department find areas to cut
to reduce the city’s budget deficit.
A blanket instruction was issued
for departments to find 5% cuts,
with some departments asked to
find 10% cuts.
March–June
The Mayor takes in
department ideas and
forms a budget proposal
The process is intended to respect
the needs of each department while
balancing the city’s books.
Weds, May 31
The Mayor presents
her budget proposal
The plan presented by Breed cuts
about half of city departments. The
Early Childhood Department, the
Ethics Commission, and the Mayor’s
Office are facing cuts over 5%.
Some departments are poised to see
their budgets increased, including
SFPD, Public Health, and the
Human Rights Commission.
June 14–16
Departments make
requests for changes
to their budgets
This week, city supervisors
are hearing departments’ thoughts on
Breed‘s proposal. The departments can
advocate for changes if desired.
Public comment will be available for
routine legislative business but not
for discussions of the budget.
Wednesday:
Treasurer/Tax Collector
Department of Technology
Assessor/Recorder
Board of Appeals
Health Service System
Office of the City Administrator
Department of Human Resources
Ethics Commission
Department of Elections
Retirement Board
Mayor’s Office
Office of the Controller
General City Responsibility
Planning Department
Public Works
Department of Building Inspection
Board of Supervisors
Thursday:
Asian Art Museum
Human Services Agency
Human Rights Commission
Fine Arts Museum
Academy of Sciences
Arts Commission
War Memorial
Children, Youth, and Families
Child Support Services
Department on the Status of Women
Recreation and Park Department
Economic & Workforce Development
Department of Public Health
Homeless and Supportive Housing
Early Child Care
Friday:
Fire Department
City Attorney’s Office
Department of Environment
Law Library
Public Library
Civil Service Commission
Rent Board
Emergency Management
Juvenile Probation
Adult Probation
Superior Court
Sheriff’s Department
Office of Police Accountability
Inspector General Sheriff’s
Public Defender
District Attorney
Police Department
Tues, June 20
Independent feedback
plus the Supervisors’
first budget draft
The Budget & Legislative Analyst, an
independent financial advisor for the
Board of Supervisors, gives feedback
on the Mayor’s budget proposal and the
departments’ suggested changes.
Chair of the Budget and Appropriations
Committee, Supervisor Connie Chan,
presents the Board of Supervisors’
proposed spending plan. The plan
will likely use Breed’s plan as a
starting point with department
feedback incorporated.
June 21-23
Second round of
requests from city
departments
Supervisors will hear from
the departments again, this time
commenting on their amended plan.
The departments will be heard in the
same groupings as they were the first
time around in June 14-16.
Mon, June 26
Public comment day
The public will be able to comment on
any element of the proposed budget
throughout the day, from 10 a.m.
Supervisor Chan will present an
amended proposed spending plan,
based on the second round of
feedback from the departments and
public comment.
The Supervisors’
second budget draft
Tues, June 27
Final deliberations
Supervisors will go through the final
draft to make sure everyone is happy.
Substantial changes can still be made
at this stage.
Weds, June 28
The Board will discuss the budget and
vote for it to be continued to the next
meeting.
Most ordinances before the Board of
Supervisors only need to appear twice,
but budget ordinances need to appear
three times.
First appearance of
the budget
Tues, July 11
Tues, July 18
First reading of
the budget
The Board will discuss and vote
on the budget.
Final reading of
the budget
The Board will discuss and vote
on the budget. Final readings are
usually little more than rubber stamps,
but that cannot be assumed for
contentious ordinances like the budget.
Tues, July 25
Mon, July 31
Deadline for the
Mayor’s signature
The Mayor must sign the budget by
July 31 and it will be officially adopted.
December
The Mayor sends budget
instructions to city departments
The Mayor requested that each
department find areas to cut to reduce the
city’s budget deficit.
A blanket instruction was issued for
departments to find 5% cuts, with some
departments asked to find 10% cuts.
March–June
The Mayor takes in department
ideas and forms a budget proposal
The process is intended to respect the
needs of each department while
balancing the city’s books.
Wednesday, May 31
The Mayor presents her budget
proposal
The plan presented by Breed cuts about
half of city departments. The Early
Childhood Department, the Ethics
Commission, and the Mayor’s Office
are facing cuts over 5%.
Some departments are poised to see
their budgets increased, including SFPD,
Public Health, and the Human Rights
Commission.
June 14–16
Departments make requests for
changes to their budgets
This week, city supervisors
is hearing departments’ thoughts on
Breed‘s proposal. The departments can
advocate for changes if desired.
Public comment will be available for
routine legislative business but not
for discussions of the budget.
Wednesday:
Treasurer/Tax Collector
Department of Technology
Assessor/Recorder
Board of Appeals
Health Service System
Office of the City Administrator
Department of Human Resources
Ethics Commission
Department of Elections
Retirement Board
Mayor’s Office
Office of the Controller
General City Responsibility
Planning Department
Public Works
Department of Building Inspection
Board of Supervisors
Thursday:
Asian Art Museum
Human Services Agency
Human Rights Commission
Fine Arts Museum
Academy of Sciences
Arts Commission
War Memorial
Children, Youth, and Families
Child Support Services
Department on the Status of Women
Recreation and Park Department
Economic & Workforce Development
Department of Public Health
Homeless and Supportive Housing
Early Child Care
Friday:
Fire Department
City Attorney’s Office
Department of Environment
Law Library
Public Library
Civil Service Commission
Rent Board
Emergency Management
Juvenile Probation
Adult Probation
Superior Court
Sheriff’s Department
Office of Police Accountability
Inspector General Sheriff’s
Public Defender
District Attorney
Police Department
Tuesday, June 20
Independent feedback plus the
Supervisors’ first budget draft
The Budget & Legislative Analyst, an
independent financial advisor for the
Board of Supervisors, gives feedback
on the Mayor’s budget proposal and the
departments’ suggested changes.
Chair of the Budget and Appropriations
Committee, Supervisor Connie Chan,
presents the Board of Supervisors’
proposed spending plan. The plan will
likely use Breed’s plan as a starting point
with department feedback incorporated.
June 21-23
Second round of requests from
city departments
Supervisors will hear from
the departments again, this time
commenting on their amended plan.
The departments will be heard in the
same groupings as they were the first
time around in June 14-16.
Monday, June 26
Public comment day
The public will be able to comment on
any element of the proposed budget
throughout the day, from 10 a.m.
Tuesday, June 27
The Supervisors’ second
budget draft
Supervisor Chan will present an amended
proposed spending plan, based on the
second round of feedback from the
departments and public comment.
Wednesday, June 28
Final deliberations
Supervisors will go through the final
draft to make sure everyone is happy
(or as happy as possible). Substantial
changes can still be made at this stage.
Tuesday, July 11
First appearance of the budget
The Board will discuss the budget and
vote for it to be continued to the next
meeting.
Most ordinances before the Board of
Supervisors only need to appear twice,
but budget ordinances need to appear
three times.
Tuesday, July 18
First reading of the budget
The Board will discuss and vote
on the budget.
Tuesday, July 25
Final reading of the budget
The Board will discuss and vote
on the budget. Final readings are
usually little more than rubber stamps,
but that cannot be assumed for
contentious ordinances like the budget.
Monday, July 31
Deadline for the Mayor’s signature
The Mayor must sign the budget by July
31. After that, it will be officially adopted.
Meetings should start at 10 a.m. and can be watched either in person at City Hall or via SFGOVTV. Public comment will be limited to routine items for most meetings, but a full day has been allocated for public comment on the budget on June 26.
Documents related to the budget process can be found on the city government website.
What would we do without the invaluable reporting from Mission Local ? Your scoops tell it and us “how it is” and I am grateful.
I was saddened to learn that KQED, after decades of reporting factual State and Local news is cancelling their weekly program (KQED News Room) . The reason given was a short answer … “changing times”…are you kidding me ?? The times are forever changing and it is for that precise reason that we need fact based news now more than ever.
Keep up the good work Mission Local you are needed now more than ever.
I wish the #MissionLocal would look at the shrinking San Francisco revenue stream.
The reporters are of course about Social Justice & Equity, but I do not know if they have looked at the harsh decrease in commercial property assessments, or the decreased visitor / convention taxes, or the destruction of sales tax revenue.
Just in 2023 we have seen some the most prominent retailers in San Francisco shutter their doors.
TMobile AT&T WholeFoods Safeway Cinemark Nordstroms SaksOn5th Gap BananaRepublic OldNavy ContainerStore AmazonGo TheRealReal CB2 Anthropologie OfficeDepot Crate&Barrel Athleta Abercrombie&Fitch DSW Disney Marshall’s Uniqlo H&M etc
Reducing funding for the city’s failed homeless programs and services, and repurposing the money to support small businesses and arts organization would be a good start