So, I heard all the political platitudes, every single one: “Difficult decisions … rightsizing the city … difficult budget year … focus on what matters most (of course, the cops…)”
Sup. Matt Dorsey even had the gall to call Mayor Daniel Lurie’s budget an example of “shared sacrifice.
Then the supes voted 10-1 to approve a billionaire’s budget that includes about zero “shared sacrifice.”
There is no sacrifice for the police or the jails. Not one rich person or big wealthy corporation had to give up a penny. All the sacrifice was on the lower end of the economic spectrum.
The supes also voted, 8-3, to give the mayor the authority to redirect voter-approved money that is supposed to pay for affordable housing into short-term shelters.
Sup. Jackie Fielder was the only vote against the budget; she said she couldn’t approve of the parts that were “indefensible,” including an additional $50 million of overtime money for the cops. “For what?” she asked. “So they can moonlight on the 10B program [as private security guards]? This puts political decisions over foot patrols.”
Fielder: “We are rolling out the red carpet for Waymo, but the city has flatlined legal funds for immigrants.”
Sup. Shamann Walton, who ended up voting for the budget, said that in seven years on the board, he has never seen such cuts in city services. He is the only board member who mentioned increasing revenue.
On the Prop. C vote, Fielder noted that the voters approved the measure to move toward real solutions on housing and homelessness, but that the mayor wanted to “sideline that for short-term purposes and political gains.”
Lurie, of course, promised to build 1,500 new congregate shelter beds in his first six months, a goal he never reached. But congregate short-term shelter doesn’t work; only 13 percent of people in short-term shelter find permanent housing, but more than 90 percent of people who are placed in permanent supportive housing remain housed.
Despite that, Board President Rafael Mandelman said he thinks the city has “overinvested” in permanent supportive housing.
Walton said the issue wasn’t just $20 million or so in money that could be redirected. “Every dictator states that they just want more authority once,” he said. The board has already given the mayor unprecedented authority to address the fentanyl crisis; now he’s back with another ask, for even more authority, and the board is giving up even more of its oversight powers.
“No kings applies to SF as well,” he said.
Sup. Chayenne Chen joined Fielder and Walton voting no. The rest went along with Lurie’s plan.
