San Francisco Residents Urged to Attend Budget Town Halls about Budget Choices, Priorities

03/16/11— Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced a series of District-based Budget Town Halls in the coming months that are being co-hosted by the Mayor and members of the Board of Supervisors to educate the public about the Mayor’s budget principles and to hear directly from San Franciscans about their budget concerns and ideas as the City faces a projected $380 million budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2011-12. 

“Balancing the City’s budget remains my top priority. We need a budget that will ensure that San Francisco remains fiscally solvent while we work to stimulate the local economy, create jobs and reform our pension system, so that we can continue to provide city services,” said Mayor Lee. “These district-based town halls provide direct input from residents about what they think is important. We need to consider this feedback as we balance a budget that protects and serves all San Franciscans.”

To date, Mayor Lee has already met with the Board of Supervisors, with more than 80 community based organizations and advocacy groups, nearly 50 labor representatives from 20 of the City’s unions, 30 representatives of City Commissions, and Department Heads to hear about budget priorities and cost savings ideas in light of a $380 million dollar deficit. 

Schedule of Town Halls with District Supervisors

District 6 with Supervisor Jane Kim
Wednesday, March 16th (5:30-7:00PM)
Tenderloin Community School, 627 Turk Street

District 9 with Supervisor David Campos
Wednesday, March 23rd (6-7:30PM)
Horace Mann Middle School, 3351 23rd Street

District 10 with Supervisor Malia Cohen
Wednesday, April 13th (6-7:30PM)
Location TBA

District 8 with Supervisor Scott Wiener
Thursday, April 14th (6:30-8PM)
Mission High School Auditorium, 3750 18th Street

District 11 with Supervisor John Avalos
Thursday, April 21st (5:30-7PM)
Location TBA

District 1, 4 & 7 with Supervisors Eric Mar, Carmen Chu, and Sean Elsbernd
Date & Location TBA

District 2 with Supervisor Mark Farrell
Date & Location TBA

District 3 with Supervisor David Chiu
Date & Location TBA

District 5 with Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi
Date & Location TBA

Partnering with the Department of Technology, Mayor Lee today also announced the relaunch of ImproveSF, an open innovation campaign designed to encourage cost-saving ideas from the City’s employees that former Mayor Gavin Newsom started last year. The ImproveSF initiative provides as an opportunity for all City employees to submit their best and most creative ideas on how to reduce costs and improve efficiency in San Francisco’s government. Through a web-based portal employees can make suggestions, as well as vote for, and comment on, previously suggested ideas. Last year over $90,000 in cost savings from two winning ideas and two revenue generating ideas were identified and chosen for implementation.

ImproveSF will run for two weeks until March 29. All ideas will be reviewed by a panel of City leaders including Mayor’s Budget Director Greg Wagner and Supervisor Carmen Chu who chairs the Budget & Finance Committee. Top ideas will be included in the Mayor’s FY 2011-2012 Proposed Budget.