State Budget Cuts Leave San Francisco with Choices

by Paul Hogarthw via Beyond Chron

Thu, Aug 6, 2009 7:26AM

Thursday, August 6, 2009 : It’s official. With the new state budget, the City is losing more money from Sacramento this year than what we have gained from Washington. President Obama’s stimulus means that San Francisco is getting $92 million more from the federal government than last year, but the combined February and June budgets from Sacramento took $98 million away.

And that doesn’t count the $109 million in local tax revenue the state will “borrow” from us to balance their budget.

Virtually all the state cuts affect health and human services, making it even more crucial that the Board of Supervisors protect the $43.7 million in “add-back” money they fought so hard to restore. Mayor Gavin Newsom will propose $18.4 million in unilateral mid-year cuts in response to the state budget, but the deal struck with Budget Chair John Avalos is that he must give the Board a formal chance to weigh in. And because Supervisor David Campos’ amendment put part of the City budget on reserve, the Board still controls up to $12 million in Police and $6.5 million in Fire Department funds. It’s time to use that leverage and revisit those budgets.

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