Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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San Francisco Examiner - May 29, 2002
Adriel Hampton of the Examiner Staff
"In tough times, it's important to double our commitment to the people who need us most," said Supervisor Chris Daly, who said the resolution was among the most important he had authored in his brief legislative career.
Daly's resolution narrowly passed 6-5. The measure is non-binding. The budget for the most part is in the hands of Mayor Willie Brown, who does not have to abide by the wishes of the supervisors, according to the City Charter.
DPH takes up about $1 billion of The City's approximately $5 billion budget, and the reality of a massive budget deficit in the next fiscal year left opposing supervisors in the unenviable position of arguing against favored status for the health department.
Supervisors Tony Hall and Gavin Newsom said that asking the mayor to reconfigure his budget, which he must present to the board by Saturday, on short notice was inappropriate.
"I don't think this resolution is fiscally prudent or fiscally sound," Hall said. "To automatically ex-empt a department that takes up 20 percent of the budget is unwise."
The resolution also called for full funding of HIV/AIDS programs and "add-backs," or funding added to the department's budget by individual supervisors during the budgeting process.
Add-backs do not go through the full legislative process, Supervisor Leland Yee said, and should be subject to the budgeting process. Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Sophie Maxwell, who sit on the board's Budget Committee, also voted against the resolution.
In other action Tuesday:
The board passed legislation limiting the number of residential parking permits held at single addresses. The law limits to four the number of permits a resident can hold without paying higher fees or seeking an exemption from the Department of Parking and Traffic.
Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano unveiled a plan for a board committee to oversee the San Francisco Police Department. Maxwell would chair the committee. Other members would be Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval and Newsom.
Hall proposed reducing the Local Homeless Coordinating Board from 34 to 16 members, with the board and the mayor splitting the appointments.
Supervisor Jake McGoldrick asked for a legislative analyst's study of the Hope Ownership Plan for Everyone legislation. The legislation could be headed to the ballot by virtue of a signature-gathering campaign.
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