San Francisco, California, Proposition B, Public Works Commission and Sanitation and Streets Commission Charter Amendment (November 2020)
| San Francisco Proposition B | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 3, 2020 | |
| Topic City governance and Local charter amendments | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Referral | Origin Lawmakers |
San Francisco Proposition B was on the ballot as a referral in San Francisco on November 3, 2020. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported amending the city charter to create a Public Works Commission and a Sanitation and Streets Commission. |
A “no” vote opposed amending the city charter to establish a Public Works Commission and a Sanitation and Streets Commission. |
A simple majority was required for the approval of Proposition B.
Election results
|
San Francisco Proposition B |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
255,653 | 61.33% | ||
| No | 161,178 | 38.67% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ | Shall the City amend the Charter to create a Department of Sanitation and Streets with oversight from a Sanitation and Streets Commission, and to establish a Public Works Commission to oversee the Department of Public Works?[2] | ” |
Ballot simplification digest
The following summary of the measure was prepared by the office of the Ballot Simplification Committee:
| “ | The Way It Is Now: The City’s Department of Public Works, which was created by the City Charter, has four divisions:
• Operations, which maintains City buildings, streets, sewers, street trees, sidewalk trash cans and sidewalks, and removes graffiti; • Building Design and Construction, which designs, builds and renovates City buildings and structures; • Infrastructure Design and Construction, which maintains City streets, sidewalks, curb ramps, plazas, bridges, tunnels and stairways; and • Finance and Administration. The City Administrator oversees the Department of Public Works and appoints its director with the Mayor’s approval. The Proposal: Proposition B is a Charter amendment that would create a Department of Sanitation and Streets, which would take over some of the duties of the Department of Public Works. This new Department of Sanitation and Streets would be responsible for: • Sweeping streets and cleaning sidewalks; • Providing and maintaining sidewalk trash cans; • Removing graffiti and illegally dumped waste; and • Maintaining City buildings, public restrooms and street trees. Under Proposition B, the Board of Supervisors, by a two-thirds vote, could modify these duties. The Department of Public Works would continue to provide all other services required by law. Proposition B would create a five-member Sanitation and Streets Commission to oversee the Department of Sanitation and Streets. The Board of Supervisors would appoint two members to this commission, the Mayor would appoint two, and the City Controller would appoint one. The Mayor would appoint the Director of Sanitation and Streets from candidates selected by the Sanitation and Streets Commission. Proposition B would also create a five-member Public Works Commission to oversee the Department of Public Works. The Board of Supervisors would appoint two members to this commission, the Mayor would appoint two, and the City Controller would appoint one. The Mayor would appoint the Director of Public Works from candidates selected by the Public Works Commission. Proposition B would require the Services Audit Unit to evaluate whether there are inefficiencies or waste in the administration, operations and spending of both departments each year. A 'YES' Vote Means: If you vote 'yes,' you want to create a Department of Sanitation and Streets with oversight from a Sanitation and Streets Commission, and you want to establish a Public Works Commission to oversee the Department of Public Works. A 'NO' Vote Means: If you vote 'no,' you do not want to make these changes.[2] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
Individuals
|
Organizations
- San Francisco Democratic Party[1]
- San Francisco Labor Council[1]
- San Francisco Green Party[3]
- San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association[3]
- San Francisco Women's Political Committee[3]
- SEIU Local 1021[3]
Official arguments
The official arguments in support of Proposition B were authored by San Francisco Democratic Party, San Francisco Labor Council, Former State Senator Mark Leno, Former Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Supervisor Matt Haney, Supervisor Hilary Ronen, Supervisor Dean Preston, Supervisor Gordon Mar, Supervisor Shamann Walton, Supervisor Ahsha Safai, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Public Defender Mano Raju, President City College Board of Trustees Shanell Williams, Board of Education President Mark Sanchez, and BART Board Director Bevan Dufty:[1]
| “ | During the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitation and cleanliness have never been more important.
San Francisco is one of the only major American cities without a Department of Sanitation. And infectious disease experts say that our streets are so dirty that our risk of infection is as high as communities in parts of the world suffering from extreme poverty. We need a Department dedicated to street and sidewalk cleaning to keep our public areas sanitary and our communities healthy... it's just common sense. WHAT WILL THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION DO?
Please join Laborers Local 261—the hard-working men and women who clean our sidewalks, repair our streets, and remove our trash—and vote for this common sense measure that will finally address our city's biggest embarrassment.[2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
- San Francisco Republican Party[1]
- San Francisco Taxpayers Association[1]
- Libertarian Party of San Francisco[3]
- San Francisco League Of Conservation Voters[3]
Official arguments
The official arguments in opposition Proposition B were authored by Larry Marso:[1]
| “ |
Vote NO on Prop B, which senselessly carves up and politicizes the Department of Public Works. It creates two new bureaucracies, transfers power to the Board of Supervisors and Mayor, and prohibits voters like you from influencing policy. In the wake of the FBI arrest on corruption charges of former Director of Public Works Mohammed Nuru — who had troubling ties to City Hall — we need new approaches to oversight for major public expenditures, including citizen ordinances. Prop D spins out a new Department of Sanitation and Streets, then transfers authority over both this new agency and what's left behind to bloated, expensive commissions of political appointees. (Same old, same old). According to the City Controller, half the DoPW employees will transfer and spending will increase by as much as $6 million per year. But why? Nothing here establishes new obligations or standards. It's status quo for the syringes, needles and human waste on the streets, and the homeless encampments posing challenges during the pandemic. (The Supervisors missed another opportunity this election: amend the charter to require District Attorney Chesa Boudin enforce Quality of Life Laws critical to public health). The Board of Supervisors and Mayor are seizing exclusive ordinance authority to set standards and transfer duties between Departments. Prop B prohibits use of citizen ordinances to change policy at the Department of Public Works or Department of Sanitation and Streets.[2] |
” |
Media editorials
- See also: 2020 ballot measure media endorsements
Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on the ballot measure. If you are aware of a media editorial board position that is not listed below, please email the editorial link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Support
- San Francisco Bay Guardian: “If you liked the way Mohammed Nuru ran the Department of Public Works, and you are happy with the condition of the city’s streets, then you should vote no. But we are not in either camp – and we are not – then this measure to split up DPW and create a commission with split appointments between the mayor and the supes makes perfect sense. Vote yes."[4]
- Bay Area Reporter: "Cleaner streets and sanitary public spaces will help keep people healthier during and after the pandemic. In addition to a commission for Public Works, this new street cleaning department would have its own oversight commission that would set baseline standards, control spending, and investigate corruption. We do have some concerns with the cost, estimated by the controller to be between $2.5 million to $6 million annually, mostly due to new administrative expense and based on current service levels. But the choice is to live with current conditions or to focus on the singular goal of keeping streets and sidewalks cleaner. Vote YES on Prop B."[5]
Opposition
- San Francisco Chronicle: “A plan pushed by Supervisor Matt Haney would split the public works department in two: one division to clean streets and repair public buildings and the other to handle the design and construction of city projects. There’s appeal in focusing on dirty streets and breaking up an agency tarnished by a pay-to-play scandal that’s brought on a federal investigation. But the changeover may cost up to $6 million and could complicate, not simplify, operations. It’s a showy idea without substance. Vote No.”[6]
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a 7-4 vote of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on July 21, 2020.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 San Francisco Elections Office, "Qualified Local and District Measures," accessed October 12, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 California Choices, "San Francisco Ballot Endorsements," accessed October 20, 2020
- ↑ San Francisco Bay Guardian, "Endorsements Fall 2020," October 1, 2020
- ↑ Bay Area Reporter, "Editorial: Vote yes on all SF props," September 23, 2020
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, “Editorial: San Francisco ballot recommendations cover taxes, housekeeping and social change.,” October 6, 2020
 |
State of California Sacramento (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
