Government of San Francisco

As the only consolidated city-county in California, the government of the City and County of San Francisco is defined by the Charter of the City and County of San Francisco, which is similar to the other counties of California and defines several officers and entities.

The 11-member Board of Supervisors is the legislative body acting as both a board of supervisors and a city council, with "[a]ll rights and powers of a City and County which are not vested in another officer or entity" by the charter.[1] The executive body is composed of the Mayor of San Francisco as the mayor and the county executive, along with the "departments, appointive boards, commissions and other units of government."[2]

In addition, there are other elected officers of San Francisco: the Assessor-Recorder, City Attorney, District Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff and Treasurer.[3] The City Administrator is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors,[4] and is the Director of the General Services Agency (GSA),[5] which is generally responsible for the administration of the government of San Francisco.[6]

San Francisco voters use ranked-choice voting to elect the Mayor, Supervisors, and other elective officers.[7] The Board of Supervisors is headed by a President and is responsible for passing laws and budgets, though San Franciscans also make use of direct ballot initiatives to pass legislation. The members of the Board of Supervisors are elected as representatives of specific districts within the city.[8] If the mayor dies or resigns, the President of the Board of Supervisors assumes the office, as Dianne Feinstein did after the assassination of George Moscone in 1978.

Contents

Organization

Executive

The executive body is composed of the Mayor of San Francisco as the mayor and the county executive, along with the "departments, appointive boards, commissions and other units of government."[2] The City Administrator is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors,[4] and is the Director of the General Services Agency (GSA),[5] which is generally responsible for the administration of the government of San Francisco.[6]

Mayor

City Administrator and/or General Services Agency

Other

Board of Supervisors

The 11-member Board of Supervisors is the is the legislative body acting as both a board of supervisors and a city council, with "[a]ll rights and powers of a City and County which are not vested in another officer or entity" by the charter.[1]

Taxes

As of November 2010, San Francisco's sales tax rate was 9.5%,[9] distributed as follows:

Budget

The fiscal year 2007-08 city and county budget is as follows:[14]

Category Revenue Ratio
Charges for services $1,808 M 29.7%
Property taxes $1,186 M 19.5%
State $707 M 11.6%
Other local taxes $588 M 9.7%
Federal $360 M 5.9%
Business taxes $350 M 5.8%
Rents and concessions $349 M 5.7%
Fund balance from 2006–07 $239 M 3.9%
Fines and forfeitures $105 M 1.7%
Interest and investment income $84 M 1.4%
Licenses, permits, and franchises $36 M 0.6%
Reserves drawdown $23 M 0.4%
Other $244 M 4.0%
Total $6,079 M 100%
Category Expenditures Ratio
Personnel $3.083 B 50.4%
Non-personnel operating costs $1.438 B 23.7%
Debt service $576 M 9.5%
Capital and equipment $335 M 5.5%
Grants $272 M 4.5%
Aid assistance $271 M 4.5%
Reserves and fund balance $69 M 1.1%
Facility maintenance $35 M 0.6%
Total $6,079 M 100%
Category Personnel Ratio
Public Works, Transportation, and Commerce 8,798 31.5%
Public Protection 6,566 23.5%
Public Health 6,196 22.2%
General Administration and Finance 2,317 8.3%
Human Welfare and Neighborhood Development 2,125 7.6%
Culture and Recreation 1,883 6.8%
Total 27,885 100%

References

  1. ^ a b Charter of the City and County of San Francisco, article 1, section 1.101
  2. ^ a b Charter of the City and County of San Francisco, article 4, section 4.100
  3. ^ Charter of the City and County of San Francisco, article 6, section 6.100
  4. ^ a b Charter of the City and County of San Francisco, article 3, section 3.104
  5. ^ a b "Office of the City Administrator". http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=830. 
  6. ^ a b "General Services Agency". http://sfgsa.org/. 
  7. ^ "Ranked-Choice Voting". City and County of San Francisco, Department of Elections. http://www.sfgov.org/site/elections_index.asp?id=60440. Retrieved August 8, 2009. 
  8. ^ "Board of Supervisors District Information". City and County of San Francisco, Board of Supervisors. http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=4385. Retrieved January 29, 2006. 
  9. ^ http://www.boe.ca.gov/news/sp111500att.htm
  10. ^ Detailed Description of the Sales and Use Tax Rate - Board of Equalization
  11. ^ a b http://www.bayrailalliance.org/local_transportation_funding_sources
  12. ^ http://www.sfgov.org/site/courts_page.asp?id=3970
  13. ^ http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_page.asp?id=25985#P265_9769
  14. ^ http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/controller/budget_information/Citizen_Guide_Budget_April_2008.pdf

External links