San Francisco Propositions
Proposition A:
Hetch Hetchy Repair and Upgrade Revenue Bond
The Hetch Hetchy water system, which delivers water from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite Valley to San Francisco, is currently in a state of disrepair and in need of improvements. This proposition would authorize $1.6 billion in revenue bonds to make the repairs and improvements. The bonds would be paid by San Francisco water consumers and be made over a 13-year period. Implementation will be led by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Proposition B:
Affordable Housing General Obligation Bond
This proposition asks voters to approve a $250 million general obligation bond, which will be used to subsidize affordable housing. Seventy-five percent of the money will go toward new construction or rehabilitation, and 25 percent will go toward down payment assistance for first-time, low-income buyers. The program should provide 3,700 rental units and as many as 1,000 down payment loans.
Proposition C:
Veterans Building General Obligation Bond
This $122.755 million bond would pay for seismic strengthening, earthquake damage repairs, life safety and building improvements and various modernization projects. The total cost is $140 million, with the balance coming from the War Memorial reserve funds.
Proposition D:
Reform of Public Utilities Commission Related to Energy
This charter amendment makes seven changes to the Public Utilities Commission, most of which are to promote renewable energy and smaller power plants. It gives the Board of Supervisors more control over appointments and the authority to issue revenue bonds for energy related facilities. It also gives the Board the authority and ability to take over the electrical distribution of PG&E. It moves the city government in the direction of becoming the retail provider of electricity in San Francisco.
Proposition E:
Reform of the Public Utilities Commissions Related to Water and Sewer
This measure makes seven significant changes to the city charter to improve the operations of the SFPUC, such as requiring the PUC to develop long-range capital plans and directing the Board of Supervisors to establish a citizens advisory committee empowered to make recommendations to the PUC about water and sewer concerns.
Proposition F:
Entertainment Commissioners
This proposition tweaks with the already established Entertainment Commission, who is now responsible for permitting places of entertainment, promoting San Francisco as an entertainment destination and balancing interests. This charter would require the commission to have four members appointed by the mayor and three by the Board.
Proposition G:
Role of City Employees in Elections
Proposition G would amend the charter to correct problems that occurred due to last year’s Proposition E. This amendment will make it easier to use city employees to assist the Elections Department, and add guidelines and restrictions on the transportation of ballots.
Proposition H:
Police and Fire Retirement Benefits
This charter amendment would add a new retirement benefit for active police officers, firefighters and paramedics, who would calculate pension at 3 percent of last year’s salary at age 55, capped at 90 percent. An officer who started at the age of 25 could retire at 55 with a pension equal to 90 percent of his or her last year’s salary.
Proposition I:
Parental Leave for City Employees
This charter amendment would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for city employees at the time of the birth of a child or placement through adoption or foster care. This measure would provide compensation for this leave or for an additional four weeks if the employee is pregnant.
Proposition J:
Supervisor Salaries
This would amend the charter to classify the supervisor’s jobs to full-time positions and allow the Civil Service Commission to set the supervisor’s salary every five years based on a survey of comparable full-time city council and county boards of supervisors around the state. They would also be subject to changes in compensation during periods of reducing costs. The Supervisors currently make $37,585; this amendment would change that to $88,000 or $118,000 including benefits.
Proposition K:
Official Newspaper Advertisement Bids
Proposition K revises the criteria by which the city selects newspapers for the publication of official notices by eliminating preferences given to papers that are locally owned, printed in San Francisco and owned by women and minorities.
Proposition L:
Real Property Transfer Tax
A real property transfer tax is a one-time tax the city collects when a property is sold or transferred. This measure would double the transfer tax on properties valued at more than $1 million to 1.5 percent. This measure was put on specifically to deal with the city’s budget deficit.
Proposition M:
Economic Development Plan
Placed on the ballot by the mayor, this measure would require the preparation and annual updating of an Economic Development Plan. It would require the Office of Economic Development to prepare analysis of the potential impacts of proposed legislation upon San Francisco’s economy.
Proposition N:
Care Not Cash Initiative
Authored by Supervisor Gavin Newsom and placed on the ballot by signatures, this measure shifts the city’s general assistance support for homeless individuals ($395 every two weeks) into the form of vouchers for food and shelter instead. Care Not Cash woáld provide services such as residential hotel rooms, mental health and drug treatment, meals and a $59 monthly allowance. If services are not received, cash grants would then be available at a higher rate than they are now.
Proposition O:
Exits from Homeless Ordinance
As an alternative to Care Not Cash, Board President Tom Ammiano authored this proposition that would require the departments of Health and Human Services to develop housing, new drug and alcohol treatment programs and annual budgets, and make the homeless issue more of a state-wide concern.
Proposition P:
Public Utilities Revenue Bond Oversight
This measure would establish a Public Utilities Revenue Bond Oversight Committee to oversee expenditure of the PUC’s capitol improvement bond. This proposition was developed in response to a group of citizens who have been opposed to the PUC for years and authorized the 1997 rate freeze, which is hurting this commission.
Proposition Q:
Prohibitions on Use of Public Funds for Political Activity by Recipients of City Contracts, Grants and Loans
This ordinance would prohibit the expenditure for political purposes of any funds appropriated by the city for any contract, grant or loan agreement. If the controller determines that any recipient of these city funds has violated this ordinance, they will be barred for two years from receiving any city money.
Proposition R:
HOPE — Tenant Initiated Home Ownership Program for Everyone
This proposition would allow existing tenants to buy their apartments, under certain specifications. It would allow conversions of rental housing units into condominiums without going through the current process. This new way would allow for a number of conversions equal to 1 percent of the total housing stock each year, or a maximum of 3,400 units per year, for 25 years. Proposition R applies to buildings of all sizes.
Proposition S:
Exploring Medical Cannabis Growth and Distribution
This measure is asking the voters if they think the Board should look into the possibility of establishing a program where the city grows and distributes medical cannabis to patients. The legal risk of a local government taking actions that violate federal law would be researched fully before any program would be established.
BART
Seismic Safety General Obligation Bond
This regional bond — on the ballot in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties — would authorize $1.05 billion in bonds to seismically retrofit the core BART system, such as stations, transbay tube, elevated tracks and the administrative building.
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