Supervisors reject salary funding
for SFO tourism director

International Economic and Tourism Development Director Bill Lee takes questions from reporters after Supervisors voted unanimously to reject funding for his salary.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Luke Thomas

January 11, 2007

Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to reject salary funding for International Economic and Tourism Development Director Bill Lee.

Lee, who has strong support in the Chinese-American community, was appointed to the position of City Administrator by former Mayor Frank Jordan in 1995 and reappointed by former Mayor Willie Brown in 2000. In 2005, Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Lee to the position of International Economic and Tourism Development Director after installing Ed Lee to the position of City Administrator.

Supervisors Chris Daly, Aaron Peskin and Bevan Dufty voted unanimously to decline Lee's salary funding request, a request received by the Budget and Finance Committee in the form of a letter from the Mayor's Office.

"We have a two-paragraph letter that simply says release the funds and that's it. Frankly I find it insulting," Dufty said.

"I am not going to vote for a position based on community politics," Dufty added.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin called the funding request "hooey".

"This is so much hooey. You know it, I know it," Peskin said in response to Assistant Deputy Airport Director Peter Nardoza's explanation of Lee's position.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin (right).

Following the vote, Lee spoke to reporters and faulted the Mayor's Office for not supporting him.

"It's really up to the Mayor's Office to put more out there to support the staff," he said.

Lee is expected to hold his post until alternative funding sources are found to fund his position.

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