San Francisco approves $5.7 billion budget

By Angela Hokanson, Bay City News Service

July 19, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - The budget for fiscal year 2006-2007 was passed unanimously on the first reading yesterday at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting.

The approximately $5.7 billion budget is the largest in the city's history. Approximately $2.7 billion of that money is from the general fund.

During the month of June, the supervisors re-arranged about $52 million from the mayor's initial version of the budget, both by making cuts and by obtaining updated information on expected revenues, according to city Controller Ed Harrington.

"This is the people's budget, and I think it's worthy of (the supervisors' support)" said Supervisor Chris Daly, the chairman of the budget and finance committee, before the vote yesterday.

This year's budget is a "skillful document" that addresses some of the unmet needs of the city's residents, such as violence prevention programs, health care services, and youth programs, according to Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

The budget committee may have had an easier time crafting the budget this year because of a brighter fiscal picture than in past years, but hard decisions still had to be made, said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell.

The supervisors will vote a second time on the budget before August 1.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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