Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Board President David Chiu today introduced a proposal to reform the City’s current anti-job business tax structure for the November 2012 ballot. After months of thorough analysis by the City Controller, economic modeling by the City Economist and inclusive outreach to San Francisco’s diverse business communities, Mayor Lee and Board President David Chiu proposed a gross receipts tax as an alternative to the City’s current payroll tax, which punishes companies for growing and creating new jobs in San Francisco. The measure also raises $13 million in new General Fund revenue through increased business license fees for affordable housing.

“San Francisco is the only city in California with a payroll tax and it’s time to reward companies for creating jobs in our City, not punish them,” said Mayor Lee. “After months of inclusive, transparent outreach to the City’s diverse business community and many others, President Chiu and I are proposing comprehensive business tax reform for this November that ends our tax on jobs, protects small business and will bring stable, growing revenue for vital City services and affordable housing for the future.” Read more.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today asked the nation's five mortgage loan servicers that settled in the joint federal-state mortgage settlement to voluntarily pause foreclosure proceedings against homeowners who are at risk for foreclosure but could be eligible for assistance under the terms of the settlement. 

San Francisco was joined by Fresno, Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose in a letter to executives at Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial to pause foreclosure proceedings against some borrowers until the settlement is finalized and the monitoring mechanisms are fully in place. Read more. 

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today presented his proposed two-year balanced budget for Fiscal Years 2012-13 and 2013-14. The City's first Two-Year Budget closed a projected $263 million General Fund deficit for the coming Fiscal Year 2012-13 and $375 million deficit for Fiscal Year 2013-14. The Mayor's proposed balance budget is the result of hard work and collaboration by the City's elected officials, residents, departments, community organizations, employees and a wide range of other stakeholders. 

"Because of the discipline we have put into our budget process with Two-Year Budgets and Five-Year Financial Planning, the strategic investments we have made in job creation, and our commitment to reforming our pension and health care systems, San Francisco's economy is now recovering and our reserves are growing," said Mayor Lee. "This is good news, but it did not come without commitment and sacrifice. We can now continue our investment in job creation and growing our economy while sparing the City the deep cuts we have experienced over the last several years. The hard work is not done. We must remain fiscally responsible and continue the structural reforms and good government policies we pursued that helped us get to this point. This budget reflects my commitment to innovate, create jobs and invest in our City's infrastructure, housing, small businesses and neighborhoods." Read more.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today joined Police Chief Greg Suhr and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White to announce a multi-year comprehensive staffing plan to increase the number of uniformed men and women to protect the community and serve San Francisco’s neighborhood residents.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) six-year hiring plan will satisfy the City Charter mandated 1,971 full duty officers. In the Mayor’s proposed two year budget, SFPD will hold six Police Academy classes and hire 300 officers (50 per class) over the next two years. SFPD will continue to hire three classes of 50 officers over the next six-year period and is anticipated to reach the City Charter mandate of 1,971 full duty officers by June 2018.

In the next six years, the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) will hold six Fire Academy classes and one Emergency Medical Technicians class to restore staffing levels in order to use less overtime. Read more.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced new commitments to neighborhood commercial districts and small businesses in his proposed two year budget. The budget will more than double grants funding to $1.5 million; add $4 million to dramatically expand loans and other grants specifically targeted at neighborhood small businesses; double the team that works full time in neighborhood commercial corridors to streamline permitting and link small businesses with City programs and resources; and launch the Jobs Squad to help neighborhood small businesses get expert City staff out of City Hall and into the neighborhoods.

Mayor Lee was joined by Board Budget Chair Supervisor Carmen Chu, District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim, area business owners, neighborhood residents and leaders, community-based groups, and City department heads to make the announcement in Little Saigon in the Uptown Tenderloin Historic District neighborhood. Read more.