San Francisco city workers prepare for likelihood of job cuts

SF Mayor facing tough budget

Employment reductions likely in upcoming SF budget

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco city workers are preparing for the likelihood of job cuts as the mayor prepares to deliver his budget proposal on Friday.

The city's mayor, Daniel Lurie, said he's grappling with a budget deficit, and that the city has to get back on the right financial track.

City's budget deficit

By the numbers:

San Francisco is facing a projected $800 million budget deficit.

There are widespread reports that the budget could include more than 1,000 city jobs on the chopping block.

The mayor's office released a statement in advance of the official budget announcement, reading in part," I am accountable for delivering a budget that tackles our structural deficit and puts our city on track for a strong recovery... we are building a budget that will drive San Francisco's comeback—and the tough decisions we must make are essential for positioning our city to grow long-term."

City slow down

The backstory:

Two weeks ago, city workers rallied on the front steps of City Hall asking the mayor to preserve jobs.

Jennifer Esteen is a registered nurse with the city of San Francisco. She said cuts to the city's workforce will impact those who rely on city services; everything from healthcare to permitting.

"People in San Francisco are always talking about the length of time it takes to get things done" said Esteen. "When you have less people doing the work, you have less people moving things and everything will slow down."

The mayor's office said uncertainty when it comes to state and federal funds means the city has to double down on responsible long-term spending, while preserving core services.

Kristin Hardy is a birth and death clerk at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. She said she's worried about the impact cuts could have.

"It definitely would cut vital services that are offered; mental health counseling, clinics, you know, social workers services, our members with HSA," said Hardy. "A lot of that will definitely be impacted."

'No good options'

Supervisor Connie Chan, chair of the budget committee, released a statement about the upcoming budget challenges, reading in part: "As we move through the board’s budget process in the month of June, it is clear that we have no good options, and we are going to be faced with some very difficult decisions. We will be combing through the Mayor’s proposed budget to identify potential savings and prioritize critical city services and essential workers."

What's next:

The mayor is expected to deliver his budget tomorrow. The board will then review and make adjustments to that budget. The mayor then has until the end of July to sign the final plan.

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