Proposition E would create a five member task force to assess San Francisco’s many commissions and recommend whether any should be altered or eliminated to improve local governance.
The measure was placed on the ballot by Board of Supervisors President and mayoral candidate Aaron Peskin to counter Prop D, which would strictly cap the number of city commissions, limit their power and give the mayor greater authority to hire and fire department heads.
Peskin says Prop E ensures that changes are made with transparency and input from the public and experts:
“By creating a task force to review and streamline the city’s commissions, Prop E provides a thoughtful expert driven approach to improving efficiency, reducing waste and saving taxpayer money.”
Opponents of Prop E call it a “poison pill” to derail reform of the commissions.
The Commission Streamlining task force created by Prop E would have until February of 2026 to issue its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, which could put those changes before voters in a future election.
Prop D would require that the cuts to the commissions and changes to city governance be completed by early 2026.
Campaigns supporting Proposition E and other measures have raised $18,000.
Campaign committees opposing Prop E and supporting Prop D have raised more than $7.8 million, the largest amount by far for any San Francisco proposition in this election.
Prop E passes with a simple majority. If both D and E pass, the one with the most votes cancels the other.
This election brief was reported by San Francisco Public Press reporter Mel Baker, read the full analysis of Prop E here.