Mayor Lurie’s current budget proposal allocates about $545,000 from the city’s General Fund to the Environment Department. For comparison: In fiscal year 2022 - 2023, the budget included nearly $3 million from the General Fund.
According to the department, this would result in the elimination of eight full time positions that work in climate accountability, building electrification, and clean transportation.
Hundreds of people gathered on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday to rally against the potential cuts.
After the rally, the Budget and Appropriations Committee held a special hearing. Tyrone Jue, the Director of the Department, spoke to the committee.
“Our work is often described as climate," Jue said. "But what residents experience in their daily lives is something a little bit more direct. They experience cleaner air. Fewer toxics, less waste, lower utility costs, and government that ultimately follows through with its commitments.”
One of the department’s most important directives is its ‘Climate Action Plan’ which charts a path for the city to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. In order to do that, the city has to focus on reducing emissions from building operations and public and private transportation, which account for 88 percent of San Francisco’s emissions. If Lurie doesn’t make changes to his proposed budget, it’s highly unlikely the city will be able to reach this goal.
“The base budget would eliminate dedicated capacity to coordinate and track our climate action plan, eliminate capacity for emissions tracking and modeling, and eliminate the city's dedicated climate equity hub,” Jue told the committee.
That’s a community led program that supports low-income electrification and workforce training. But things aren’t hopeless for the Environment Department. Sophia Kittler, the mayor's budget director, was at Wednesday’s hearing. She said that this is part of the budget process.
“We first give everyone a target," Kittler explained. "Then we evaluate the impacts of what they have offered up and make our general allocation decisions in mayor phase.”
And according to Joseph Piasecki, the Policy and Public Affairs Coordinator at the Environment Department, it’s good that these conversations are happening now.
“Everyone is coming to the table with a very positive attitude to find a way to make something happen," Piasecki said. "Or, to find a way to have a positive outcome.”
Lurie has until June 1 to submit the full proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors.
