Newsom’s City-Funded Campaign for GovernorPaul Hogarthbyline‚ Jun. 18‚ 2009It’s amazing what you learn about Gavin Newsom’s budget – after the Budget & Finance Committee starts to hold hearings. While the Mayor’s public summary released on June 1st implied that Newsom planned to downsize 8% of his own staff, what he actually did was farm out positions and funds to other departments. We also learned this week that the first things the Mayor’s Office eliminated during mid-year cuts last year was (a) money for violence prevention programs, and (b) add-backs by the Supervisors. Meanwhile, Newsom spends $473,122 to pay the salaries of five press secretaries – more than what he spends on seven liaisons for the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (MONS). The City has a Department of the Environment with its own Executive Director and 58 staff – but the Mayor’s Office has a Greening Director who makes $105,742, along with a Director of Climate Control. Newsom is opposing Budget Analyst Harvey Rose’s recommendation to cut down his press operation, and even said Tuesday he might veto the Interim Budget (which the Supervisors amended to shift funds away from Police and Fire, and to Health and Human Services.) If he pursues the latter, the City could be unable to spend money after July 1st – a government shutdown that would doom Newsom’s statewide ambitions. |