One Thousand March Against City Budget Cuts

by Doug Jastrow, 2009-03-27

Before they began their march down Market Street, organizers of yesterday’s Big Ass March to Save City Services and Jobs greeted everyone who approached them, from curious on-lookers to fellow SEIU union members, with the same welcoming phrase: “You’re in the right place, at the right time.”

Yet those who provide city-funded services to the homeless, elderly and disabled – as well as those who depend on these services – fear they are being told the exact opposite by city budget officials in the Newsom Administration: “wrong place, wrong time.”

San Francisco is facing a staggering budget deficit that is estimated to be $576 million. And despite financial help in the form of federal stimulus money earmarked for health and human services, about $35 million, further cuts and layoffs are still planned for these agencies.

That was the reason why the advocates of these agencies, led by the SEIU Local 1021, organized the Big Ass March to City Hall.

“The past cuts that have already gone through were just enough so doctors and nurses can’t do their jobs correctly,” said Brenda Barros, a clerical supervisor at SF General Hospital. “Patients are already suffering.”

Barros said her unit at the hospital has already lost five registered nurses due to budget constraints. Her hope is these nurses can be brought back with the assistance of federal stimulus money.

For Melvina Hill, a director with the Parks and Recreation Department who heads up the Special Olympics program at the Kezar Sports Complez, it’s her own job she hopes will be saved. Hill received a pink slip last month – which goes into effect May 1st.

Hill, who has been with the department for 17 years, said a total of 78 directors have received pending layoff notices. She feels there is a definite reason behind the under-funding of her department by the Newsom administration. When it comes to youth recreation centers, she said, “the writing is on the wall. They want to privatize it.”

After the short, peaceful parade down Market Street, the marchers –who appeared to have met the organizers’ goal of over 1000 participants – reached the front of City Hall. There they were met by Damita Davis-Howard, Local 1021’s president – as well as Supervisors John Avalos and David Campos.



Avalos and Campos stressed that city government should focus their effort on preserving essential services for those who need it the most. “The thing about a safety net is that it’s needed most in these tough times,” said Campos. “When it comes to the work you do, services you provide and receive, we need to make sure those dollars are well-spent,” said Avalos.

But meanwhile, it’s uncertain how much Mayor Newsom is letting the Supervisors have a say in spending federal stimulus dollars. Public Health Director Mitch Katz appeared at the Board’s Budget Committee on Wednesday – regarding the use of extra Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds to off-set budget cuts.

A portion of City health services get reimbursed by the feds, and part of the Obama stimulus plan has been to increase FMAP money. “As I understand it,” said David Campos, “the intent behind this extra money was to minimize the cuts that local government is making. In light of that, what’s wrong with using the money?”

Katz’s only response was he “doesn’t get to make these decisions.” He also added that with the Mayor’s directive to cut $100 million out of Public Health, even an influx of FMAP funds would still require the Health Department to make cuts. Unsaid, however, was that cuts would be less severe if the federal stimulus dollars get spent.

Kerry McClellan from the Mayor’s Office of Economic Workforce Development also gave a brief presentation to the Budget Committee about how Federal stimulus funds have been spent so far. Much has already been sent to City agencies that the Supervisors don’t control – such as $67 million to MTA, $23 million to the School District and $17 million to the Housing Authority. Her slide even had the caveat – “does not necessarily flow through the City budget.”

As health & human services advocates fight budget cuts, a basic question has to be answered. Does San Francisco have a true system of “checks and balances” where the Mayor and Supervisors both have a say on how federal money gets spent, or will Newsom continue to hog all the funds? Based on the Mayor’s past conduct on this issue, Newsom doesn’t appear to think so.

As yesterday’s march came to a close, the final words fell to SEIU 1021 President Davis-Howard. “You believe this is over?” she shouted. “This made them pay attention but they still need to hear from youť. This isn’t over.”

Paul Hogarth contributed to this report.