San Francisco Mayor Breed focused on public safety as budget deadline looms

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's mayor is making a final push for the Board of Supervisors to adopt the budget she proposed, which she says would make the city safer.

The budget committee is finalizing Breed's proposal and has until the end of the week to deliver their version of the budget for the full Board to consider.

On Tuesday, Mayor London Breed gathered with law enforcement leaders and community members and said city supervisors need to be focused on public safety as they consider the budget. 

Breed's budget proposes an increase of more than $60 million for the city's police department, funds the mayor says are needed to increase the size of the force and push back against street crime and open air drug sales and use. 

"We know that safety right now in the city is what everyone is talking about," Breed said. "We know that it is the number one concern, and it has to be reflected in our budget investments."

Police Chief Bill Scott said the department just enrolled its biggest academy class since the pandemic with 32 cadets. He said his office is working to recruit more officers, and to do that, the police department will need the funds to hire those new officers. 

"We're on pace to definitely hire 100 new recruits this year, this coming year and without the funding we can't do that," Scott said. "So, I really, really appreciate the budget that the mayor put forward."

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins also says her office has seen the benefits of expanding staff, adding three new narcotics prosecutors this year. The D.A. said that additional staff allowed her office to secure the conviction of a fentanyl dealer earlier this week. 

"Those are the kinds of results we can bring when we have the right funding, and we have the right staffing," said Jenkins.

Supervisor and mayoral candidate Ahsha Safaí, who sits on the budget committee, said he and his colleagues are working to address what he called a tremendously harsh budget proposal toward children and families. 

He said the committee is working to ensure that public safety is prioritized, but not at the cost of other critical programs. 

"We have to ensure that we are providing that safety net, at the same time meeting the agenda of making sure that people know that safety is the number one priority for the entire elected leadership of the City of San Francisco," Safaí said. 

San Francisco is facing a tight timeline, the budget committee has to have the proposal before the Board of Supervisors by July 1. The full board needs to vote on the budget and have it back ready for the mayor's signature before August 1.