“Lifting the Fog” on San Francisco Government
Last week, the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury released "Lifting the Fog" On Budgets, Innovation, Silos, and More", that identifies the need to improve budget oversight, increase interdepartmental cooperation and provide clarity on the government’s function and structure.
The report said:
San Francisco city departments operate within vertically structured silos that obstruct the effective delivery of critical city services
The city needs governance approaches that encourage interdepartmental cooperation.
The city’s budget oversight responsibilities need to be reviewed to improve their effectiveness
The duties of the City Administrator are ambiguously defined and need more clarity;
Siloed departmental structures hinder the effective delivery of critical city services;
The city’s incomplete official organization charts make it difficult for residents, businesses and other stakeholders to understand the function and structure of government entities;
Voter-mandated spending significantly affects the city’s ability to effectively manage its budget.
Paul Dravis, the investigation’s chair, said:
"Our Jury concluded that despite bureaucratic obstacles, an active legislative culture and ‘non-binding’ policies, City Hall continues to pursue civic innovation to enhance its effectiveness. However, addressing its many challenges will likely require charter reforms and operational changes.
"We focused on the highest levels of its governance structure including the Office of the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, the Office of the Controller and selected departments ... Our investigation does not reflect upon current city officials or staff, but on the processes, structures and constraints of city government.”
The yearlong Jury investigation included interviews with over 50 current and former city officials and employees as well as nationally recognized government experts and legal scholars. The investigation uncovered persistent challenges that have affected San Francisco’s government for decades.
The report additionally identified ways that City Hall continues to pursue civic innovation through partnerships with organizations such as the California Policy Lab, Harvard Kennedy Government Performance Lab and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The full report is here