2010-11 Budget Presentation
Budget Overview
This Fiscal Year marks the fourth year that the Department of Public Works (DPW) has cut its budget to help balance citywide funding shortfalls. To the extent possible, DPW preserved direct services, while cutting management and administrative positions; deferring projects; significantly reducing travel, supplies and materials budgets; and reducing workers’ comp claims and lost work days with aggressive safety, wellness and return to work programs.
In the FY 2010-11 budget, frontline services will, unfortunately, be impacted and will result in service reductions. DPW continues to cut spending in such a way that protects DPW’s core functions while addressing Mayor Newsom’s policy priorities. To minimize impacts, DPW continues to strengthen outreach programs, invest in strategic partnerships that help us better address graffiti removal, sidewalk cleaning, and green space maintenance and continues to implement policies that result in efficiencies and savings.
Budget Highlights
- The $164.5 million FY 2010-11 budget is $7 million (or four percent) less than last fiscal year.
- Includes $16.9 million in gas tax revenues, or $1.7 million (nine percent) less than last fiscal year.
- Includes $13.3 million from the general fund, or $3.7 million (twenty-two percent) less than last fiscal year.
- Includes 1,070 Full and Part Time positions, which is 352 fewer positions than 2008/09.
- Decreases spending on materials and supplies by over $99,000.
- Reduces Workers Compensation by more than $200,000 with improved health and safety program and strict return to work policies.
- Reduces costs associated with vehicles by nearly $300,000.
- Reduces street cleaning, building maintenance, and permitting and inspections services.
Service Impacts in Proposed FY 2010-11 Budget
- Slower response time for service requests for removal of debris/illegal dumping and street sweeping along medians.
- Slower response time to service requests for litter and cleaning service.
- Slower permit and inspection response time for complaints about streets, sidewalks, stairways, etc.
- Reduced bridgetender services on weekends and in the evenings (on-call vs standby).
- Reduced public access to DPW’s Supply Store for volunteer groups—hours of operation cut.
Over the past four years DPW’s General Fund support has retracted and now comprises just 8.1% of DPW’s FY 11 revenues. In FY 11 DPW’s Gas Tax revenues are 10.2% of total revenues as a result of a reduction in anticipated Gas Tax revenues in the upcoming fiscal year. The Bureau of Street Use and Mapping Fee revenues are expected to be nearly $375,000 less than FY 10 and comprise 3.4% of DPW’s FY 11 revenues.
Street Cleaning
The Community Corridors Partnership program continues to provide intensive cleaning and physical improvements to the City’s busiest merchant corridors. Community Outreach with residents and merchants to reduce trash, litter and graffiti will be leveraged to maximize street cleaning resources. The Department is continuing research on improved deployment of mechanical sweeping operations to better target limited street cleaning funds.
Road Resurfacing
DPW’s anticipates about $50 million for its road resurfacing program from a combination of local, state and federal funds. The program will begin design and repave about 400 blocks and strategically perform preventative maintenance on 150 more to protect and extend the useful life of the pavement on those blocks.
San Francisco’s Urban Forest
The operating budget includes approximately $3.6 million to maintain and care for street trees maintained by DPW. An additional $1.2 million for tree maintenance, 
replacement and establishment is included in the city's Capital Improvement Program for FY 2010-11. In order to protect frontline services, the department cut management and administrative costs by consolidating urban forestry functions into other public works bureaus.
City Reduction in FTE Hours
DPW expects additional marginal service impacts due to furlough days.
Download 2010-11 Budget Factsheet (PDF)
