Monday, March 4, 2019 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
25 Van Ness Avenue, Room 70 (basement)
San Francisco, CA 94102
And
Friday, March 8, 2019 – 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
25 Van Ness Avenue, Room 70 (basement)
San Francisco, CA 94102
The Commission has identified a substantive review of the City’s public financing program as its top policy priority. As part of this process, Staff invites members of the public to share their thoughts about the program and how it might be improved.
Specific aspects of the program that will be discussed at the meeting include:
- The requirements to qualify for public financing. How many separate contributions, and what total amount of contributions, should a candidate have to gather in order to qualify for the program? What is the maximum amount of any contribution that should be counted for purposes of qualifying for the program or receiving matching funds?
- The funds available to candidates. Are the funds that participating candidates receive through the program too little or too much? Is the time window for receiving funds too broad or too narrow? Is there a sustainable funding model that would better achieve the purpose of the program? Are the current matching rations of 1:1 and 2:1 (public funding to private contributions) appropriate? Are the initial grants that candidates receive when they qualify for the program appropriate in size?
- What approaches taken in other jurisdictions should be considered to strengthen the effectiveness of the program?
Former candidates and treasurers are encouraged to attend the meeting to share their experiences with the program. Please note that if you are a former candidate or treasurer, Staff may contact you separately, regardless of your participation in these meetings, to solicit your feedback on the program.
All attendees are strongly encouraged to review the current rules of the program by reading the Supplemental Guide for Board of Supervisors Candidates Seeking Public Funding in the June and/or November 2018 Election or by viewing Staff’s presentation at the Commission’s July 20, 2018 meeting, a video recording of which is available at http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/31023?view_id=142 by selecting Agenda Item 7.
Staff also welcomes written comments, which can be sent via email to ethics.commission@sfgov.org, or via U.S. mail to San Francisco Ethics Commission, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 220, San Francisco, CA 94102.
For questions about the upcoming Interested persons meetings, please contact Pat Ford at (415) 252-3100. We welcome your input and hope to see you at one of our upcoming meetings.