To: Members of the Ethics Commission
From: LeeAnn Pelham, Executive Director
Subject: Agenda Item 11 – Executive Director’s Report for the December 2019 Commission Meeting
Summary
This report provides various programmatic and operational highlights to date since the last monthly Executive Director’s Report.
Action Requested
No action is required by the Commission, as this item is for informational purposes only.
Program Implementation Update
On November 5, 2019, San Francisco voters enacted Proposition F – a ballot measure to amend existing campaign advertisement disclaimers, add disclosure requirements for committees making independent expenditures, and establish additional restrictions on campaign contributions for certain elected officers and candidates for City elective office. The election results were certified by the Department of Elections on November 29, 2019 and adopted by the Board of Supervisors at its December 10, 2019 meeting. The legislation becomes operative on December 20, 2019.
During the past month the Engagement & Compliance Division has been focused on implementation of Prop. F, including extensive updates and revisions to website content, guides, forms and disclaimer charts that are relevant to affected candidates, committees and third-party contributors. Staff have developed a notice for distribution this week to impacted committees and officeholders announcing the new legislation and its operative date. A separate notice for impacted boards and commissions is also scheduled for distribution this week to help inform them about applicable provisions regarding land use notification requirements and to provide a sample description for their use. Staff from the Electronic Disclosure and Data Analysis division have also been working with the Commission’s online disclosure system vendor to incorporate changes required by other reporting changes associated with Prop F with the goal of rolling out updated forms by year end.
Board of Supervisors Audit of the Ethics Commission
As I relayed verbally in my report at the Commission’s November 15 meeting, Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee had introduced a motion directing the Budget and Legislative Analyst to conduct a performance audit of the Ethics Commission as a priority in FY2019-2020 (File No. 191133, introduced on November 13, 2019). The motion follows a separate motion previously approved by the Board in July to direct the setting of the Budget and Legislative Analyst Services Audit Plan for FY19-20. Following its introduction, Supervisor Yee’s motion was referred to the Board of Supervisors’ Government Audit and Oversight Committee. Chair Chiu, Commissioner Lee and I had the opportunity to meet briefly with Supervisor Yee on November 14. I have also reached out directly to the BLA to learn how our office can best assist should an audit be scheduled this year. We understand that the motion to approve an audit of the Commission will likely be considered by the full Board of Supervisors in January. Staff will attend the legislative hearings and will reach out again to coordinate with the BLA as necessary following Board action.
Staffing and Hiring News
The job announcement for the vacant Investigative Analyst position (1822) was posted online on November 18. Given the year-end holidays, the original closing date for the submission of applications has been extended to December 31. The table below provides a snapshot of the Commission’s current position vacancies.
Table 1 – Position Vacancies
| Position Working Title | Workgroup | Status | Type | Job Class Title/No |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investigative Analyst | Enforcement Division | Position posted 11/18/19. Applications are continuing to be accepted at SFJobs with a 12/31/19 deadline. | Vacancy/non-exempt | Administrative Analyst (1822) |
| Senior Information Systems Business Analyst | Electronic Disclosure & Data Analysis Division | Position posting under review. | Vacancy/non-exempt | Senior Information Systems Business Analyst (1053) |
| Policy Analyst | Policy Division | Review of position posting pending. | Vacancy/non-exempt | Administrative Analyst (1822) |
| Principal Program Manager for Audits | Audit Division | Review of position posting pending. | Vacancy/non-exempt | Principal Administrative Analyst (1824) |
Additional updates regarding these positions will be shared as they become available.
Revenues Report
The table below shows the revenues received by the Commission during the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2019, as of December 11, 2019.
Table 2 – Summary to Date of FY19-20 Revenues
| Source | FY 19-20 Budgeted Amount | FY 19-20 Receipts as of December 11, 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Lobbyist Registration Fees | $85,000 | $14,850 |
| Lobbyists Fines | $2,000 | $5,800 |
| Campaign Consultants Fees | $7,000 | $9,725 |
| Contact Lobbyist and Other e.g., copies made by public | $2,450 | 0 |
| Statement of Economic Interests Filings-Late Fees | $1,250 | $290 |
| Campaign Consultant Fines | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Campaign Finance Fines (includes late fees and forfeitures) | $50,000 | $54,507 |
| Ethics, Other/ Administrative Fines Levied by the Commission | $7,500 | $12,752 |
| Major Developer Fee | $0 | $500 |
| Total | $157,200 | $102,424 |
As always, I look forward to answering any questions you might have about this report at the upcoming Commission meeting.
Lastly, as the calendar year comes to a close and on behalf of all of us on the Ethics Commission Staff, I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the Commission and all those who have engaged with us in 2019. The ongoing contributions of your valuable time, valued insights, and clarity of purpose continue to inspire and motivate our work. We wish you each a happy holiday season and we look forward to working with you all in 2020 in shared commitment to ensuring that in San Francisco our public service is worthy of the public trust.