San Francisco’s latest bid to rewrite its own rulebook is barely underway and already under fire.
Mayor Daniel Lurie and Board President Rafael Mandelman launched a 28-member working group last Monday to evaluate potential amendments to San Francisco’s city charter. Attendees at the first meeting told reporters the panel tilted heavily toward downtown, philanthropic and business interests, and said members of the public were not allowed to deliver in-person comments.
As reported by 48 Hills, the mayor’s office billed the convening as “a broad group of experts and community leaders,” but the roster includes SPUR, Advance SF, GrowSF, Abundant SF, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and several major foundations and corporate figures, while the San Francisco Labor Council appears to hold the lone labor seat. An attendee told 48 Hills that meeting handouts were not shared with the public and that officials said public comment would be accepted only by email at [email protected].
Why leaders say reform is needed
Supporters argue the charter is bloated and gums up day-to-day governance. The San Francisco Chronicle notes the document runs hundreds of pages and has generated overlapping commissions along with opaque procedures that can make it hard to get basic work done. As outlined by SPUR, reform advocates have floated ideas such as consolidating commissions, streamlining procurement and bolstering the city administrator, proposals that have found an audience inside Mayor Lurie’s office.
Critics warn the process is stacked
Progressive groups and neighborhood advocates worry that a panel dominated by business and philanthropic leaders will craft a ballot proposal that sidelines grassroots voices and shifts power away from locally elected supervisors. The Standard reports that ideas under discussion, including expanding mayoral authority and changing how measures qualify for the ballot, could set up a bruising fight with the city’s progressive wing if they are sent to voters next year.
What to watch next
The working group is expected to keep meeting through the winter, and its recommendations could feed into a ballot measure as soon as November 2026, a change that would require voter approval and likely spark a large public debate. The Chronicle has noted that any charter amendments must ultimately go before voters, and neighborhood groups, labor and other civic organizations are already watching closely for opportunities to shape whatever language, if any, makes it onto the ballot.
