Bond measures tend to make an appearance in nearly every local election, and this November’s overstuffed ballot is no exception.
San Francisco voters decided to approve both Prop. A and Prop. B, meant to fund improvements for public schools, homeless shelters, and hospitals.
These measures provide upfront funding for projects, which are paid off over time—with interest—through limited property tax increases.
Proponents of these bond measures often argue that they can generate new funds without increasing taxes due to a city policy that keeps property taxes consistent by issuing new bonds only as older ones are retired.
Prop. A raises up to $790 million in bonds to fund improvements at San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) sites, including seismic upgrades and modernization of outdated electrical, heating, and security systems. The measure requires 55% voter approval for passage.
Supporters highlight the poor condition of many school buildings, some over 50 years old or housed in temporary portables, as a key reason the district needs this influx of capital.
Prop. A was placed on the ballot through a unanimous vote of the San Francisco Board of Education. A coalition of SFUSD stakeholders supports the measure, including the San Francisco Parent Coalition, the district’s teachers’ union, and construction labor groups that would benefit from new school improvement funds.
The failure to pass Prop. A, they argue, would have left tens of thousands of students attending schools in worsening disrepair.
One notable segment of Prop. A allocates funds for constructing a new central food hub to organize and improve food service quality in elementary schools.
This is the fifth school bond measure presented to San Francisco voters in the past 20 years. All measures have been approved.
This year’s measure came amid rising concerns over SFUSD’s management, including the recent resignation of its superintendent and a scrapped plan to close or merge about a dozen schools due to significant political and public pushback.
“These buildings are just like your home; they need to be modernized and refurbished,” said Phil Halperin, co-chair of the Prop. A campaign. “Even if we close a handful of schools, dozens more still need improvements.”
Prop. B raises up to $390 million for upgrades at a variety of facilities, including shelters for homeless families, San Francisco General Hospital, and the Chinatown Public Health Center. The measure reached the 66% threshold to pass.
San Francisco’s political leadership is nearly unanimous in support of Prop. B, which was proposed by Mayor London Breed and placed on the ballot by a unanimous Board of Supervisors vote.
Opponents of Prop. B include the usual anti-spending hawks, but supporters contend the measure secures essential funding for issues critical to San Francisco residents.
Prop. B would allocate nearly $100 million to acquiring or renovating community health centers, including renovating the Chinatown Public Health Center and moving the City Clinic, which provides testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, from its current SoMa location to the Mission District.
The money would also fund seismic upgrades at San Francisco General Hospital and double capital for its psychiatric emergency services wing.
Prop. B further allocates around $100 million for street and sidewalk safety projects and downtown public space modernization. This includes $25 million for improvements to Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro and up to $50 million to provide shelter or temporary housing for homeless families.