Councilor Davis Highlights Programs in FY17 Operating Budget

This afternoon, Mayor Berry will sign the City’s FY17 budget that includes more than $525 million in operating expenses to provide city services as well as raises for all city employees.

City Councilor Pat Davis would like to highlight the following programs included in next year’s operating budget that target his priorities to increase public safety and expand opportunities for the residents of District 6.

• $190,000 to support and expand the Metropolitan Court’s Homeless Court program.  Councilor Davis began meeting several months ago with Judge John Duran and court staff to identify new funding to continue this important program after state budget cuts forced the court to reduce the scale of the project.
• $2 million to close out the fundraising needed to build a new large-scale library serving the International District.  The city is currently evaluating locations for this $10+ million project.
• $50,000 for a pilot project to add additional parking in Nob Hill.  Since taking office last year, Councilor Davis has met with numerous business owners and residents who championed the need for additional parking near local retailers provide shoppers greater access to local retail and keep commercial traffic out of neighborhoods.  This pilot project is conceived to expand parking locations and public access to private parking lots not currently available to shoppers.  More to come soon.
• $20,000 to support We Are This City, a non-profit alliance of local artists building a new marketplace for local artists to share their works around the country and develop their own business skills to support this growing segment of our creative economy.

“Our homeless court program was too important to abandon,” says Davis. “Our criminal justice system is full of homeless and near-homeless people who end up in and out of courts and jails that never address their underlying issues like addiction, underdeveloped job skills and a lack of stability that keep them from breaking this cycle.  Participants who commit minor crimes get opportunities for shelter, treatment and job placement instead of incarceration; that saves taxpayers now and pays larger dividends on this investment down the road.”

Other programs provide services and support to increase education, literacy and community connections in the International District and supporting local businesses in Nob Hill.