S.F. mayor, board president propose 3 ballot measures to expand executive branch power

"The current system 'locks in bureaucracy, diffuses accountability, and protects the status quo.' Lurie and Mandelman wrote that voters find it 'difficult' to know 'who is accountable when services fall short.' Giving more power to the mayor, they continued, would create more 'accountability.'"

"This measure shifts power from city commissions to the mayor. It gives sole power to the mayor to fire and hire most department heads. Currently, some commissions have some say over hiring, by providing a list to the mayor from which he must choose a new department head, for instance."

San Francisco's Mayor Daniel Lurie and Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman introduced three ballot measures to reform the city charter, the foundational document governing municipal operations. These propositions would significantly expand executive branch power, particularly the mayor's authority, while reducing oversight commission influence and legislative branch control. Proponents argue the current system creates bureaucratic inefficiency, diffuses accountability, and protects the status quo. They contend voters struggle to identify responsible officials when services fail. The measures require approximately 51,000 signatures to reach the ballot and simple majority approval to pass. The proposals align with recommendations from the think tank SPUR's November 2025 report. A 31-person Charter Reform Working Group provided input during the proposal development process.

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