San Francisco - 1856

Since 1856, San Francisco remains a consolidated city-county, and the only city in California to have a board of supervisors.

The mayor = county executive and city head of state.

The board= city council and a county board of supervisors with legislative, executive, and quasi-judicial powers.

Our city has eleven supervisors >>

District 1 Eric Mar
District 2 Michela Alioto-Pier
District 3 David Chiu (*President)
District 4 Carmen Chu
District 5 Ross Mirkarimi
District 6 Chris Daly
District 7 Sean Elsbernd
District 8 Bevan Dufty
District 9 David Campos
District 10 Sophie Maxwell
District 11 John Avalos

Ordinary instances of ordinances you could say. Land use planning, health care, wages, taxes, transportation, green building, lobbyist, transit, regulatory, commuter benefits, civil rights, employer....

You can watch the meetings live on this site: WATCH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS LIVE ON THE WEB
and keep up with the city here: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WEBSITE-READ 2009 LEGISLATION INTRODUCED AND PASSED-MEETING SCHEDULE-FORMS & DOCS

Don't know what the SUNSHINE ORDINANCE is? Simply search the site above.

Take note, the committees are what slow the process down considerably.

Proposed legislation is merely introduced to the board of supervisors, then assigned to a committee. Typically, ordinances effect citizens (6 of the 11 supervisors must agree favorably to approve: 2 meetings/at least a 5day intervening/a reading/a final passage), and resolutions are policy matters that refer to internal city operations. If a measure is introduced that would effect major city policy, it is assigned to a committee and is not even reviewed for 30 days from the date of introduction. Resolutions not referred to a committee require the unanimous vote of all Supervisors present the day of introduction. There's more to know...check it out for yourself, know where you live.

: : Angie Seegers : :

A COMPLETE LIST OF EVERY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ON DEMAND - Simply click the date >> 2006- CURRENT 2009