Everything you need to know about 2024 SF ballot measures

State of play: Vote-by-mail ballots went out last week. And starting today, you can vote in person at City Hall.

Proposition A: Schools improvement and safety bond

• This measure asks voters whether the San Francisco Unified School District should borrow up to $790 million via bonds. The money would go toward repairing and upgrading its campuses.
• SFUSD says the funding would enable much-needed safety improvements at many of its aging facilities. Opponents say the looming school closings, which will be finalized in December, could alter the planned upgrades.

Proposition B: Community health to reduce homelessness bond

• This measure would authorize the city to issue $390 million in bonds to fund improvements to community health centers, sidewalk safety projects, public space modernizations, and shelters for families.
• Mayor London Breed touts this bond as crucial for ensuring strong public health and infrastructure without raising property taxes. Opponents say the city is already spending enough on homelessness and should instead reallocate existing resources.

Proposition C: Inspector general

• This measure would amend the city charter to create an inspector general position in the controller's office. The inspector general would oversee fraud and abuse complaints against city agencies, with the power to issue subpoenas and execute search warrants.
• Proponents, including the city's 11 supervisors, say an inspector general would bolster accountability, especially in light of recent corruption scandals. Opponents say that because the role would be appointed by elected officials, it could allow for unchecked power.

Proposition D: City commissions and mayoral authority

• This measure would limit the city to a total of 65 commissions (there are currently 130), remove 24 charter commissions, and establish a task force to make recommendations for restructuring or dissolving commissions under the new limit. It would also give mayors the authority to hire and fire department heads.
• Proponents say San Francisco has too many commissions, especially compared with other cities, and that it creates bureaucratic barriers to change. Opponents say the measure would reduce public oversight and citizen engagement.

Proposition E: Task force to recommend commission changes

• This measure, an alternative to Prop D and backed by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, would create a five-member task force to review the structure of the city's commissions and recommend changes. That could include legislative actions or charter amendments, which voters would then decide.
• Proponents say it would be a more transparent way of reforming the city's commissions and would put the power in voters' hands. Opponents say it wouldn't actually reduce the number of commissions.
• Be smart: If both Prop D and Prop E pass, the one with more "yes" votes will be enacted.

Proposition F: Police staffing and deferred retirement

• This measure would allow tenured police officers to delay their retirement for up to five years in exchange for pay increases.
• Proponents say it would help retain officers amid a sustained staffing shortage. Opponents say that it would pile on more costs during a budget shortfall and that officers are already among the highest-paid city employees.

Proposition G: Funding rental subsidies

• This measure would set aside millions per year from the city budget for a fund that would subsidize rent for low-income seniors, families, and people with disabilities. That amount would start around $8 million.
• Proponents say it would expand housing opportunities for people who are often left out of federal and state programs. Opponents say it would ensure automatic cuts elsewhere in the city budget and could lead landlords to drive up rent.

Proposition H: Retirement benefits for firefighters

• This measure would lower, from 58 to 55, the age at which firefighters hired since January 2012 could retire with full benefits. That would put them in line with firefighters hired before January 2012.
• Proponents say earlier retirement would lower the risk of cancer, a leading cause of occupational death for firefighters, and reduce health-related workers' compensation costs. Opponents say that firefighters hired since January 2012 knew what they were signing up for and that Prop H would add to San Francisco's budget deficit.

Proposition I: Retirement benefits for nurses and 911 operators

• This measure would allow San Francisco-employed nurses enrolled in the city's retirement system to purchase up to three years of service credit toward their retirement based on hours they previously worked on a temporary, as-needed basis.
• It'd also allow 911 dispatchers, supervisors and coordinators to increase their pension benefits by joining a city retirement plan and contributing a greater percentage of their salary.
• Proponents say it'd help recruit and retain nurses and dispatchers amid staffing shortages and level the field for nurses who don't have the same credit purchasing ability as other city employees when it comes to previous part-time work. Opponents say city government is already bloated and that officials should focus on spending cuts.

Proposition J: Funding programs serving children, youth and families

• This measure would establish an Our Children, Our Families Initiative to ensure that funds from previous voter-approved measures — such as the Public Education Enrichment Fund and Student Success Fund — are spent effectively. The mayor and SFUSD would provide oversight.
• Proponents say it'd promote greater transparency and budget accountability without raising taxes. Opponents say it could cost the government up to $35 million in fiscal year 2024-25 and increase to $83 million in fiscal year 2037-38 based on the city controller's findings.

Proposition K: Upper Great Highway closing

• This measure would keep a segment of the Upper Great Highway (along Ocean Beach between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard) permanently closed. The city first barred traffic from the roadway during the pandemic to create a public recreation space; it now plans to turn it into an oceanside park if Prop. K passes.
• Proponents say the Great Highway has already lost its utility due to erosion issues and that closing it would protect the coastal ecosystem while revitalizing local businesses. Opponents say it'd cause traffic to spill onto residential streets, increase congestion and sever a vital link for daily commuters.

Proposition L: Additional tax on transportation network and autonomous vehicle companies to fund public transportation

• This measure would impose an annual graduated tax, ranging from 1-4.5%, on revenue for ride-hailing and robotaxi companies. The tax funds would be used to support Muni and fare discount programs.
• Proponents say San Francisco currently taxes these companies at a lower rate than other big cities and that the money would be well spent on Muni, which has faced severe cuts and could be forced to stop operating some bus lines. Opponents say Prop. L would probably lead to increased ride costs and that it wouldn't solve Muni's mismanagement.

Proposition M: Business tax changes

• This measure would modify several business-related taxes and fees. The gross receipts tax rate would see an uptick and exempt most small businesses with gross receipts up to $5 million instead of $2.25 million.
• The homelessness gross receipts tax, whose funds go toward homelessness prevention, would apply to business activities with San Francisco gross receipts over $25 million instead of $50 million, and impose a slightly wider range of rates.
• Proponents say the measure would offer tax relief to over 2,700 small businesses, including over 90% of restaurants, and reduce the tax consequences of growing jobs and leasing office space. Opponents say that while some businesses will see tax breaks, others would see taxes as much as quadruple, forcing them to reconsider operating in San Francisco.

Proposition N: First responder student loan and training reimbursement

• This measure would create a fund to help reimburse city-employed first responders, including police, firefighters, paramedics and 911 dispatchers, for student loans and education-related programs — up to $25,000 per person.
• Proponents say it'd help recruit and retain first responders, many of whom are forced to leave the job due to financial challenges. Opponents say it doesn't address inadequate compensation, instead using taxpayer money to pay off personal debt in a move that could become a dangerous precedent.

Proposition O: Supporting reproductive rights

• This measure would create a fund that accepts grants and gifts to support reproductive care, address misinformation about crisis pregnancy centers, modify zoning laws so reproductive health clinics can operate in more areas, and bar city officials from providing information about a person's reproductive health to law enforcement agencies of other state or federal governments.
• Proponents say it'd help ensure that all residents can access necessary care and protect health care providers. Opponents say it targets anti-abortion medical clinics and workers.

What's next: There's about a month until Election Day. Get voting!

Editor's note: This story was updated with details on additional measures.