San Francisco Tells City To Prepare For Double-Digit Budget Cuts

San Francisco Mayor London Breed has ordered city department heads to plan for cuts of up to 15% to deal with a projected $1.7 billion budget shortfall over the next two fiscal years, largely because of the coronavirus pandemic, her deputy budget director said Wednesday.

City departments must review which jobs can become permanent work-from-home positions to free space and reduce lease costs. Hiring freezes and consolidating some services also will be considered, Ashley Groffenberger told members of a Board of Supervisors budget subcommittee.

“Every department will need to make reductions, and it is not a matter of if, ...