Waste Watcher: Only the Best for Newsom, But Not the City

Every politician wants an all-star staff but must work within the means of funding to do so in an honest manner. San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom obviously disagrees with this practice. As his behavior transcends any kind of spending limitations or accountability set by law, city agencies lose money and the city’s frustration grows.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle (February 9, 2008), “[A] blistering city report” revealed that “city departments responsible for serving homeless people and making the city’s buses and train run on time spend more than $1 million a year – money from their own budgets – to pay the salaries of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s staff members.”

Newsom’s “grab handed” approach (to things concerning himself) affects the whole city- “salaries of 11 staff members in Newsom’s office are being paid for by various city agencies, including the cash-strapped Municipal Transportation Agency and the Human Services Agency, which manages the city’s homeless and social service programs.”

For example, “the Human Services Agency is paying $95,000 a year in salary and benefits for one of Newsom’s press aides.…” This appears as though two people, the mayor and his aide, are benefiting unduly from funds intended for the rest of the agency’s recipients.

“The document also implies that Newsom’s administration has been violating city law [by] paying the mayor’s point man… $203,814 a year – nearly $32,000 more than the law allows. San Francisco’s Charter requires mayoral staffers’ salaries to be capped at 70 percent of the mayor’s salary, which amounts to $172,000.” How could Newsom notice a $32,000 “slipup” when he’s juggling tons of money outside his office’s purview?

“[The] six figure salary of the mayor’s transportation czar” was excused when “Newsom staffers said they consulted the city attorney and were told no laws have been violated because the money comes out of the Municipal Transportation Agency’s budget.” But, the pay may not have been legal after all – “[the transportation czar] left his post in the administration [on February 8th] to take a job in the private sector.”

In an effort to defend himself, the mayor basically confessed, but blamed the media for any controversy surrounding his staff’s pay: “‘[This] report, while technically accurate, is potentially getting spun and (is) wildly overstated.’”

The city supervisor who called for the reports sees through the mayor’s staffing excuses: “‘They’re scared out of their pants because they have something to hide, something to cover up…I’m kind of flabbergasted,’” Supervisor Jake McGoldrick added. “‘This guy has just broken every ethical standard by which we try to do good government.’”

Gavin Newsom needs a reality check. He is not above the law, nor city residents. He continues to bite the hand that feeds – taxpayers – and soon that hand is going to strike back.