Mayor London Breed clearly has less juice in City Hall these days, as her final three commission picks went down in flames at the last Board of Supervisors meeting of her mayoral tenure.
Tuesday was the final SF Board of Supervisors meeting of the London Breed mayorship, plus also her final Mayor’s appearance before the board. And in that final appearance, it was a real lovefest with all the supervisors saying very magnanimous things about Breed. Supervisor Shamann Walton declared he “couldn't be prouder to serve alongside San Francisco's first female Black mayor.” Supervisor Joel Engardio declared to Breed, "When San Francisco comes roaring back. it'll be because of all the seeds you've planted."
That lovefest did not last after Breed left the room following her appearance. The supervisors then rejected Breed’s final three appointments for City Hall commissions, citing a preference to let incoming Mayor Daniel Lurie pick his own commissioners.
The supervisors rejected Breed’s appointment of Sara Barz to the SFMTA Board of Directors, and her appointment of Joanna Gubman to the SF Board of Appeals. They probably would have rejected Breed’s appointment of James Byrne to the SF Police Commission, but that appointment was withdrawn right before the meeting, for reasons that were not explained.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin led the charge on the No votes, saying it was his desire “not to ram through a number of last-minute appointments to very high profile commissions that have terms of four years.” He added that “I think it is the obligation of this board to put our foot down and reject these, and let a new mayor nominate whoever he chooses.”
The Breed appointments were voted down 5-4, by Peskin, Walton, and Supervisors Dean Preston, Hillary Ronen, and Ahsha Safai.
The supervisors did approve Breed’s appointment of Estela Ortiz to the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board. That may be because Ortiz’s appointment is just a two-month stopgap appointment that only lasts until March 1, 2025.
The 5-4 vote reflects two supervisors missing, as Sup. Connie Chan was absent, and Sup. Catherine Stefani is already off to the state Assembly.
But Breed still has one very big appointment remaining, and that's the replacement for Stefani’s District 2 seat. And that is an appointment that the supes don’t have the power to reject.
Image: SFGovTV
