San Francisco supervisors face tax backlash
- San Francisco voters will decide two tax measures and a $535 million earthquake bond on June 2, after supervisors split with Mayor Daniel Lurie. - Measure D would raise business taxes based on executive-to-worker pay ratios, while Mayor Daniel Lurie backed cutting transfer taxes on some large properties. - The clash lands as City Hall starts May budget talks over a projected $642.8 million two-year General Fund shortfall. (sf.gov)
San Francisco’s tax backlash is tied to actual June ballot measures, not just angry posts: voters will decide a new business tax and a $535 million bond. (sf.gov 1) (sf.gov 2) The June 2, 2026 ballot includes Measure D, which would increase business taxes based on the gap between top executive pay and worker pay. The same ballot also includes Measure C, which would decrease some business taxes. (sf.gov 1) (sf.gov 2) The bond measure, Measure A, would let the city borrow up to $535 million for earthquake and emergency-response projects, including fire stations, police facilities and Potrero Yard. Landlords could pass through 50% of the resulting property-tax increase to residential tenants under city rules. (sf.gov 1) (sf.gov 2) The political split is inside City Hall. Mission Local reported in January that most supervisors backed the so-called CEO tax while Mayor Daniel Lurie argued it sent the wrong message to business. (missionlocal.org) Lurie also declined to endorse either of the competing June business-tax measures, saying in February that neither proposal moved San Francisco forward. That left supervisors, labor groups and business interests fighting over separate tax approaches before budget season began. (missionlocal.org) At the same time, Lurie and Board President Rafael Mandelman teamed up on the earthquake bond. They announced the measure on January 14 after it cleared the Budget and Finance Committee for the full board. (sf.gov) The budget backdrop is why taxes and bonds are drawing heat now. A March 31 joint city report projected a $168.5 million General Fund deficit for fiscal 2026-27 and a $642.8 million shortfall across the next two required budget years. (sf.gov) Budget Chair Connie Chan said public budget talks at the Board of Supervisors begin in May and urged cuts to vacant management jobs, contracts and other administrative costs. She also called for more oversight to reduce “wasteful and corrupt” spending. (sf.gov) That mix — new taxes on business, a large bond, and a still-gaping budget hole — is the real story behind the backlash aimed at supervisors. The next test is not social media; it is the June 2 ballot and the budget deadline that follows. (sf.gov) (sf.gov)
