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Bureau of Street Lighting / Assessment Ballot Failure / Funding / Maintain Workforce / Baseline Services

Council File 26-0955

In progress — the City Council directed the Street Lighting Bureau to propose solutions for a budget crisis after a funding measure failed, and the Bureau's response is now under Public Works Committee review while the underlying funding shortfall remains unresolved.

Introduced
2026-06-26
Last changed
2026-08-26
Status
open
Expires
2028-08-26
Committee
Public Works Committee
Mover
EUNISSES HERNANDEZ
Second
MARQUEECE HARRIS-DAWSON
References
City Administrative Officer Report: 0220-06415-0000

Brief

On July 1, 2026, the Council (14-0-1) adopted a motion by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Katy Yaroslavsky directing the Bureau of Street Lighting to develop a strategy for sustaining operations and staffing after a voter-approved assessment failed to pass. The file is now pending in the Public Works Committee, which received a Bureau response document on August 7, 2026.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting faced a critical funding shortfall when a proposed assessment measure failed at the ballot. Without this revenue source, the department risked significant cuts to maintenance operations and workforce reductions. Councilmembers Hernandez and Yaroslavsky introduced this motion to direct the Bureau to propose concrete solutions for maintaining baseline streetlighting services and preserving jobs despite the lost funding stream. The Council adopted the motion on July 1, 2026 by a vote of 14-0-1, signaling broad support for addressing the Bureau's crisis. The motion was initially referred to the Public Works Committee on June 26, then corrected per the Council President to go directly to full Council for adoption, where it passed forthwith. This expedited path reflected the urgency of the funding situation. Following Council adoption, the Bureau of Street Lighting submitted its response on August 7, 2026. That document was then referred to the Public Works Committee for review and further action. The file remains pending in committee as of the latest activity, with no final budget solutions or staffing decisions yet adopted. The 24-month expiration date of August 7, 2028 gives the Committee time to develop recommendations, but the underlying funding crisis remains unresolved pending committee and Council action on the Bureau's proposal.

Activity (11)

  • 2026-08-26 Public Works Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2026-08-24 Public Works Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 26, 2026.
  • 2026-08-24 City Administrative Officer document(s) referred to Public Works Committee.
  • 2026-08-21 Document submitted by City Administrative Officer, dated August 21, 2026.
  • 2026-08-07 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Public Works Committee.
  • 2026-08-07 Document submitted by Bureau of Street Lighting, dated August 7, 2026.
  • 2026-07-06 Council action final.
  • 2026-07-01 Council adopted item forthwith.
  • 2026-06-26 Corrected Referral per Council President to change referral to Council.
  • 2026-06-26 Motion referred to Public Works Committee.
  • 2026-06-26 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on July 1, 2026.

Documents (4)

Council votes (1)

  • 2026-07-01 Vote — 14-0-1 · Regular

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