Finding Aid to the San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee Records 1889-1973 (bulk 1968-1971), SFH 33

Finding aid prepared by Tami J. Suzuki
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA, 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
2014


Title: San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee Records
Date (inclusive): 1889-1973
Date (bulk): (1968-1971)
Collection Identifier: SFH 33
Creator: San Francisco (Calif.). Citizens Charter Revision Committee.
Physical Description: 4.0 cubic feet (in 4 cartons and 1 map drawer file)
Contributing Institution: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: This collection documents the work of the San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee, which met from to 1968 to 1972 and submitted Proposition E which failed (on Nov. 4 1969), and Proposition R which passed (on Nov. 2, 1971).
Physical Location: The collection is stored off site.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.

Access

The collection is open for research and stored off site. A minimum of two working days' notice is required for use. Please call the San Francisco History Center for hours and information at 415-557-4567.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee Records (SFH 33), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Provenance

The collection was transferred from the committee to the San Francisco Public Library after its dissolution in 1973.

Materials Transferred

Some monographs were transferred from the San Francisco Research series to the library's catalog. See Appendix B for list of titles.

Materials Removed

Charter documents of other cities were removed from the Comparative Studies series. See Appendix A for the list of cities. Some monographs were removed from the San Francisco Research series. See Appendix C for the list of titles.

Related Materials

Researchers are encouraged to see also SFH 5, Joseph L. Alioto Papers; SFH 25, San Francisco Charter Commission Records, 1931-1980 (bulk 1979-1980); SFH 32, San Francisco Select Committee on Charter Reform records, 1978-1996; SFH 24, Jack Morrison Papers, 1962-1988; San Francisco Charter Revision Committee Scrapbooks, 1930-1931; and the San Francisco History Center's subject and card files; and to check the library catalog.

Organizational History

The charter is San Francisco's constitution. The first city charter was adopted in 1898, creating a "strong mayor" form of government. Reformers in the 1920s succeeded in voter adoption of a new charter in 1932, establishing a chief administrative officer to direct most of the city's departments. Under this charter, power was diffused throughtout the city. Over time, numerous incremental charter changes made governing arrangements more complex.
Charter revision was attempted several times--including three failed attempts--but resulted in little change. Mayor John Shelley initiated charter reform in 1967, establishing the San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee. This fourth committee made recommentations that appeared on the November 1969 ballot as Proposition E; the measure was defeated.
A reconstituted committee then rearranged charter sections more logically with no substantive changes. This recodification, Proposition R, passed in November 1971 by a two-to-one margin. Following this, Mayor Joseph Alioto charged the committee to study recommendations of the Crime Commission, Blyth-Zellerbach management committee, and other blue-ribbon committees. A committee member noted that 150 pages of the 225-page charter were concerned with City employees' rights and obligations. A final report was produced in June of 1972, and the committee was dissolved the following spring.

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the work of the San Francisco Citizens Charter Revision Committee, which met from to 1968 to 1972 and submitted Proposition E, which failed (on Nov. 4 1969), and Proposition R, which passed (on Nov. 2, 1971). Materials include charter history, drafts and final text, reports, minutes, memoranda, research materials, and newspaper clippings.

Arrangement

Organized into six series: Series 1. Comparative Studies; Series 2. San Francisco Research; Series 3. Working Files and Ballot Measures; Series 4. Minutes; Series 5. Office Files; and Series 6. Newspaper Articles. Original order was maintained except for San Francisco Research (arranged alphabetically by subject), and Minutes and Newspaper Articles (arranged chronologically).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

San Francisco (Calif.). Citizens Charter Revision Committee.
County charters--California--San Francisco
Municipal charters--California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)--Charters

 

Series 1. Comparative Studies, 1964-1969

Physical Description: 3.0 folders

Arrangement

Original order was maintained.

Scope and Contents

Contains memos comparing various cities' policies on subjects including boards and commissions and compensation of elected officials.

Materials Removed

Charter documents of other cities (mainly in the United States, 1914-1970) were removed. See Appendix A for list of cities.
Box 1, Folders 1-2

Topical Memos Comparing Cities, 1967-1969

Box 1, Folder 3

Model City Charter, 1964

 

Series 2. San Francisco Research, 1889-1971 (bulk 1964-1970)

Physical Description: 0.75 cubic feet

Arrangement

Organized alphabetically by subject.

Scope and Contents

Contains reports and articles produced by blue-ribbon committees on local and regional government, City departments, and management issues; a critique of the Arthur D. Little reports on San Francisco's Community Renewal Program, and a bibliography. There is a table of charter changes enacted from 1960 to 1970 (in History of the Charter).

Materials Transferred

Some monographs were transferred to the library's catalog. See Appendix B for list of titles.

Materials Removed

A number of monographs were removed. See Appendix C for the list of titles.
Box 1, Folder 4

History of the Charter, 1889-1970

Box 1, Folder 5

Blyth-Zellerbach Committee Report on Modern Management for San Francisco, Vols. 1 and 2, 1961

Box 1, Folder 6

Board of Permit Appeals, 1964-1969

Box 1, Folders 7-8

Budget, 1963-1971

Missing Item

According to the list for this topic, one document is missing: "The Commuter and the Municipal Income Tax," by Advisory Commission on Intergovermental Relations, 1970.
Box 1, Folder 9

Census and Districts, 1960-1970

Box 1, Folder 10

Civil Service, 1969-1970

Box 1, Folder 11

Collective Bargaining, 1968-1970

Box 1, Folder 12

San Francisco Community Renewal Program, Organization and Administration Study, By Arthur D. Little, 1964

Box 1, Folder 13

Development Policies Report, 1968

Box 1, Folders 14-15

Grand Jury Recommendations, 1970-1971

Box 1, Folder 16

Juvenile Court Study, 1968

Box 1, Folders 17-18

Local Government, Background Study Prepared for California Constitution Revision Commission, 1968

Box 1, Folder 19

Local Government, Past Present Future, by League of Women Voters, 1968

Box 1, Folder 20

Planning, Renewal and Development Program: A Critique of the Arthur D. Little Reports, 1964

Box 1, Folder 21

Police Department, 1969

Box 1, Folder 22

Recreation and Park Department, Plan for Action, by Blyth-Zellerbach Committee, 1971

Box 1, Folder 23

Recreation and Park Department Program Evaluation, by Planning Research Corporation, 1971

Box 1, Folder 24

Regional Government, 1967-1970

Box 1, Folder 25

Select Bibliography, 1963

 

Series 3. Working Files and Ballot Measures, 1966-1971

Physical Description: 1.05 cubic feet

Arrangement

Original order was maintained. Organized by proposition.

Scope and Contents

Contains background documents, recommendations from citizens and members of government, press releases, reports produced by the committee, and ballot arguments.
 

Proposition E, 1966-1971

Missing Document: An "Azzolino Report on Failure of Proposition E" was noted in the index but not included in the collection.

Scope and Contents

Includes an index of proposed changes (Table of Dispositions). The Press Releases and Publicity file includes a schedule of public hearings, partial list of witnesses before the committee, list of articles--pro and con, summary of editorials on the Staff Report, and speaker's kit enclosures. The Proposed Second-Year Study file includes an index of topics covered in the committee's first year (1968), a summary of volunteer hours and public hearings held in 1968, a plan of study of second-year issues, and a summary of the second year's work (1969).

Materials Transferred

Removed a printout of votes for Nov. 3, 1970 ballot measure results.

Existence of Copies

The First Annual Report, Appendix B is a loose-leaf, mimeographed document.
Box 1, Folder 26

Index, [1970]

Box 1, Folder 27

Staff Report, February-March 1969

Box 1, Folder 28

First Annual Report and Appendix A, June 1969

Physical Description: 1.15
Box 2, Folders 1-2

First Annual Report, Appendix B, [June] 1969

Bound Original Unknown

There are two copies, both in loose-leaf, mimographed form.
Box 2, Folder 3

Table of Disposition, [1969?]

Box 2, Folder 4

Substantive Deletions, [1969?]

Box 2, Folder 5

Citizens Groups' Recommendations, 1966-1970

Box 2, Folder 6

Government Recommendations, 1966-1971

Box 2, Folder 7

Press Releases and Publicity, [1969]

Box 2, Folder 8

Voter Registration Information, 1969

Box 2, Folder 9

Voter Pamphlets, 1969

Box 2, Folder 10

Ballot Arguments, 1969

Drawer 20

Map of Vote (by Precinct), 1969

Box 2, Folder 11

Proposed Second-Year Study, [1970?]

 

Proposition R, 1969-1972

Scope and Contents

Includes documents summarizing the changes undertaken from 1970 to 1971; memoranda, endorsements, and the committee's final report.
Box 2, Folder 12

Index to Background Volumes, 1971

 

Background Volumes:

Box 2, Folders 13-15

Recodified Charter, [1970?]

Scope and Contents

There are two versions (in loose-leaf format). One is undated and appears to be circa 1970. A revised version is dated 1971; there are two copies of this version.
Box 2, Folder 16

Revised Charter (With Substantive Changes), 1971

Box 2, Folder 17

Revised Budget Procedures, 1971

Box 2, Folder 18

Compromises, [1971]

Box 2, Folder 19

Retirement Provisions, [1971]

Box 2, Folder 20

Recodified Charter Disposition, [1971?]

Box 2, Folder 21

Recodified Charter Changes and New Amendments to Recodified Charter, 1971

Box 2, Folder 22

Memoranda and Comments, 1970-[1971?]

Box 2, Folder 23

"Saving" Clause, 1971

Box 2, Folder 24

Transmittal, 1970-1971

Box 2, Folder 25

Ballot Argument, 1971

Box 2, Folder 26

Voter Pamphlets, 1971

Box 2, Folder 27

Endorsements, 1971

Box 2, Folder 28

Publication (AB 2373), 1969-1971

Box 2, Folder 29

Final Report, June 1972

 

Series 4. Minutes, 1968-1972

Physical Description: 0.4 cubic foot

Arrangement

Organized chronologically.

Scope and Contents

Contains meeting minutes and attendance log.

Related Materials

See also the Office Files series for the stenographer's minutes.
Box 3, Folder 1

Attendance Log, 1968-1972

Box 3, Folders 2-8

June 1968-August 1972

 

Series 5. Office Files, 1932-1973 (bulk 1968-1971

Physical Description: 0.45 cubic foot

Arrangement

Original order was maintained.

Scope and Contents

Office Files include committee documentation, stenographer's minutes, meeting attendance, correspondence, and voter pamphlets from prior elections. The Committee Dissolution file contains a Feb. 3, 1972 document summarizing discussion to continue the committee.
Box 3, Folder 9

Correspondence, 1970-1973

Box 3, Folder 10

Committee Membership, 1968-1972

 

Committee Member and Staff Files:

Box 3, Folder 11

Bunnin, J. Bradley, 1969

Box 3, Folder 12

Falknor, Richard W.C., 1968

Box 3, Folder 13

Frankel, James B., 1968-1969

Box 3, Folder 14

McDonnell, S.J., Timothy L., 1970-1973

Box 3, Folder 15

Rodgers, Audrey P., 1970

Box 3, Folder 16

Williams, George A., 1969

Box 3, Folder 17

Minutes (Working Papers), 1969-1972

Box 3, Folder 18

Ford Foundation Grant (Possible), 1968

Box 3, Folder 19

Committee Dissolution, 1972-1973

Box 3, Folder 20

Public Notices, 1967-1972

 

Voter Pamphlets,

Box 3, Box 21

1932-1939

Box 3, Folder 22

1941-1948

Box 3, Folder 23

1950-1959

Box 3, Folder 24

1960-1968

Box 3, Folder 25

1969-1970

 

Series 6. Newspaper Articles, 1967-1972

Physical Description: 1.15 cubic feet

Arrangement

Organized chronologically.

Scope and Contents

Contains press clippings documenting charter reform work and issues affecting city governance.
Box 3, Folders 26-27, Box 4, Folders 1-15

October, 1967-June 1972

Box 4, Folder 16

Model Cities and Undated Articles, 1967-1968

 

Appendix A Materials Removed

General note

Charter documents of other cities (mainly in the United States, 1914-1970) were removed from the Comparative Studies series.
 

Alameda

 

Anaheim

 

Baltimore

 

Boston

 

Chicago

 

Chico

 

Denver

 

Detroit

 

Downey

 

Harrisburg

 

Hartford

 

Honolulu

 

London

 

Los Angeles

 

Miami

 

Milwaukee

 

Nashville

 

New York

 

Oakland

 

Pasadena

 

Philadelphia

 

Portland

 

San Diego

 

San Jose

 

San Mateo

 

Santa Clara County

 

Santa Cruz County

 

Seattle

 

St. Louis

 

Sweden

 

Vancouver

 

Appendix B Titles Transferred to Catalog

 

>Arthur D. Little, Inc. San Francisco Community Renewal Program, Organization and Administration Study, Supplemental Paper #1. [San Francisco?: Arthur D. Little, Inc.], 1964.

 

Arthur D. Little, Inc. San Francisco Community Renewal Program, Organization and Administration Study, Supplemental Paper #2. [San Francisco?: Arthur D. Little, Inc.], 1964.

 

[Office of the Mayor.] San Francisco Community Renewal Program, Organization and Administration Study, Supplemental Paper #1. [San Francisco?]: Arthur D. Little, Inc., 1964.

 

Rigney, Francis J., M.D. The City's Anti-Poverty Program, A Report on The Economic Opportunity Council of San Francisco, Inc. San Francisco: San Francisco Planning and Urban Renewal Association, 1968.

 

San Francisco (Calif.). Charters. Charter of the City and County of San Francisco. San Francisco, Carlisle & Co., printers, 1908.

 

San Francisco (Calif.). Charters. Charter of the City and County of San Francisco. [San Francisco] Shannon-Conmy [1919].

 

Task Force. A Report to the Blyth-Zellerbach Committee on Modern Management for San Francisco, Volumes 3-5. San Francisco: Mayor's Committee for Municipal Management, 1961.

 

Appendix C Titles Removed

 

Banfield, C. Edward. Political Influence. Glencoe, IL: Free Press of Glencoe, 1961

 

California. Laws, Statutes, etc. Deering’s Code of Civil Procedure of the State of California. San Francisco: Bancroft-Whitney, 1958, 1962 and 1963.

 

Childs, Richard S. The First 50 Years of the Council-Manager Plan of Municipal Government. New York: National Municipal League, 1966, c1965.

 

Elias, C. E., et al. Metropolis: Values in Conflict. Belmont, CA:, Wadsworth Pub. Co. [c1964].

 

Greer, Scott A. Governing the Metropolis. New York, Wiley [1962].

 

Handlin, Oscar and John E. Burchard. The Historian and the City. [Cambridge, MA]: M.I.T. Press, 1963.

 

International City Managers' Association. Municipal Finance Administration, 6th edition. Chicago: International City Mangers' Association, 1962.

 

Price, James L. Organizational Effectiveness, An Inventory of Propositions. Homewood, IL: R. D. Irwin, 1968.

 

Ridley, Clarence E and Orin Frederyc Nolting, Editors. The Municipal Year Book. Washington, D.C.: International City Manager’s Association, 1966 and 1968.

 

Schick, Allen. Budget Innovation in the States. Washington: Brookings Institution, [1971].

 

Warner, Kenneth O. and J.J. Donovan. Practical Guidelines to Public Pay Administration. Chicago: Public Personnel Association, [c1963-1965]