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
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 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 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 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
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
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 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 28
Publication (AB 2373),
1969-1971
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
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 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 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
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
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.
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]