Description
This collection documents the work of the San Francisco Charter Commission, which met from 1978 to 1980 and put forth a new
city charter on the November 4, 1980 ballot. The measure, Proposition A, failed. Materials include charter history, drafts
and final text, reports, surveys, minutes and hearing summaries, public comments, a facilitator's manual, a speakers manual,
legal opinions, campaign materials, press releases, and newspaper clippings.
Background
The charter is San Francisco's constitution. The San Francisco Charter Commission was established as a result of voter approval
of Proposition L in June 1978 ("Declaration of Policy: Shall the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco
act to call an election to choose charter commissioners, who would thereafter prepare and propose a revised City and County
Charter for subsequent approval by the voters of San Francisco?") and Proposition X in November 1978 ("Shall a Charter Commission
be elected to propose a new charter or to revise the charter?"). These measures each called for the election of 15 commissioners,
who were elected in November 1978. The commissioners were charged with proposing a new charter or revising the existing charter
that was adopted in 1932 and later amended over 500 times.