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Finding aid to the San Francisco Charter Commission Records
SFH 25
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Title: San Francisco Charter Commission Records
Date (inclusive): 1931-1980
Date (bulk): 1979-1980
Collection Identifier: SFH 25
Creator:
San Francisco (Calif.). Charter Commission.
Physical Description:
2 cartons
(2.0 cubic feet)
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 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.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.
The collection is open for research. 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.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
[Identification of item], San Francisco Charter Commission Records (SFH 25), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public
Library.
Transferred from the San Francisco Charter Commission as it disbanded in 1980.
Researchers are encouraged to see also the Jack Morrison Papers, 1962-1988 (bulk 1966-1969, SFH 24), the San Francisco Citizens
Charter Revision Committee Records, 1968-1972 (SFH 33), the San Francisco Select Committee on Charter Reform Records, 1978-1996
(bulk 1994-1995, SFH 32), and the San Francisco History Center's subject and card files, and to check the library catalog
for related materials.
Processed by Tami Suzuki in 2008.
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.
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 throughout 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. A fourth committee
made recommendations that appeared on the November 1968 ballot (Proposition E) but was defeated. A reconstituted committee
then rearranged charter sections more logically with no substantive changes. This recodification passed in November 1971 (Proposition
R).
The main principles of the 1979-1980 commission's proposed document were to simplify the charter and make it an enabling document,
to give authority to the responsible official, make different branches of government plan priorities cooperatively, and fix
responsibility and structures between branches of government, in addition to holding elected officials responsible. Over a
nearly 2-year period, the group conducted over 70 public hearings, 2 surveys, and a public education program, and prepared
2 drafts and a final version.
Among other things, the proposed new charter, Proposition A, gave more authority to the mayor, reduced the chief administrative
officer's term from 10 to 4 years, reduced the controller's term from life to 6 years, required that women be included on
each commission and board, and gave greater status to the Human Rights Commission.
Proposition A failed, 46 percent to 54 percent, on Nov. 4, 1980.
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.
The collection is organized into 5 series: Series 1: Meetings; Series 2: Reports and Charter Text; Series 3: Public Education
and Participation Program; Series 4: Yes on A Campaign; and Series 5: Reference Materials. Within each series, materials are
organized chronologically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Francisco (Calif.). Charter Commission. -- Archives
County charters--California--San Francisco
Municipal charters--California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)-- Politics and government.
San Francisco (Calif.)--Charters