SEC. 16.106. CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL APPROPRIATIONS.
§ 16.106
The Board of Supervisors must annually appropriate funds to eight cultural, educational, and recreational entities—including the Arts Commission, Asian Art Commission, California Academy of Sciences, Fine Arts Museums, War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, Library Commission, and Recreation and Park Commission—using specified property tax rates and amounts.
Every year, the City must set aside money for eight organizations that serve arts, culture, education, and recreation. The Arts Commission gets funding for a symphony orchestra and community cultural centers. The Asian Art Commission, Fine Arts Museums, and War Memorial and Performing Arts Center each get money to run their operations. The California Academy of Sciences gets funds to maintain the Steinhart Aquarium and other facilities. The Library Commission gets money to build and improve libraries. The Recreation and Park Commission gets money for parks, squares, and playgrounds. Some of these amounts are set by a property tax (measured per $100 of property value), while others are decided by the Board as needed.
- Complex:The section lists eight separate appropriations with varying funding mechanisms (some tax-based with specific rates, others discretionary), making it lengthy and requiring careful parsing to understand each entity's funding source.
- Controversial:Property tax allocations for cultural and recreational spending are subjects on which San Francisco residents have differing priorities regarding public resources.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
The Board of Supervisors shall annually appropriate:
1. To the Arts Commission, the revenue from a tax of one-eighth of one cent ($0.00125) per one hundred dollars ($100) of taxable assessed valuation in the City and County for maintaining a symphony orchestra;
2. To the Asian Art Commission, an amount sufficient for the purpose of maintaining, displaying, and providing for the security of the City and County's collection of Asian art;
3. To the California Academy of Sciences, funds necessary for the maintenance, operation and continuance of the Steinhart Aquarium; the Board of Supervisors shall have the power to furnish to the California Academy of Sciences such funds as the Board shall deem proper for the maintenance, operation and continuance of any or all other of the buildings and improvements placed under the control of the California Academy of Sciences;
4. To the Fine Arts Museums Board of Trustees, an amount sufficient for the purpose of maintaining, operating, providing for the security of, expanding and superintending the fine arts museums and for the purchase of objects of art, literary productions and other personal property;
5. To the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees, an amount sufficient to defray the cost of maintaining, operating and caring for the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center;
6. To the Library Commission, the revenue from a minimum tax of one cent ($0.01) per hundred dollars ($100) of taxable assessed valuation for constructing, maintaining and improving the library system of the City and County;
7. To the Recreation and Park Commission, the revenue from a minimum tax of two and one-half cents ($0.025) per one hundred dollars ($100) of taxable assessed valuation for constructing, maintaining and improving parks and squares, and the revenue from a minimum tax of one and three quarter cents ($0.0175) per one hundred dollars ($100) of taxable assessed valuation for constructing, maintaining and improving playgrounds; and
8. To the Arts Commission, for the City and County-owned Community Cultural Centers, an amount sufficient for the purpose of maintaining, operating, providing for the security and superintending of their facilities and grounds, and for the purchase of objects of art, literary productions, and other property, and for their expansion and continuance in the City and County of San Francisco.