Committee advances MTA train‑control ordinance, approves leases and grants and backs Prop 47 treatment funding

At its Nov. 16 meeting the Budget & Finance Committee handled a slate of mostly uncontested items and took formal actions that will go to the full Board.

Train control procurement (Item 1): Chair Supervisor Hillary Ronan moved to forward an ordinance authorizing SFMTA to proceed with a negotiated procurement for a communications‑based train control system and to waive a 10‑year solicitation cap in the Administrative Code. After a presentation from Julie Kirsham and supervisory questions about vendor lock‑in and inflation indexing, the committee forwarded the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation (unanimous).

Transit Management Center lease (Item 3): The committee approved a first amendment to exercise a 10‑year extension for about 38–39,000 square feet at 1455 Market Street for MTA’s Transit Management Center and forwarded the lease to the Board with a positive recommendation. The BLA found the lease cost ($26.8M over ten years) below market comps.

Treasure Island master lease (Item 4): The committee approved a one‑year extension to the Navy master lease for Treasure Island (12/01/2022–11/30/2023) and forwarded it with a positive recommendation.

District Attorney grants (Items 5 & 6): The committee approved two retroactive resolutions allowing the District Attorney to accept Department of Insurance grants for automobile and workers’ compensation insurance fraud prosecutions (~$314K and ~$1M) and forwarded both with positive recommendations.

DPH Prop 47 grant (Item 7): The committee approved retroactive acceptance of a $6M Board of State and Community Corrections Prop 47 grant to fund residential treatment, withdrawal management beds, and case management slots, and amended the resolution to adopt the BLA recommendation that DPH report back to the committee by May 2023 on occupancy and funding status for the beds that will not be covered by the grant. The vote was unanimous; DPH said remaining beds will be funded from cost savings and general fund for the rest of the fiscal year while exploring Medi‑Cal and other options.