Students and Labor Pack Chambers to Fight $3M Free City College Cut

San Francisco's Budget and Appropriations Committee spent more than four hours hearing from students, faculty, labor leaders and community organizations who packed chambers to oppose the mayor's proposed 30% cut to the voter-mandated Free City College program — a fight that three of five committee members signaled they intend to win. In a sprawling session that also moved nearly $1.9 billion in public utility bonds and put $14 million in permitting technology funds on ice, the committee showed it is ready to push back on the mayor's spending priorities heading into June budget negotiations.

• Over 30 speakers demand full Free City College funding as committee commits to restoring program from $6.5M to at least $9.3M
• $1.9 billion in PUC revenue bonds advance for water, wastewater and power infrastructure with affordability concerns flagged for 2033
• $14M in Permit SF modernization funds placed on reserve as Civil Service Commission dispute stalls the technology contract
• Library keeps its cybersecurity chief post after Chair Chan rejects budget analyst's recommendation to delete the vacant position
• DBI vehicle purchases deferred after supervisors challenge replacing 20-year-old cars with low mileage

The basics: Proposition W, approved by San Francisco voters, committed the city to funding free tuition and cash grants at City College of San Francisco for a 10-year period. The mayor's proposed budget would cut the program from $9.3 million to $6.5 million — a roughly 30% reduction that college leaders say would strip direct grants from approximately 6,000 of the most economically disadvantaged students while maintaining fee waivers for the rest.