Supervisor Fiona Ma: Watching Over the City's Bond Money

The SF Zoo Audit Select Committee held its first public meeting on June 3 (simulcast on SFGTV Channel 26) to review the Performance Audit of the SF Zoo. I serve on this committee with supervisors Tom Ammiano and Jake McGoldrick. As elected supervisors, we help to improve our parks, preserve our resources and offer our residents the best possible natural outdoor experiences. And we hold city departments and outside organizations accountable for the bond money entrusted to them.

The current SF Board of Supervisors embraces this duty and follows up on all audits and recommendations. This audit was initially requested by the board of supervisors and completed in January 2000. In my capacity as a member of the budget committee, I work to ensure that taxpayer money is spent responsibly. I was selected to chair this particular select committee because of my accounting background as a Certified Public Accountant.

Animal management and care was the focus of the first segment of the zoo audit. In upcoming months, additional hearings will center on the other three major areas: visitor services; objectives, goals and compliance; and my favorite topic, financial management.

The newly renovated zoo is a far cry from the dilapidated bungalows, outdated exhibits and corrugated steel facilities of the past. Both bond and private funds have been used to expand the Children's Zoo and to build an Education Center, Animal Resource Center, Lemur Forest, Family Entry Village and Zoo Street. The restored carousel, city art installations and landscaping have enhanced the beauty of the zoo. Having a new cafe and gift center in place allows the zoo to generate income while the rest of the master plan is implemented.

The zoo's most recent endeavor, the African Savanna (opening in 2004), includes a spacious and naturalistic habitat featuring giraffe, zebra and various African bird species. Chimpanzees and orangutans will have a new home in the Great Ape Forest (slated to open in 2006).

Under the terms of the lease agreement between the City and the SF Zoological Society (SFZS) in 1993, the SFZS operates and manages the zoo. The City subsidizes zoo operations at $4 million per year and the SF Recreation and Park Department maintains financial oversight. This type of public/private partnership is common at other zoos, most notably at the world-famous San Diego Zoo, Oakland Zoo and Sacramento Zoo.

Much of the controversy surrounding the zoo involves the use of a $48 million bond measure passed by voters in 1997 (Proposition C) to improve the habitats of the animals. The SFZS has worked hard to address some of these issues and has acknowledged that additional improvements are still needed. The zoo, like the rest of the City, faces challenging financial times resulting from our current economic situation.

If you'd like to be informed about future hearings, contact my office at 554-7460 or e-mail me at fiona.ma@sfgov.org. I am interested in your feedback.

San Francisco Supervisor Fiona Ma represents District 4.