Good Government
We believe: The public sector can and should serve the collective good.
• Improve government’s capacity to provide services and address challenges effectively.
• Support voter engagement.
Our Goals
SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide helps voters understand the issues they will face in the voting booth. We focus on outcomes, not ideology, providing objective analysis on which measures will deliver real solutions.
SPUR Event
Good Government Awards
The Good Government Awards honor outstanding managers working for the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing them for their leadership, vision and ability to make a difference in city government and in the community.
SPUR Report
Back in the Black
San José has the highest median household income of any major city in the country, but years of budget cuts and staffing reductions have left the city in a precarious position. SPUR and Working Partnerships USA explore how San Jose can bolster its resources and deliver high-quality public services.
SPUR Event
SPUR Impact Awards
The Impact Awards Luncheon, honors the outstanding contributions by employees of city and county governments, public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County. The awards celebrate significant accomplishments in the areas of housing, transportation, placemaking and urban design, community advocacy, and sustainability and resilience.
Updates and Events
November 2013 Voter Guide
Voter Guide
Four city measures appear on the San Francisco ballot on November 5, 2013. As we do before every election, SPUR researched and analyzed each one. Read on for our in-depth analysis and recommendations on: prescription drug pricing, a retiree health care trust fund and proposed waterfront housing development 8 Washington.
Good Government Awards: How Ted Egan Fixed the Business Tax
News /
Ted Egan was honored at SPUR's 33rd annual Good Government Awards for being a key player in the effort to reform the payroll tax system in San Francisco.
Good Government Awards: How Jaime Flores-Lovo Modernized SF Public Works
News /
Jaime Flores-Lovo was honored at SPUR's 33rd annual Good Government Awards for his vision and leadership in the development of enterprise-level technology projects for the Department of Public Works, most significantly in the system migration for the department’s contract automation.
Good Government Awards: How Michelle Ruggels Helps San Franciscans Get the Health Care They Need
News /
Michelle Ruggels was honored at SPUR's 33rd annual Good Government Awards for her leadership in overseeing $490 million in annual contracts to 200 community-based organizations that provide community health services to San Franciscans.
Good Government Awards: How the Crime Data Warehouse Team Made SF Safer
News /
The Crime Data Warehouse Team was honored at SPUR's 33rd annual Good Government Awards for building a web-based, real-time, searchable database of criminal reports that police officers can access on the ground.
A Sea Change in California Politics?
Urbanist Article
The year 2012 saw a record 18.2 million voters registered in California, the debut of online voter registration, new district lines thanks to the Citizens Redistricting Commission and top-two primaries where the two candidates with the most votes in any election for state office ran against each other in the general election, regardless of party affiliation.