Rate Fairness Board
We are committed to providing you with outstanding, reliable, and efficient service while keeping our rates affordable. Since 2002, the Rate Fairness Board has been reviewing and advising us on rate matters. This group consists of appointed members including local residents and business owners.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Rate Fairness Board and SFPUC staff will convene Rate Fairness Board meetings in-person and remotely by teleconference. For instructions on how to join the meeting remotely and make comment, please refer to the agenda for each meeting.
Contact the Rate Fairness Board Secretary
To request additional materials or information about the Rate Fairness Board, please contact the Rate Fairness Board Secretary by email at RateFairnessBoard@sfwater.org; or by U.S. mail at 525 Golden Gate Avenue – 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102.
To receive an email notification when Rate Fairness Board meetings are scheduled and to receive agenda materials, please send your email address to RateFairnessBoard@sfwater.org.
Current Rates
The current rate package was developed through a series of public meetings by staff with the input, guidance and review of the Rate Fairness Board, an advisory group of ratepayers and City financial officers created under the voter-approved Proposition E (2002) to ensure rate stability, fairness and affordability.
Meetings and Minutes
| 2025 Agendas | Supporting Documents | 2025 Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| March 24, 2025, 10AM - 12PM | Item 6c | |
| February 25, 2025, 10AM - 12PM | Item 6a | February 25, 2025 (approved) |
| February 4, 2025, 10AM - 12PM | Item 5, Item 6a | February 4, 2025 (approved) |
| January 14, 2025, 10AM - 12PM | Item 5 | January 14, 2025 (approved) |
Rate Fairness Board Roster
| Member Name | Title | Qualification | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Ash | Chair | Residential City Retail Customer | Board of Supervisors |
| Masood Samereie | Vice-Chair | City Retail Large Business Customer | Mayor's Office |
| Vishal Trivedi | Member | Financial Analyst of Office of Public Finance | Controller's Office |
| Ben Becker | Member | Refuse Rates Analyst | Controller's Office |
| Eric Dew | Member | Residential City Retail Customer | Mayor's Office |
| Vacant | Member | City Retail Small Business Customer | Board of Supervisors |
Interested applicants for the vacancies on our Rate Fairness Board should visit the SF Board of Supervisors site.
Biographies
Howard Ash
Chair and Residential Ratepayer
Howard Ash is an energy & utilities economist with over 25 years of experience in industry, government and consulting. Currently with Chevron, his career includes stints with the U.S. Department of Energy, Pacific Gas Transmission Company and the World Bank. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale and a Master of Science in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford.
Vishal Trivedi
Financial Analyst of Office of Public Finance
Vishal Trivedi has been with the City and County of San Francisco since 2007. He has served in his current role as a financial analyst with the Controller’s Office of Public Finance since February of 2014. Prior to joining the Controller’s Office, he worked as an aviation planner at San Francisco International Airport for over six years. Vishal began his public sector career as a finance intern with the City of Los Angeles, working on budget issues for their Department of Recreation and Parks. As an analyst with the Office of Public Finance, Vishal has worked on billions of dollars of debt transactions, and administers a general obligation bond portfolio of over $2 billion in currently outstanding debt. Vishal has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Geography from the University of California, Berkeley, as well Master of Public Administration and Master of Arts in International Relations degrees from Syracuse University.
Rate Fairness Board Rules of Order
The SFPUC Rate Fairness Board adopted the Rate Fairness Board Rules of Order on April 11, 2023.