As San Francisco schools have cut budgets to the bone, the city's school board president used her district-issued credit card to charge thousands of dollars for personal items and thousands more at city restaurants and cafes, according to a Chronicle analysis of financial records.

Board President Kim-Shree Maufas charged $4,300 on the district's Diners Club card for a wide range of personal purchases. They included more than $2,000 for a cultural exchange trip to China, $196 for tickets to the Florida Epcot theme park, $40 for black Crocs, a $125 car battery and a $162 car windshield, $160 in U.S. passport processing fees, a $37 medical visit in Los Angeles and $3 for Apple iTunes.

In addition, Maufas charged $3,000 on the district's Diner's Club for food and beverages to conduct meetings across San Francisco, although the people whom she met and specific district purposes typically were not divulged. The records showed that she was often a big tipper with taxpayer funds. In more than 40 instances, a taxi or restaurant tip exceeded 20 percent of the final bill.

Maufas reimbursed the district in four payments over several months for the personal expenses, even as she continued to charge personal gas, food, parking and other items to the Diner's Club card. Her repayments did not include interest.

Meeting at Starbucks

Expenses paid by the district included workday meetings at a Starbucks near her place of employment, charges that at times included only a single beverage and a single pastry or sandwich. Receipts submitted to the district rarely explained the purpose of the meetings or who was present.

Her personal and local business meeting expenses far exceeded those of the sixother school board members, who combined spent about $1,300 at city restaurants and cafes to conduct district business during the same 16-month period ending in June, including credit card charges as well as out-of-pocket expenditures that were reimbursed.

None of the charges Maufas racked up appeared to be illegal, but Superintendent Carlos Garcia said The Chronicle's investigation spurred him to tighten district policies related to credit cards used by board members and some administrators.

District credit cards are relatively new to board members, a practice initiated by Garcia after he arrived two years ago to ease the burden of out-of-pocket expenses that are part of being an elected official.

"When I got here I noticed that if some of our board members wanted to attend a meeting, it wasn't easy for them in terms of how to pay for it," he said. "If you want to get on the board to serve children, you don't necessarily have to have means."

'Won't happen again'

Maufas said in an interview with The Chronicle that she believed that as long as she paid back the personal charges "we were fine."

"There definitely was a misunderstanding about how we use our credit card, but we have had training on that," she said. "You can rest assured that won't happen again."

The Chronicle's investigation covered a 16-month period from late February 2008 to the end of June this year, a period of such severe budget shortfalls that the city twice kicked in rainy day funds to help the district avoid teacher layoffs.

About half of Maufas' personal use of the Diner's Club card came during an education-related trip to China in June 2008. Maufas said she believed the district would pay for the costs of the trip, which was sponsored by the Chinese government and the College Board. The trip would have required authorization by the board or its president because the cost exceeded $250.

Maufas, 46, who was elected to the board in November 2006, has served as board president since January. School board members serve on a part-time basis and receive $500 per month for the position.

Maufas agreed to a 35-minute phone interview to answer questions regarding her spending patterns. At the end of the interview, Maufas requested that further questions be sent in writing via e-mail. She later declined to answer the inquiries related to her tipping patterns and unexplained expenses.

"(I'm) looking ahead at my schedule for the next few months and suggest you move on ahead with what you have already," she said in an e-mail in response to the additional questions.

Explanations lacking

Use of district credit cards operates largely on the honor system, with board members submitting receipts to explain the expenditure.

Maufas' receipts gave only general explanations, often stating that her district-related expenses resulted simply from a meeting or from a meeting with a teacher, constituent or staff member, none of whom was identified. Sometimes the receipts only included a topic that was discussed, like "SFUSD Schl programs" or "JROTC," referring to the district's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

"I absolutely, absolutely believe people should meet with me in confidence and tell me things they would not tell any other person," Maufas said. "If it's valid, in the district interest, and it serves that purpose and we gain from that, I think it's appropriate and I think people understand that."

Records show Maufas frequently met at Starbucks, with more than $300 spent at the chain for business purposes. Receipts show many of the meetings were conducted at the Divisadero Street Starbucks near UCSF, where she worked at the time. Times of the meetings ranged from early morning to midafternoon and those she met with typically were not identified.

She said her job at UCSF as a program director for the National Center of Excellence in Women's Health allowed her flexibility to conduct district business during the workday. She otherwise declined to address the spending.

Average tip: 27 percent

Maufas refused to discuss the inflated gratuities that were charged to taxpayers. They include a $20 tip on a $50 cab ride in April 2008; a $20 tip on a $60 meal in December; and a $10 tip on a $24 meal in June. Her average tip over the 16-month period was about 27 percent, compared with an average 17 percent tip paid by other board members.

Three other board members currently have a district credit card including Jane Kim, Hydra Mendoza and Jill Wynns. Board members Sandra Fewer, Rachel Norton and Norman Yee turned down the credit cards and seek reimbursement for district expenses.

During the same 16-month period, credit card records show Mendoza charged $66 in personal expenses, Kim had $310 in personal use and Sanchez had $564.32 in personal charges, most of that a $481 meal at Morton's The Steakhousewith Garcia and others. Like Maufas, they reimbursed the district for the expenses.

Tightening the rules

Garcia said the district now has much stricter policies governing the use of its credit cards, including banning personal use and a requirement that board members and administrators include detailed explanations for all expenses, including the purpose and anyone who was present.

"I suspended the use of all the credit cards until we had some really tight guidelines," he said. "We're going to stay very much on top of this.

"We work for the public. I think it's important for us to be transparent."

Maufas said the credit cards have allowed her to conduct district business without waiting for reimbursement.

"You don't have to be independently wealthy to serve on this board," she said. "You shouldn't have to be."