More on the MTA's Parking Meters

Paul Hogarth has some thoughts at BeyondChron.

He tips his hat to Melissa Griffin, who rightly notes that May's emergency budget was only 'balanced' if you include money from the proposed meter changes.

And Streetsblog has its usual high-quality coverage of this important issue.

It's not too late to head to City Hall and put your 2¢ on the record. Room 400.

Who Stopped The Trains?

The SF Comical Chronicle proudly announced today that the BART strike was averted because tough economic times are finally putting the nails in the labor movement's coffin. A dubious conclusion that was deftly slapped down by SFist.

Beyond Chron has been pillorying this article's author, Carla Marinucci, recently and for good reason. The article is a set of facts artfully arranged to support a preordained conclusion. Contrary to what Marinucci would like us to think, public opinion is not dramatically lopsided toward the BART unions or management, the public was not terribly outspoken, and the strike was averted at the bargaining table, not the breakfast table over copies of Chronicle editorials.

But her loud propagation of this meme got me thinking, if the prospect of a strike pisses her off, why isn't she mad about the recent BART service cuts?

SFMTA's 'Planned Emergency'

There's an interesting piece on Beyond Chron today. Marc Norton reports on some SFMTA memos from 2005 in which then-chief Michael Burns (currently at Santa Clara VTA) describes potential plans for a $2.00 fare by 2010. That would seem to run counter to present SFMTA chief Nat Ford's claims that the currently proposed fare increase is the necessary result of the fiscal emergency in which the agency has declared that it finds itself.

In related news, Paul Hogarth's Facebook status reads:

Supes vote 7-4 to schedule a special meeting on the 27th to consider rejecting MTA Budget ... Sophie [Maxwell] voted with us; keep it up!!

BOS Hail Mary to Save Muni by Rejecting its Budget

As promised, here's more from Paul Hogarth about another attempt by the Board of Supervisors to reject Muni's badly flawed budget.

David Chiu may have cut a deal with the Mayor’s Office on the MTA budget, but the Full Board never actually voted to accept it. All they did at the May 12th meeting – by a 6-5 vote – was to “table” Chiu’s motion to reject the MTA budget, but the City Charter still gives them until May 31st to act. -Paul Hogarth (via Beyond Chron)

Yesterday the Budget Committee (John Avalos, Ross Mirkarimi, Carmen Chu, David Campos, Bevan Dufty - B Duft and C Chu dissenting) voted to send the Muni budget to the full Board with a recommendation to reject it. Bryan Goebel of Streetsblog reports that the Board will take the matter up at its next meeting on Tuesday.

Similar results can be expected from repeating this process unless David Chiu and Sophie Maxwell see the error of their ways. One wonders how feasible it would be to plaster Muni buses and shelters with posters saying "Fares will go up to $2 unless you call David Chiu (554-7450) and Sophie Maxwell (554-7670)"

Fare Hike Fight Not Over?

Beyond Chron Managing Editor Paul Hogarth's Facebook Status update has some mysteriously good news:

WOO-HOO!! Budget Committee voted 3-2 to send Muni budget back to the full Board, with a recommendation to REJECT!!

Does this mean the fight's not over yet? The BOS Budget Committee consists of John Avalos, Ross Mirkarimi, Carmen Chu, David Campos, Bevan Dufty.

Details as they become available.

Fingers Crossed, BOS Just Might Reject MTA Budget

Sources in-the-know say it looks likely that the SF Board of Supervisors will find enough votes to reject the SFMTA's budget, which is badly flawed. This as Beyond Chron reiterates its opposition to the current budget and new-and-already-awesome blog SwitchingModes.com adds its voice to team 'No.'

They should do just that and I'd like to encourage you to contact your supe of you haven't yet done so.

There are so many good reasons to reject this budget that have been put forth by so many sharp minds in the transit advocacy and progressive community:

• Raising fares and cutting service hurts ridership
• This budget balances the deficit on the backs of Muni's poorest users
• In creating this budget, the SFMTA board has shown an inclination to avoid making drivers pay their fair share of road costs
• This budget represents a sharp departure from the goals and promises of the much-touted TEP

Urge Your Supervisor to Reject the Flawed SFMTA Budget

The SFMTA's proposed budget includes $23,100,000 in increased financial costs to riders in addition to service cuts. The consensus among the riding public is that this budget must be rejected.

The SF Bay Guardian points out that raising fares and cutting service could actually increase the deficit next year.

Beyond Chron notes that the service cuts and fare increases are disproportionally skewed to hurt the lowest income riders.

Streetsblog SF is appalled that the SFMTA board rejected a $9,000,000 increase in revenue because it would have meant more parking enforcement, calling it a missed opportunity to avoid cuts in service.

Who Will Hold the MTA Accountable?

The emerging scandal over the SFMTA's budget deficit - specifically the $80M chunk of it caused by other departments off-loading their cuts onto Muni - looks like it could get hot.

D6 supervisorial candidate and Beyond Chron editor Paul Hogarth, and D5 supervisor Ross Mirkarimi are making noise about making the MTA's governing board an elected body. Currently, MTA directors are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors.

Hogarth:

If Muni’s not going to fight for the money it needs to run a decent public transit system, I believe that an elected MTA Board makes sense.

From Streetsblog:

[Mirkarimi] said he cautiously supported Proposition A, which gave the MTA Board more power, and wonders whether it wouldn't be better for MTA directors to be elected rather than appointed by the Mayor to enhance independence and accountability, a statement that drew applause from the audience [of the April 8th Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee].