SF Muni Bus Cutbacks Threatened

In Sept 2003, San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) raised the bus fares from $1 to $1.25, and now 6 months later, they propose cutbacks, crying poor once again! We need you now to complain about the cutbacks in service and jobs, most of the lost service being in workingclass areas.

Bus fares do not begin to cover most public transit service and it is for that reason, among others, that public transit should be free. Most of the money comes from the state and federal budget, which is funded by the progressive income tax, better known as tax the rich. The problem is the rich are not being taxed enough, and in fact, pay less taxes than ever, courtesy both the Democrats and Republicans. If you complain loudly and often, this will change. If public transit were free, ridership would increase instead of the current alleged decline, and we would have more bus lines.

According to the SF Chronicle, 2/18/04, 125 workers will lose their jobs and 43 runs will be eliminated. See:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/18/BAG30530351.DTL

The following lines will change:
1-California: Cut 5 runs. Some buses arrive 1-2 minutes later.

2-Clement, 3-Jackson: Some buses arrive about 2-3 minutes later.

4-Sutter: Drop line and reroute 2-Clement to pick up slack.

5-Fulton Owl (late night): Drop line.

6-Parnassus: Some buses arrive 2 minutes quicker.

7-Haight: Drop line and expand 71-Haight-Noriega to pick up slack.

71-Haight-Noriega: Some buses arrive about 2-3 minutes quicker.

9-San Bruno: Cut 2 runs. Some buses arrive 1 minute later.

14-Mission: Cut 5 runs. Some buses arrive 1 minute later.

15-Third: Cut 1.6 runs. Some buses arrive 1 minute later.

21-Hayes: Cut 1.2 runs. Some buses arrive 1 minute later.

29-Sunset: Add 4 runs.

38-Geary: Cut 3 runs. Some buses arrive 1 minute later.

41-Union: Cut 1 run. Some buses arrive 2 minutes later.

66-Quintara: End downtown service. Line stops at Ninth and Judah.

82x-Presidio Express: End 4 p.m.-6 p.m. service.

F-Market: End supplemental shuttles that run weekdays along the Embarcadero.

Anti-workingclass public transit Mayor Gavin Newsom's rubber stamp Municipal Transportation Agency considers these changes on February 27, after which these proposals will be sent to the Board of Supervisors.

Only the 29 Sunset gets more service. If you know if any lines that should also have more service, tell all 11 supervisors which lines they are and at what times.

And, if you object to any of the above changes, call all 11 supervisors, regardless of where you live. They all have a voice mail, so you can leave a message at any time. The supervisors are:

Michela Alioto-Pier
District 2
(415) 554-7752
Michela.Alioto-Pier [at] sfgov.org

Tom Ammiano
District 9
(415) 554-5144
Tom.Ammiano [at] sfgov.org

Chris Daly
District 6
(415) 554-7970
Chris.Daly [at] sfgov.org

Bevan Dufty
District 8
(415) 554-6968
Bevan.Dufty [at] sfgov.org

Matt Gonzalez
District 5
(415) 554-7630
Matt.Gonzalez [at] sfgov.org

Tony Hall
District 7
(415) 554-6516
Tony.Hall [at] sfgov.org

Fiona Ma
District 4
(415) 554-7460
Fiona.Ma [at] sfgov.org

Sophie Maxwell
District 10
(415) 554-7670
Sophie.Maxwell [at] sfgov.org

Jake McGoldrick
District 1
(415) 554-7410
Jake.McGoldrick [at] sfgov.org

Aaron Peskin
District 3
(415) 554-7450
Aaron.Peskin [at] sfgov.org

Gerardo Sandoval
District 11
(415) 554-6975
Gerardo.Sandoval [at] sfgov.org