Parking in The City just became more expensive
By: Joshua Sabatini
Examiner Staff Writer
May 28, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO — It is not official, but parking in The City will be more expensive and meters will have to be fed past 6 p.m. and on Sundays.
The cost of parking and meters, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Transportation Agency, has become a focal point in the ongoing budget discussions for the cash-strapped agency.
In the third and final hearing before the Board of Supervisors, which must approve the transit agency’s spending plan, a motion to reject the budget was voted down 6-5, with the promise that parking and meters will become more expensive.
The transit agency is facing as much as a $16 million deficit and those supervisors rejecting the budget — John Avalos, David Campos, Ross Mirkarimi, Chris Daly and Eric Mar — said the gap was closed more on the backs of riders than drivers.
The transit agency’s board of directors voted April 30 to approve a $766 million budget. It includes a July 1 fare hike from $1.50 to $2 and service reductions.
Avalos advocated for parking-meter enforcement later than 6 p.m. and on Sundays, along with increasing parking rates in city garages to reduce service cuts and fare hikes.
Transit agency chief Nat Ford said Muni would present Avalos’ proposals along with others to its board of directors Tuesday as part of a discussion on how to deal with an already looming deficit.
Supervisor Sophie Maxwell indicated that she was satisfied with Ford’s commitment.
“[Muni] will have to make parking changes. Parking changes it seems to me are inevitable. And anyone who parks needs to understand that,” she said.
