While neither Republicans nor Democrats seem thrilled with the results of the deal resolving the fiscal cliff, transit commuters scored an unexpected windfall.
Included in the package of tax increases was the restoration of a commuter benefits program that allows workers to pay for up to $240 of their monthly transit costs with pre-tax dollars. Transit passengers could exempt up to $1,500 of their annual commute costs from taxes as a result of the legislation.
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The recent delivery of $6.7 million to Muni has the agency pondering a difficult choice — should the funds be used to shore up an aging and decrepit fleet of vehicles, or to provide The City’s youth with unparalleled access to San Francisco’s public transit system?
That debate has split transit advocates and youth activists, and it will be the focus of a hearing today at the Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee.
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Muni is poised to receive $6.7 million that could fund a free youth fare program, but some lawmakers believe the struggling transit agency should use the funds more productively.
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Waiting for Muni? You might want to refrain from an impromptu break-dancing session or stop that desire to scream out randomly at passers-by.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is set to install 400 high-tech cameras that are designed to detect abnormal behavior and subsequently alert authorities about potential safety risks. However, the technology has caused alarm, with some saying big government is going too far.
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A proposal to expand parking meter enforcement to Sundays has drawn the ire of local churches and other places of worship.The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is exploring options to make up its two-year projected budget deficit of $53.2 million. Enforcing parking meters on Sundays, an initiative that would generate $2.8 million annually, has received support from several members of the agency’s board of directors.
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Faced with upcoming budget deficits that exceed $53 million, the head of Muni acknowledged Tuesday that possible transit service reductions are “an honest option on the table.”Unless new revenue models are approved, such as extending parking meter enforcement to evenings and Sundays or eliminating discounts at downtown garages, the SFMTA will have to look at “right-sizing its service,” said director Ed Reiskin at the agency’s board of directors meeting on Tuesday.
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San Francisco’s top lawyer might be out of a job representing The City’s proposed Central Subway.
City attorney and mayoral hopeful Dennis Herrera recently opposed the $1.6 billion project to extend Muni’s T-Third line from SoMA to Chinatown, saying it is overpriced and won’t serve enough people.
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Faced with rising Muni costs and dwindling school transportation resources, parents and lawmakers are pushing a $7.3 million plan to provide every student in The City with free public transit.
In the past two years, the monthly price of Muni’s youth pass has more than doubled, from $10 to $21. At the same time, the San Francisco Unified School District has cut its free transportation service by more than 13 percent, and more downgrades are expected by 2013.
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The new director of the sprawling agency that sets transportation policies in The City had some reassuring words Thursday for anyone concerned that he’ll be in over his head due to his lack of transit experience.
“I’m a fast learner,” said Ed Reiskin, formerly director of San Francisco’s Department of Public Works. “Give me a month and I’ll be well-versed in all these things.”
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The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is expected to announce its new chief Thursday — and all signs point to Ed Reiskin.The agency’s board of directors will hold a 10 a.m. meeting where Reiskin, the heavy favorite to replace Nathaniel Ford, is likely to be introduced as the new executive director of the SFMTA, which manages transportation in The City.
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