Supporters of a ballot measure aimed at shoring up San Francisco’s public transit system kicked off a signature-gathering campaign Tuesday, casting it as essential to staving off severe service reductions.
Why it matters: The measure is expected to generate about $160 million a year for Muni — revenue city officials say would help close a $307 million deficit and prevent cuts to more than a dozen bus routes, elimination of nighttime service and longer wait times systemwide.
- Without intervention, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has said its budget shortfall could grow to $434 million within five years.
How it works: If enough signatures are gathered to get it on the ballot this November, the measure would levy a parcel tax on residential and commercial properties.
- Most single-family homeowners would pay $129 annually, while large commercial properties and corporate landowners would shoulder the highest rates at $400,000 a year.
- Landlords of rent-controlled apartments could pass along a portion of the cost, but charges to tenants would be capped at $65 a year — a limit intended to blunt the burden on renters.
Driving the news: City leaders, Mayor Daniel Lurie and public transit advocates gathered Tuesday afternoon at the J-Church stop on 20th Street overlooking Dolores Park to launch the signature drive — dubbed “Stronger Muni for All”— casting it as a lifeline for Muni’s future and the city’s continued economic recovery…