Supervisors defeat motion to reject MTA budget, 6-5

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on a special May 2009 meeting failed to reject the Municipal Transportation Agency(MTA) fiscal year 2009-2010 budget when a motion to do so was defeated on a 6-5 roll call.

The motion to reject the MTA budget was presented as a way to force changes to a proposal that several supervisors said would disproportionately burden transit riders with fare increases and service reductions. Supervisor Avalos urged the board to send the budget back to the MTA so the agency could produce a proposal that better matched the city's transit-first policies. "The only way that we can actually get a better budget out of the MTA is to reject this budget," Supervisor Avalos said.

The vote followed lengthy presentations from MTA officials. Director Ford and Tom Nolan, chairman of the MTA board, described an $8.7 million service enhancement effort intended to add 150 service hours per day and improve on-time performance on busy corridors. Nolan told supervisors the MTA board had two primary goals: "to cut as little service as possible, and secondly, to divide the cost as equitably as possible among all the stakeholders in San Francisco." Director Ford said the enhancements were informed by the Transit Effectiveness Project and by staff planning work: "These enhancements...touch upon almost every district, as well as increase the service, improve the service on the majority of our routes that carry the most of our riders."

Supervisors pressing for rejection said the changes did not address core impacts for some routes and communities. Supervisor Campos questioned mitigation plans for reductions on the Route 67, saying the underlying service to Alameda public housing would still be cut in half even if capacity was added on the Mission Corridor; Director Ford acknowledged riders would face transfers. Several supervisors also cited broader city budget pressures and the need to uphold San Francisco's climate and transit-first policies if fares and service changes were to be considered.

MTA staff warned of a worsening revenue picture. Director Ford said the agency had previously estimated a $13.8 million shortfall and that recent state developments could add roughly $3.0 million more: "the deficit of $13,800,000 may potentially grow to $16,800,000" because of state-level diversions and contract negotiations. Supervisors discussed revenue proposals including expanded parking enforcement and other measures; Nolan said the MTA is conducting a 90-day parking study to examine extending parking hours and Sunday enforcement but that any changes would be targeted by neighborhood.

President Chu, who said he had introduced the rejection motion to force the board-level discussion, described work since early April that he said reduced the budget gap by about $30 million through restored funds and cuts to work orders. "If you add those pieces up, it's about $30,000,000," President Chu said, and he told colleagues he would not vote to reject the budget. Several other supervisors said they would vote to reject to press the agency to further revise the proposal.

On a roll-call vote, the board recorded five ayes and six noes and the motion to reject failed. The clerk announced, "Motion fails," and the meeting concluded.

The board and MTA officials left open the prospect of further changes: Nolan said the agency would return to the board for an update on June 2 and would continue short- and long-term revenue work. Supervisors also noted that the full city budget process and potential state actions could produce additional pressure for changes in coming weeks.