Budget Committee advances $12.5 million three-month free Muni pilot to full Board

The San Francisco Budget & Appropriations Committee voted May 19 to advance to the full Board a pair of companion measures that would fund a three-month free Muni pilot beginning July 1. Chair Matt Haney moved the items together and President Walton seconded; the motion passed in a roll-call vote with four ayes and one no (Supervisor Safaie).

The clerk and Budget Analyst Office said the proposal would appropriate $12,500,000 from the city's COVID Contingency Reserve to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to cover lost fare revenue during the pilot and provide parity for paratransit riders. "The appropriations increased to $12,500,000 to cover the estimated reduction in fare revenues during a three-month pilot and to provide equity with paratransit riders," Sevin Campbell of the Budget Analyst Office told the committee.

Supporters framed the pilot as both an economic relief and ridership strategy as the city reopens. "We have a unique opportunity here with low ridership, low fare revenues and a need for people to return to transit," Supervisor Preston said. President Walton called the timing fiscally responsible and said the pilot could help get people back on buses and trains.

Supervisor Safaie opposed the measure in committee, but did not offer a substitute motion. The clerk recorded the roll-call result as four ayes and one no; the items will be considered by the full Board on May 25 unless otherwise noted.

The motion and vote were procedural: the committee's action forwards the ordinance and appropriation with a positive recommendation; it does not implement the pilot. The Budget Analyst Office reported that, if approved, the COVID reserve balance would be $492,000,000 after the appropriation.