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Supervisor Yee proposes split appointments for SFMTA board; committee takes amendments and will return
Summary
Supervisor London Yee proposed splitting SFMTA board appointments between the mayor (4) and Board of Supervisors (3) and reducing the Board's budget rejection threshold from seven to six votes. Director Ed Ryskin and others cautioned about timing and past voter preferences; the committee accepted technical corrections and continued the item to July 6.
Supervisor London Yee introduced a charter amendment to alter San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) governance by splitting appointment authority: four directors would be mayoral appointees and three would be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The measure also would change the board of supervisors' ability to reject the SFMTA budget, lowering the threshold from seven votes (supermajority) to a simple majority (six votes), aligning MTA budget rules with other city departments.
Proponents said split appointments would provide more direct supervisory input into major street and transit decisions that affect local neighborhoods. Opponents and the MTA director cautioned that voters previously chose a higher threshold for budget rejection to insulate transit decision‑making from short‑term political pressures; Director Ed Ryskin urged caution about placing the measure on a crowded ballot in which voters will be asked to consider multiple transportation funding items.
The committee accepted sponsor edits and scheduled the item for further consideration on July 6.
