Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mta Board Nominations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors pause confirmation of three MTA nominees amid calls for administration vision and gender balance
Summary
The Rules Committee continued three Municipal Transportation Agency nominations for one week after supervisors pressed for an administration strategy for MTA priorities and raised concerns about recent reporting on MTA requisitions and board gender balance.
The Rules Committee considered three Municipal Transportation Agency nominations and decided to continue Items 2, 3 and 4 for one week to allow additional information and administration testimony.
Supervisor Tom Ammiano opened Item 2, the nomination of Malcolm Heineke to the MTA board, and noted Heineke was not present and the committee had not received his Form 700. Supervisor Aaron Peskin urged delaying confirmations until the administration presented a comprehensive vision for the MTA, citing the passage of Proposition A and pending legislation to transfer taxi-related functions to the MTA. Peskin said recent press reporting showing an MTA requisition being used for a special assistant in the mayor’s office — "bringing that total to over a quarter of a million dollars, is troubling" — and argued nominees should not be confirmed in a piecemeal fashion without clarity from the mayor’s office.
Christine DeBerry of the mayor’s office responded that the administration would address the concerns and noted that two nominees were present and the mayor’s office had requested the nominations be considered at this meeting. The committee ultimately agreed to continue the Heineke nomination one week to allow the Form 700 and administration testimony to be provided.
The committee also heard two nominees in person. Jerry Lee introduced himself as a native San Franciscan with 37 years at UPS and prior service loaned to city offices; public commenters including Sebastian Wong (Self Help for the Elderly), Andy Thornley and Rachel Scribe (San Francisco Bicycle Coalition), and community representatives praised Lee’s community ties and financial/operational experience. Bruce Oka described long-term work on Muni, paratransit and disability access; disability advocates and MTA advisory council members described Oka's deep experience and urged confirmation.
Despite the endorsements, supervisors expressed concern about how the new MTA board is being formed and the low proportion of women among nominees. Supervisor Peskin noted that with the existing commissioners the new panel would be approximately 14% female, and urged the administration to explain its strategy. After debate, the committee continued Items 2 (Heineke), 3 (Lee) and 4 (Oka) for one week to allow the mayor’s office to present a broader MTA plan and for the committee to receive missing paperwork.
