Green Muni

Global warming is getting worse, fast. We know it comes from burning fossil fuels, and we know that in San Francisco, half of the emissions come from transportation.

Improving public transit so that more people will use it is critical to the answer, but Muni is getting worse, not better. Ridership was down 3% last year, while nationwide it was up 2%.

The Green Muni campaign is working to fix public transit so that we do our part to stop global warming. First step: pass the Emissions Reduction and Transit Reform Act of 2007.

The Act mandates planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and give the MTA more tools - funding and efficiency improvements - to accomplish that goal. Specifically, the Act:

Requires the MTA to comply with the city's "climate action plan" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from San Francisco's transportation sector to 20% below 1990 levels and to report on progress toward that goal in an update every two years.
Allow the MTA to keep about $30 million per year in parking fees, fines, and taxes that currently go to the General Fund.
Makes managers more accountable by allowing the MTA to hire up to 10% of its workforce as exempt employees serving "at will."
Rewards operators by guaranteeing a high wage (the average of the two highest comparable systems in the country) and gives managers incentive to bargain for more flexible work rules in exchange for higher wages.
Gives the MTA more independence from political interference in changing the streets to make the buses run faster. It will be easier for the MTA to adjust bus stops, create bus-only lanes, and contract out for services with this charter amendment.

Now, SPUR is working with our stakeholder groups to make sure they understand and support this measure. Please contact Dave Snyder to help.

To see the actual measure, click here.

For more details on SPUR's recommendations for fixing our transportation system, read this paper on "Reversing Muni's Downward Spiral" and this paper on "Muni's Billion Dollar Problem."