Mayor London Breed has vetoed legislation that would have made Muni rides free for all San Franciscans from July 1 to Sept. 30.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved the proposal last month. But the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, voiced opposition to the program and Breed warned that she intended to veto the proposal if passed.
But the idea isn’t totally defeated yet. "If we have to go to the ballot to win fare relief for riders, we will," said Supervisor Dean Preston, who introduced the proposal.
Breed said in her June 18 veto letter that eliminating fares would only add to the transit system’s set of problems. She has also said previously that she does not believe in subsidizing fare for those who could afford to pay.
"SFMTA must focus on restoring service lines and improving reliability, so that San Franciscans can count on Muni to be safe and reliable as our city reopens and our economy recovers from this global pandemic," she wrote.
According to a recent San Francisco Chronicle analysis, ridership and service levels have plummeted to some of the lowest in the country during the coronavirus pandemic. The city’s reopening won’t solve everything.
Muni still plans to run at about 70% of its pre-pandemic levels due to its long-term structural deficit.
The three-month pilot program would have cost $12.5 million.
But supporters of the pilot said it would offer relief to low-income riders most impacted by the pandemic, and also give the city an opportunity to collect data on how such a program could work long-term.
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