[TLC News & Alerts] Oppose Muni Fare Hikes and Service Cuts!

[Jeremy Nelson]

Dear advocates for a more livable city-

Below are 3 actions you can take this week to support better transit, more
affordable car-free housing, and improving public involvement in Planning
Commission decisions.

Don't forget to forward this e-mail to a like-minded friend, family member,
or colleague and ask them to sign-up to get updates like this one from TLC
by clicking here: http://www.livablecity.org/signup.html

As always, thanks for your continued advocacy and support of TLC- Jeremy

=========================

1) URGENT ACTION:  Tell the MTA: "No more Muni fare hikes or service cuts!"

2) Action:  Ask the Mayor to restore funding to broadcasting Planning
Commission hearings.

3) Action:  Tell Planning Commission & Zoning Administrator to approve 56
car-free affordable housing units!

4) Update:  Thanks TLC members' advocacy:  Free parking for hybrids has been
dropped (for now)!

5) TLC Recommends:  Cool events, happenings, and clippings for urbanists,
enviros, and sustainable transport junkies...

=========================

1) URGENT ACTION:  Tell the MTA: "No more Muni fare hikes or service cuts!"

WHAT'S AT STAKE:  The MTA is facing a $24 million dollar budget deficit for
the rest of this fiscal year and a $54 million deficit next fiscal year.
After raising fares 25% to $1.25 in 2003 and proposing service cuts in 2004,
the MTA is now considering additional service cuts and another
across-the-board fare increase: as high as $1.75 for a single ride and $63
for a monthly Fast Pass.  This represents a 40% increase from the current
single-ride fare and a 75% total fare increase since 2003 (meanwhile
inflation since 2003 is only 6%, meaning MTA is proposing that fares should
be increased 12 times faster than the cost of everything else!)

This year the MTA promised the public that they would consider alternative
revenue measures that ask motorists to pay their fair share of the social,
environmental, and public health costs that they impose on everybody else.
Unfortunately, MTA is still asking transit riders to pay nearly 2 1/2 times
more than motorists: the proposed increases to parking fines and fees would
generate only $12 million per year, while the proposed Muni fare increases
and service cuts would generate $32 million per year!

TLC believes that the MTA has their priorities backwards:  in a city with
where 28% of all households (and 38% of renters) don't even own a car, and
nearly 50% of San Franciscans do the right thing every day by commuting to
work without a car, the MTA should ask motorists to pay their fair share for
using publicly-owned roads rather than continue to ask transit riders to pay
higher and higher fares for ever-worsening transit service.  Please take
action below: tell the MTA not to balance its budget on the backs of transit
riders!

TAKE ACTION:
- SEND A FAX TO THE MTA BOARD:  Even if you have already spoken out on this
issue before, it is critical that the MTA hear from you again- we've set a
goal of sending 200 faxes before tomorrow's hearing, and with 50 faxes sent
thus far we're already well on our way.  Go to Local Impact's website
(http://www.local-impact.org) to send a free fax.  Click here for sample
language you can include in your fax
(http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/muni.html).  Click here for a list of
TLC-supported revenue proposals that you can reference
(http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/munifunding.html).

- ATTEND THE MTA HEARING:  The MTA's board meeting is Tuesday, February 1st
at 4pm in Room 400 of City Hall (the item will likely not be heard until
4:30 or 5pm), and having a high turnout of transit riders is important.  If
you can't attend the hearing, please e-mail the MTA Executive Director and
Board, using the links above for sample language that you can include in
your e-mail and a list of TLC-supported revenue sources.

- CONTACT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:  E-mail or call your supervisor and tell
them that you oppose balancing the MTA budget on the backs of transit riders
and that they should reject any MTA budget that doesn't ask motorists to pay
their fair share and that doesn't support San Francisco's "Transit First"
policy.  Supervisors' contact info is at
http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/muni.html.

- WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:  Send a letter to the editor of a local
media outlets to let people know how fare increases and service cuts will
affect you directly as transit rider. Talking points and contact info for
local media outlets is at http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/muni.html.

- GET INVOLVED:  TLC has joined "The Coalition for Transit Justice," a
coalition of 20 community groups, along with Supervisors Tom Ammiano, Chris
Daly, Ross Mirkarimi who are united behind the same message:  It's time for
the MTA, as the multi-modal transportation agency in "Transit-First" city to
ask motorists to pay their fair share of the costs they impose on transit
riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians.  To be kept up to date on Coalition
activities, send an e-mail to mailto:casey at thclinic.org.

- GET INFORMED:  Check out these recent articles of the proposed fare
increases and service cuts.

"Muni wants another 25 cents: Officials of S.F. transit agency draft plan to
increase bus and train fares, cut service"
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/28/MNGGNB22291.DTL

"Foes to rally against Muni fare increase"
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/29/BAGVLB2CCJ1.DTL

"Stop the tenant tax"
http://beyondchron.org/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=110&twindow=&mad=&sdetail
=1419&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&re
type=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=

"Unfare" http://www.sfcityscape.com/log.html

=========================

2) Action:  Ask the Mayor to restore funding to broadcasting Planning
Commission hearings.

WHAT'S AT STAKE:  In order to promote public involvement and accountability
in city government decisions, many boards and commissions are broadcast on
Cable Channel 26 as well as online
(http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfgtv_index.asp?id=13353).  People who are unable
to attend public hearings due to work obligations, disability, or family
commitments rely on these broadcasts to help them stay informed of important
decisions that can impact their families and their neighborhoods.  In
addition, many community groups (including TLC) monitor these broadcasts in
order to stay abreast of legislation related to their particular mission or
that affect their constituencies.

Despite the important public purposes that these broadcasts serve, last week
the Mayor ended funding for Planning Commission and Police Commission
hearings as part of his mid-year budget cuts.  While TLC understands that
the City is facing a significant budget shortfall this year and next,
reducing public access to government decision-making bodies seems like a
short-sighted and anti-democratic solution contrary to San Francisco's
tradition of open government (see "Mayor’s Office Dismantling Open
Government" at
http://beyondchron.org/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=110&twindow=Default&mad=N
o&sdetail=1412&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reo
ption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=).

The Planning Commission is the second most important decisonmaking body in
the City after the Board of Supervisors, taking actions every week that
affect the livability and sustainability of our city for current residents
and generations to come.  In addition, it is unclear whether eliminating
broadcasts of these two Commissions even saves the City that much money.
Either way, the City could find the funding somewhere else, perhaps by
renegotiating its 'franchise fee' with Comcast, the City's sole cable TV and
Internet provider.  Is asking this extremely profitable media conglomerate
to pay for an important public service to much to ask in exchange for their
continuation of their exclusive cable monopoly in San Francisco?

TAKE ACTION: Please e-mail the Mayor c/o the Mayor's Budget Analyst/Liason
(mailto:Ben.Rosenfield at sfgov.org) and tell him the following:

"I urge you to find the funding to restore cable and online broadcasts of
Planning Commission hearings, perhaps by renegotiating the terms of the
Comcast's franchise fee."

=========================

3) Action:  Tell Planning Commission & Zoning Administrator to approve 56
car-free affordable housing units!

WHAT'S AT STAKE:  This Thursday the Planning Commission and the Zoning
Administrator will hear a proposal for 56 SRO (Single Room Occupancy) units
with no parking to be built on an existing surface parking lot at 7th &
Brannan in SOMA.  This location is just a few blocks from the existing 4th &
King Caltrain Station and future 3rd Street light rail service connecting to
Market St transit spine.

The Zoning Code requires only 3 off-street parking spaces for these units,
yet it seems foolish to create a new curb cut that endangers pedestrians and
bicyclists and degrades the quality of the building design as well as the
public realm simply to provide access to just 3 parking spaces!  Please let
the Planning Commission know that you support affordable car-free housing
without degrading public spaces and putting pedestrians' and bicyclists'
lives at risk.

TAKE ACTION:
- E-MAIL THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR and ask them to
approve the parking variance for 787 Brannan St. (reference Case No.
2004.0560EKCVD and Agenda Item 12b).  Send your e-mail to the Planning
Commission c/o Commission Secretary Linda Avery
(mailto:Linda.Avery at sfgov.org), the zoning administrator
(mailto:larrybadiner at sfgov.org) and cc the staff planner
(mailto:dan.sider at sfgov.org) and TLC (mailto:jeremy at livablecity.org).

=========================

4) UPDATE:  Free parking for hybrids has been dropped (for now)

WHAT'S AT STAKE:  Earlier this month we told you about the Mayor's
well-intentioned but counterproductive proposal to offer free metered
parking for hybrids and a 25% discount in city-owned parking garages.  (For
more info on this proposal, see our earlier action alert: "Tell the Mayor to
Drop the 'Worst Idea of 2005' (thus far): Free Parking for Hybrids?!" at
http://www.livablecity.org/pipermail/news_livablecity.org/2005q1/000052.html
).

While we all support the goal of promoting more sustainable, fuel-efficient,
and zero-pollution modes of travel (especially the most sustainable modes
like walking, biking, and taking transit), TLC believed that the Mayor's
proposal was counterproductive in that it wouldn't really incentivize new
hybrid purchases but would instead simply incentivize more driving by
existing hybrid owners, while taking meter money from Muni to give a public
subsidy to drivers of $20,000 cars.

We'll keep you posted on how you can take action if this proposal is
revived.

=========================

5) TLC Recommends:  Cool events, happenings, and clippings for urbanists,
enviros, and sustainable transport junkies...

- EVENT:  Urbanologies: exhibit, forum, &  readings
2/2 (6-8pm) - Exhibit opening:  Reading and slide show of drawings by Evan
Rose
2/9 (6:30-8:30pm) - City Ideas: Panel discussion with Joe Rosa (SFMOMA),
John King (Chronicle), Jim Chappell (SPUR)
2/16 (6:30-8:30pm) -  City Stories: Poetry reading with Michael Palmer and
other poets and writers TBA.

- CLIPPING: Paris plans to remove 6,000 parking spaces in its central core-
why is a transit-first city like San Francisco with pretensions of a
world-class status still building ever-more residential and commercial
parking in its downtown neighborhoods with some of the best transit access
in the City, the region, and the entire West Coast?  Find out at how we
might do it differently at:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1391433,00.html

- REPORT: Thunderhead Alliance publishes "Complete Streets" report.
Thunderhead Alliance, a national coalition of state and local bicycle and
pedestrian advocacy organizations, has published the first nationwide
analysis of policies designed to create complete streets that routinely
accommodate bicycle and pedestrian travel.  The Complete Streets Report
inventories and analyzes complete streets policies around the country to
help state and local advocacy organizations spread complete streets to more
communities.  Most of the 25 state and local policies in the report have
been enacted since 2001, suggesting a building momentum for policies that
require the safe accommodation of bicyclists and pedestrians in all
transportation projects.  Download report:
http://www.thunderheadalliance.org.

- CLIPPING:  AIA's most recent issue of "LINE" magazine focuses on parking.
"In this issue of LINE asks the question of the moment:  to park or not to
park?  We tackle the parking myths and ask how to work parking in--and when
and why to leave it out."  What do San Francisco's architects think about
parking? Click here to find out: http://www.linemag.org/_line/

- CLIPPING:  Urban Assault Vehicles:  Ford Prepares For A Bleak Urban Future
Excerpt:  Is America's urban future so bleak that soccer moms need armored
SUVs with non-opening bullet-resistant windows?  According to Ford's
marketing brochure, the SYNus is an armored "techno sanctuary" with
"intimidating styling."  The gun turret slits on the van's sides are- no
kidding- bullet-resistant...The more intimidating and aggressive vehicles
there are out on the road, the more you need one too, lest you be squashed.
It's an arms race and the Ford SYNus is the latest weapon you need to defend
yourself.  In the past, automobile manufacturers marketed to our basest
desires.  The SYNus is marketed to our basest fears."  Full story:
http://www.naparstek.com/2005/01/ford-blade-runner.php

- CLIPPING: Made in the USA: Why are Americans so good at making movies and
software but so bad at building cars and cities?
Excerpt: "People from other rich countries can scarcely imagine the squalor
of the man-made bits of America...We're good at making movies and software,
and bad at making cars and cities...When we make something in America, our
aim is just to get the job done...[improving something usually] means
encrusting it with gratuitous ornament...Where the just-do-it model fails
most dramatically is in our cities- or rather, exurbs...the result is so
depressing that the inhabitants consider it a great treat to fly to Europe
and spend a couple weeks living what is, for people there, just everyday
life."  Full story: http://www.changethis.com/pdf/12.01.MadeInUSA.pdf