MTA budget funding Mayor’s Office? (UPDATED)
The Chronicle and Examiner report today that up to seven positions in the Mayor’s Office are actually being funded by the Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni, DPT, and soon the Taxi Commission. Some of these positions are focused on transportation, including former MTA deputy director Stuart Sunshine, but others seem very loosely related to transportation (e.g. the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, and a deputy press secretary). The total cost to the MTA is $655K, according to the Mayor’s Office.
It’s not unusual for the MTA to contract with other departments for service – in fact, this was envisioned in Proposition E which created the MTA in 1999. However, this does seem odd. When the MTA is facing a long-term structural deficit and just got an infusion of cash from Proposition A to improve service and prevent service cuts, is this the best use of the MTA’s money? It’s something for the current members of and nominees for the MTA board to consider, since the MTA’s budget is approved by the MTA board and then just subject to veto by the Supervisors. The budget for the next fiscal year is being discussed by the CAC finance committee and the MTA Board next week.
(The N Judah Chronicles has a take on this as well.)
Update: SF Usual Suspects links to all the latest on this one.
Actually, I voted Yes on Prop A because of Rescue Muni’s recommendation. Now I don’t know who to trust.
This doesn’t really have anything to do with Proposition A. The budget that allowed this was passed in February 2007, well before Prop A passed.
However, it does raise questions about how the additional funding for transit will be spent beginning in the next fiscal year. The MTA and supervisors need to watch this extremely closely.
As I recall climate protection and greening were major selling points of Proposition A. It is perfectly appropriate for the Mayor to take MTA money to accomplish this purpose. How else can he come up with the required climate protection plan? If we are really serious about the perils of global warming and greening San Francisco, the Mayor should take even more money. After all, what’s more important, the threat of global warming or efficient MUNI service?
P.S. Prop A is working already. Have you noticed how cold it has been?
Dear js,
If you had read Prop A, you would have known that this is exactly what you voted for. I find it hypocritical for Rescue MUNI to criticize the Mayor and MTA for taking money for purposes loosely related to improving MUNI service and preventing service cuts. That is precisely what Prop A provided for. Rescue MUNI made its bed and now must lie in it!
I support Rescue MUNI knowing full well that Rescue MUNI often takes positions based on environmental and political philosophy loosely related to improving MUNI. That’s why I don’t trust all of Rescue MUNI’s recommendations and do my own research. js, if you are interested in improving MUNI, Rescue MUNI is the best we got. You have to take the good with the bad. js, I suggest that next time read the proposition.