More big cuts coming to Muni, including $5 F line fare?

Adult Fast PassSF Streetsblog has a detailed article on proposed mid-year budget cuts to be discussed at the MTA board next week. Among the cuts and fare hikes, none of which are pretty, are some particularly bad ideas: jacking up F-line fares to $5 and requiring express and cable car riders to use the new premium pass, making the citywide network much less useful to the typical rider (and providing a perverse disincentive to riders to take faster, more efficient services).

Some proposals appear to be helpful, like charging employees for parking, but it appears that most of these budget cuts will hit riders, who are already paying more starting this month, square in the face. Meanwhile, MTA operators just received a bonus – not for performance, but because the voters mandated a pay minimum in 2007 Prop A.

You can comment on these proposals at the regularly scheduled MTA Board meeting on Tuesday, January 19, at 2 pm. Of course the meeting is being held during normal business hours, so if you work for a living, you might want to email your comments to the board.