Mar 28, 2008 4:54 pm US/Pacific
Mayor Newsom Hints At SF Muni Fee Hike
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A San Francisco Muni street car.
In March 2007, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom made headlines when he suggested that rides on the MUNI system should be free.
A year later, the mayor is singing a much different tune. Newsom is now raising the possibility of higher fares for MUNI riders.
According to Newsom, his intentions were always pure, though critics are quick to point out that Newsom's free MUNI proposal was made during an election year.
Newsom, citing research, now believes that a free transit system is just not viable. "What they concluded was the unintended consequences of doing free, and that is an exponential increase in ridership which requires an exponential expenditure," he said.
The idea of free MUNI rides becomes even less likely, given the city's $338 million deficit. "It could happen, but it's going to require a sustainable funding source that's bigger than anything that's on the table today," explained Newsom. "And the timing right now for that is terrible."
Instead of free rides, the mayor now says a fare hike is on the table as one option for balancing the city's budget. Specifics about a fare hike proposal are expected in roughly one week.
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