Following the failure of Muni-funding measure Proposition L, the SFMTA has announced proposed reductions and changes to Muni service, underscoring the urgent need for the funds that Prop L would have generated.

Prop L, the San Francisco ballot measure to fund Muni bus, train, and paratransit service and protect equity fare discount programs, “passed” at the ballot with 57% of the vote and a preliminary total of 188,861 Yes votes. However…

"The fact that we’re breaking all these records with public approval gives me hope that the voters will turn out" said Jeffrey Tumlin, about Muni's record-breaking ridership and satisfaction ratings.

"We’re looking for additional resources to continue building on that success to make sure that all of our main lines are fast and reliable, that they’re not stuck in congestion and that they’re safer for everyone."

Muni “is facing a severe operating deficit and is running out of both options and time to avoid cutting transit service.”

SPUR recommended Yes on L, emphasizing that “Muni serves many low-income riders, seniors, and people with disabilities. Failing to close the funding gap will harm the city’s most disadvantaged populations.”

San Francisco’s city’s leading pedestrian safety organization, Walk San Francisco, endorses Yes on L to bring urgently-needed funding to support Muni bus, train, and Paratransit service: “Safe streets and strong public transit go hand-in-hand, which is why investing in Muni is crucial."

In endorsing Prop L, the Chronicle wrote that its revenue “would go directly to Muni and would be earmarked for keeping or increasing service levels and discounted fare programs. Funds could be available as soon as next year, providing a stop-gap before a possible regional public transportation measure hits the ballot in 2026.”

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and the San Francisco Democratic Party have endorsed Prop L, a local measure to fund Muni operations. They join a broad and growing list of endorsers including State Senator Scott Wiener, CA-15 U.S. Representative Kevin Mullin, eight members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, both the Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Clubs, SF YIMBY, League of Pissed Off Voters, Transport Workers Union Local 250A, and Teamsters Joint Council 7.

On July 25th the ComMUNIty Transit Act was officially certified by the San Francisco Department of Elections to appear in the November 5, 2024 election. San Francisco voters will now decide at the ballot whether to raise funds for Muni service by imposing a new 1-4.5% gross receipts tax on ride-hail companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Waymo.

On Friday morning, volunteer transit advocates carried twenty boxes, painted to look like Muni buses and containing 17,879 signatures, to City Hall to qualify their grassroots measure for the November election. Wearing campaign t-shirts with the slogan “Fund the Bus” and chanting “bus, bus, bus” when a 49 Van Ness was spotted, the group of about forty-five transit supporters was in high spirits as their convoy wound its way through Hayes Valley from a storage unit to the steps of City Hall.

We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve now gathered over 17,500 signatures from San Franciscans who want to fund Muni! This exceeds our goal of 16,000. We need just over 10,000 valid signatures from registered San Francisco voters and our sizable buffer will help ensure that the ComMUNIty Transit Act gets on the November ballot.

Community advocates for public transit have introduced the “The ComMUNIty Transit Act,” an initiative measure to increase funding for public transportation in San Francisco. After receiving a ballot title and summary from the City Attorney on Friday April 19th, supporters of the measure will soon begin gathering petition signatures to qualify the measure for San Francisco’s November 2024 ballot.