Press Release: Initiative Measure to Fund Muni Qualifies for the November Ballot

A group of about forty ComMUNIty Transit Act volunteers were joined by Supervisors Dean Preston and Ahsha Safaí on the steps of City Hall as they submitted over 17,000 signatures on July 5th.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2024

Contact: info@sftransitact.com

San Francisco, CA — 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.

“Our grassroots measure qualified via a 2% sample of the more than 17,000 signatures we turned in on July 5th, a testament to the hard work of our more than 130 volunteer and 50 paid signature gatherers,” said Sarah Katz-Hyman, who co-led the volunteer signature gathering effort.

The ComMUNIty Transit Act is expected to generate up to $30M a year for Muni operations, funding bus and train service, and fare discount programs for youth, people with disabilities, and low-income riders. Muni faces a large operating deficit starting in fiscal year 2026-27 and will not be able to afford its current level of service without new sources of revenue, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. 

“To build a better San Francisco, we need Muni to efficiently bring people where they need to go, whether they’re office workers returning downtown; shoppers, diners, and employees reaching small businesses throughout our city; or children and college students getting to class,” said Tipping Point Community founder Daniel Lurie, who has endorsed the measure. “The ComMUNIty Transit Act will be vital to address some of the funding gaps in Muni’s budget, but we also need leadership going forward that ensures public transportation is safe, well-funded, and accessible for all.” 

Other endorsers of the ComMUNIty Transit Act include State Senator Scott Wiener, the Sierra Club, and Transport Workers Local 250A, which represents Muni operators. The measure has also received endorsements from Supervisors Connie Chan, Matt Dorsey, Joel Engardio, Dean Preston, Hillary Ronen, and Ahsha Safaí.

“As an everyday Muni rider, I know how much it matters for Muni to reach all parts of our city and to be accessible to all,” said Supervisor Dean Preston. “I’m proud to stand with this grassroots San Francisco initiative for a more robust, reliable, accessible, and affordable public transportation system in our city.”

“San Franciscans cannot afford for bus lines to be canceled again. My constituents in the Tenderloin depend on Muni to access school, work, recreation, and essential services,” said Jaime Viloria, a community organizer at the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and a member of the Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force. “Service reductions will also push more people throughout the city into cars, and the resulting traffic congestion will make it more dangerous and difficult for everyone, no matter how they travel.” 

“Our Muni system is the backbone of our economy, of our communities, and of our city,” said Emma Heiken, Vice Chair of the Democratic County Central Committee. “San Franciscans rely on our buses, trains, and paratransit to get to all corners of our wonderful city and it is essential that we make the right investments to keep the system running smoothly. The ComMUNIty Transit Act is the exact support we need to fuel Muni for years to come.”

“We’ve had an incredible influx of new volunteer energy since we submitted our signatures,” said Emily Horsman, field organizing lead for the campaign. “Over 180 volunteers are ready to hit the ground running when we get our prop letter on August 12th.”

“The campaign has thus far raised nearly $200,000 from donations within the community,” said Cyrus Hall, the measure’s campaign manager. “We’ve had a burst of new support since we submitted our signatures, and now that we’re on the ballot we look forward to building on this energy through November 5th.”

The ComMUNIty Transit Act is an effort by a coalition of advocates and allies in support of safe and sustainable transportation in San Francisco. The act’s proponents include Chris Arvin, Vice Chair of the SFMTA Citizens' Advisory Council; Kat Siegal, Chair of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority’s Community Advisory Committee; and Lian Chang, whose previous advocacy includes supporting Vision Zero at Walk San Francisco. All affiliations are shared for identification purposes only.

A growing team of volunteer advocates is working to win the support of San Francisco voters for this grassroots measure in the November 2024 election. For more information, visit the ComMUNIty Transit Act’s website at sftransitact.com, which includes a full list of endorsements, and read the City Attorney’s ballot title and summary. A press kit is available here.