Petitions will be submitted in San Francisco this afternoon to put a charter amendment on the ballot to rein in pay and benefits for MUNI operators. The "Fix Muni Now" petition drive sponsored by Supervisor Sean Elsbernd really caught fire when Muni drivers refused to accept a pay freeze this year to help balance the budget.

"People have been lining up, calling, emailing, faxing, asking me, 'where do I sign?'" said Elsbernd.

Muni drivers are the only city workers who have rejected givebacks, so Elsbernd says that it seemed only fitting to submit his signatures on the same day, July 1st, that operators receive a 5.5 percent pay increase, adding to Muni's money trouble.

"It's quite clear that the drivers are concerned about themselves, and not concerned about the city," said Elsbernd.

He expects to submit about 70,000 signatures to the dept of elections around 2 p.m. The measure would eliminate the charter provision that ties Muni operator salaries to the second highest in the nation, and would clear the slate of driver work rules that cost Muni millions, but don't improve service.