SFMTA seeks Muni fare increase as $12.7 million deficit looms
The good news is that Muni ridership in San Francisco is up. Passengers on some routes now exceed pre-pandemic levels. The bad news is that Muni anticipates a $12.7 million deficit over the next two years and wants to raise fares.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has oversight over the Muni railway and bus system, as well as bicycling, parking garages, traffic infrastructure, pedestrian walkways and taxis.
In a statement Friday, the agency invited the public to weigh in on its plans to fill the gap with its 2024-2026 budget, which is due to the mayor's office before May 1.
Muni revenue is 56% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the SFMTA. Public meetings are scheduled for Feb. 22 and March 2.
Eliminating a Clipper discount implemented 10 years ago would generate $5.2 million, according to the agency. The discount was put into place to get Muni riders to switch to Clipper, which most riders have already done.
Increasing parking fines by 5% would generate $3.7 million. An automatic inflation adjustment for residential parking permits would be another $2.9 million, and reinstating taxi fees would add $1.2 million, said the agency.
With the help of $1.1 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, the city's bus and rail agency has made investments in transit platforms, safety features and data tools.
Over 70% of residents recently surveyed approve of the job SFMTA is doing, according to the agency.
"By controlling expenditure, we have been able to make federal funding last longer than expected," said SFMTA spokesperson Michael Roccaforte, adding that the agency expects the federal funds to last through 2026.
Fiscal year 2026 to 2027, once the pandemic emergency relief runs out, the agency expects a far larger deficit of $240 million.
"We'll come back to community members in the future with proposals to bridge that sizable gap," the SFMTA's statement said.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Muni had a growing budget deficit that reflected a changing city. Ride-hailing services, like Uber, had eroded revenue from paid public parking. The increasing cost of living in San Francisco made it difficult for the service to retain reliable, highly qualified drivers and maintenance staff. Muni has been understaffed for years, the agency said.
The virtual public meeting, via Zoom, will be Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. and the in-person open house will be March 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the Richmond branch of the San Francisco Public Library.
