The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) plan for traffic was to make it disappear. That plan has failed miserably. SFMTA doesn’t appear to have a Plan B, other than to ignore the public and blame us for their failure. It’s time for them to disappear.
Since SFMTA laid the thermoplastic red carpet on Mission Street, residents and merchants from Taraval to Third Street have been protesting plans to expand their failed programs into other neighborhoods. There are allegations that the red thermoplastic carpet was laid on Mission Street without proper approval.
Talk of tearing down the 280 freeway and altering the residential parking permit system is generating more anger, and agreement that SFMTA isn’t the one to solve our transportation problems or manage our streets and parking. There are lawsuits over some of the plans; threats to stop others. This is a hot issue for candidates.
SFMTA is out of control, too big to succeed, and fiscally irresponsible. Now, voters can choose to change its policies and priorities by voting “yes” on L and “no” on K. Proposition L, the SFMTA Charter Amendment on the November ballot, takes on issues of power and money by changing the makeup of SFMTA’s board and lowering the number of supervisors required to overturn its budget, bringing it in line with other departments.
Proposition K would increase the sales tax to pay for more SFMTA projects, putting at risk the merchants it hasn’t already put out of business with traffic and parking nightmares. Voting down Proposition K will force a major shift in SFMTA’s plans.
SFMTA has failed. We need new leadership that listens to the public. We don’t work for them. They work for us.
