SF voters set transit-first agenda

San Francisco voters Tuesday passed two transportation measures to would help fund public transit, bike and pedestrian improvements.

Voters made their voice loud and clear on Proposition A, a $500 million bond measure the City will use for service improvements for Muni, updating traffic signals, new bikeways and pedestrian safety projects.

The measure, which needed two-thirds approval, passed 71.23 percent to 28.77 percent.

Ed Reiskin, the city’s transportation director, said in a statement:

“Through the passage of Prop A, voters have affirmed the importance in improving transportation in our city. This is a great first step in securing much needed investment to create safer, more attractive transportation options for San Franciscans today and for the future of our city.”

Mayor Ed Lee and transit officials had been campaigning for months to get voters to vote on the proposition.

Lee first made an announcement on the measure at his State of City speech back in January.

The proposition was a recommendation of Lee’s transportation task force that said the City had a $6.3 billion funding gap in transportation needs.

Another funding measure for transportation sponsored by Supervisor Scott Wiener, but not by Lee, passed 61.1 percent to 38.4 percent.

Proposition B would require to increase the funding for Muni based on population growth. Muni stands to get $22 million in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, according to The City controller’s office. The funds would come out of The City’s budget.

The measure requires the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to spend 75 percent of the money on improving Muni’s reliability and 25 percent on street improvements.

The measure also allows for Lee to discontinue the increases if he enacts an increase a vehicle license fee increase in the future.

City voters rejected Proposition L by 62.33 percent to 37.67 percent. The proposition sought to change San Francisco’s transportation priorities to a more vehicle-centered agenda.

Supporters of measure wanted the SFMTA to stop charging drivers at parking meters on Sundays and evenings, construct parking garages and to not install anymore parking meters unless neighborhoods and businesses support the changes.

Voters carried out change on BART’s Board of Directors. James Fang, who has been on the board since 1990 representing most of the western side of San Francisco and the northern waterfront, lost to newcomer Nick Josefowitz, who has his own company in renewable energy.

Josefowitz said in his campaign that one of top priorities is cleaning up BART stations and running more trains during the evening and weekends Josefowitz defeated Fang 50 percent to 42.3 percent.

Full elections results in San Francisco.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.