Hey! Did you miss Saturday’s MTA town hall meeting regarding the plans to cut Muni service and increase fares? Don’t worry, you can watch it and/or read how everyone else covered it at the bottom of this article.
What: SFMTA Budget Town Hall Meeting
When: Tuesday, Feb. 9 – 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor, Atrium
Present at Saturday’s meeting were MTA spokesperson Judson True, Communications Manager for the MTA, Julie Kirschbaum project manager, and MTA board Vice Chairman Dr. James McCray.
Conspicuous in his absence, however, was MTA chief Nathaniel Ford, leading one of Saturday’s attendees to tell the Appeal that “at the end it kind of started to feel like we were all talking to each other.”
Why didn’t Ford attend, and will he be at Tuesday’s meeting? We asked MTA spokesperson Judson True about this Monday afternoon, who said he’d have to pass our questions on to Ford, himself. As of publication time, we have not heard back, but will update when we hear back.
We do know where Ford will be Tuesday morning, though: According to the schedule the Mayor’s office sends out every day, “at 11:00AM (Tuesday) Mayor Newsom, Board President David Chiu, SFMTA Executive Director/CEO Nathaniel Ford and community leaders” will be breaking ground on the Central Subway under the I-80 freeway off 4th Street between Harrison and Bryant Streets. JUST SAYIN.
True also doesn’t know who else from the MTA will be at Tuesday’s meeting, but hastens to add that “we are providing all comments from the meeting to our Board and executive management.” So, there’s that. I guess?
Do not let the kind of downer message of these preceding paragraphs dissuade you from attending Tuesday’s meeting, though! This is your chance to share your concerns on what they want to do to your ride before the February 16th board meeting (put in your PTO request now!) in which the members will vote on the MTA’s proposed cuts/price increases. As concerned citizen Tami Twarog, who will be in attendance Tuesday night, told the Appeal, “there are some things that are doable. Good public transit in a city 7×7 square miles is one of them.”
Coverage of Saturday’s Town Hall elsewhere: Muni passengers sound off at town hall meeting ABC7, Riders’ anger continues over Muni service cuts Ex, Muni Riders Vent Frustrations KCBS,Muni meets the public SFGate blog
