6:28 PM: The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s board of directors voted today to abolish Sunday parking meter enforcement when it approved its new two-year operating budget.
The SFMTA board approved the budget at a crowded meeting at City Hall this afternoon.
The budget includes the elimination of the Sunday meter enforcement effective July 1.
The policy had been implemented in January 2013, but a year later, Mayor Ed Lee called for its elimination during his State of the City address.
Lee said in a statement after today’s vote that the repeal “is about making San Francisco a little more affordable for our families and residents.”
“Instead of nickel and diming our residents at the meter on Sunday, let’s work together to support comprehensive transportation funding measures this year and in the future that will invest in our City’s transportation system for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and drivers alike,” Lee said.
Among other aspects of the budget approved by the SFMTA board today are the extension of the Free Muni for Youth program for low- and moderate-income youth.
Drew Himmelstein/Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
12:22 PM: San Francisco drivers may no longer have to pay for street parking on Sundays if the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency approves a new operating budget in its board of directors meeting at City Hall today.
The proposed SFMTA two-year budget, being considered at the board’s 2 p.m. meeting, would eliminate Sunday parking meter enforcement as of July 1. It would also end the four-hour time limit for Sunday parking at metered spots.
San Francisco began enforcing parking meters on Sundays in January 2013.
Mayor Ed Lee announced in his January 2014 State of the City address that he wanted to end Sunday meter enforcement.
“Nobody likes it. Not parents, not our neighborhood businesses, not me,” Lee said in the State of the City address. “Let’s stop nickel-and-diming people at the meter.”
SFMTA is projecting a budget surplus in the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years and SFMTA board chairman Tom Nolan has indicated that he supports ending Sunday meter enforcement.
“We’re heeding the mayor’s call to make San Francisco more affordable and this is one way to do that,” said SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose.
The SFMTA board has the option to amend the proposed budget in its meeting today or to pass it as is, Rose said.
The proposed budget also includes measures that would raise Muni cash fares from $2 to $2.25 — riders using Clipper cards would continue to pay $2 — and continue free Muni service for low- and moderate-income youth.
Drew Himmelstein, Bay City News
