In a work in the San Francisco Chronicle, Joe Diment outlines several ways that city city transport (MUNI) can reduce large budget deficits without reducing services.
It’s a financially difficult time. But San Franciscans need to ask themselves why bus and train services are on the chopping block despite continuing to subsidize the city’s most expensive, unfair and polluted mode of transport: private cars.
For Dimento, one solution to transportation disasters lies in the cost of parking. “There are around 275,500 street spaces in San Francisco, but only 10% is measured. By adjusting parking costs and reflecting the actual costs more closely, agents could significantly reduce their deficits.
Another option for transport funding: crowd pricing. Dimento points to the success of the New York City program. This cuts traffic by 13% despite all the controversy surrounding it and funds important MTA projects.
The third proposed solution: extend the time for city meter parking. “We cannot ask transit riders to pay more and less while car owners enjoy vast subsidies and free reins in public spaces.”
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