Stop All MUNI Cutbacks and Fare Hikes! Come Speak Out at the MTA Hearing!

Since the Metropolitan Transit Agency (MTA) announced its plans to explore potential areas of revenue in September of 2009, the agency has played a political game, which pits different community groups against each other for their own benefit. They have attacked car drivers who can no longer afford MUNI; they have attacked MUNI janitorial workers who maintain MUNI. The MTA has attacked seniors, the youth, and the disabled who are the most vulnerable during these hard economic times by threatening to double their Fast Passes. They have vastly increased police harassment on MUNI – at great cost. Last year, the SFPD billed MUNI $18 million for “services.” All in all, the MTA continues to attack poor and working families who are experiencing cuts, not only at the city level, but at the state and federal level as well.

On Feb. 16th , it was announced that the MTA’s negotiated contract with the MUNI drivers union was rejected by the vast majority of its members. Immediately, city officials and the media of San Francisco unleashed a vicious propaganda campaign blaming the disastrous cuts and hikes on the MUNI drivers. Not once in their smear articles did these outlets mention the bloated salaries of directors and administrators whose policies and mismanagement are those truly to blame for the deficit. The City and the Media want to blame the MUNI drivers, but we say “Drivers and Passengers are UNITED!” CHOP FROM THE TOP

The top heavy cost to maintain public services in San Francisco is just one of the symptoms of the larger problem with the City as a whole that avoids taxing those who have benefited from this economic crisis, the rich! We say it is time to stop making cuts and ratcheting up fares, meter hours and parking tickets and instead TAX THE RICH!

This crisis cannot be solved on the backs of poor and working people. It is time to start cutting from the top! We call on community organizations, activists, MUNI riders, and the people of San Francisco who have had enough with the City’s non-stop cuts to our salaries and services to demand that the rich pay instead!

Join us on Feb. 26, 8am to make our voices heard in the MTA hearing. Call 415-821-6545 for more information or to get involved in the campaign. !

STOP MUNI CUTBACKS!

The MTA has planned huge cuts and increases for MUNI:

• Increase in youth and senior passes from $15 to $30
• Increase in residential parking permits by $20
• Cuts to OWL services
• Cuts to service of MUNI lines: 1,5,6,8X,BX,8AX,9,9L,14,14L 14X,16X,22,28,30,45,47,49,71,71L,88,2,3,12,18, 19,21,23,24,27,29,31,33,43,44,54,108,F,J,K,T,L,M,N...
• Extra “premium” cost for cable cars
• Extra “premium” cost for express buses


We demand that the city:

• Implement a progressive tax on incomes over $200,000 to fund public services.
• Cap city administrator and manager salaries at $125,000. Today, 10,000 people employed by the city make more than $100,000 a year!
• Collect taxes amounting to over $59 million owed by developers, landlords, and big business NOW!
• Stop the SFPD and other agencies from using MTA funds.

Fri. FEB. 26, 8am
steps of SF City Hall, Polk and Grove Sts.
For more info or to volunteer, call the ANSWER Coalition
415-821-6545 • http://www.ANSWERsf.org • ANSWER [at] ANSWERsf.org


¡BASTA DE RECORTES A MUNI!


El MTA a planeado recortes masivos y incrementos para MUNI:

• Incrementar los pases de jóvenes y ancianos de $15 a $30
• Incrementar permisos residenciales por $20
• Recortes a servicios de noche “OWL”
• Recortar servicio a líneas de MUNI: 1,5,6,8X,BX,8AX,9,
9L,14,14L,14X,16X,22,28,30,45,47,49,71,71L,88,2,3, 12,18 19
21,23,24,27,29,31,33,43,44,54,108,F,J,K,T,L,M,N...
• Costos “de primera” extra para los “cable cars”
• Costos “de primera” extra para los autobuses “express”

¡Aunque estos sean aprobados, el déficit del siguiente año es $52.7 millones! Esto significa mas recortes y aumentos están siendo planeados después de que estos sean implementados. ¡Cobren a los Ricos!

Demandamos que la ciudad:

• Implemente un impuesto progresivo a todos los ingresos arriba de $200,000 para financiar los servicios públicos.
• Limitar salarios de directores y administradores municipales a $125,000. ¡Actualmente 10,000 empleados municipales hacen más de $100,000 por año!
•¡Colectar impuestos que aumentan a mas de $59 millones debidos por urbanizadores, propietarios, y negocios grandes AHORA!
• Basta de que el SFPD y otras agencias usen fondos del MTA

Viernes, 26 DE FEB., 8am
Frente a la alcaldía, Calles Polk y Grove
Para más información o para ofrecer ayuda, llame a la Coalición ANSWER, 415.821.6545. http://www.ANSWERsf.org • ANSWER [at] answersf.org