Name: h. brown
Age: Â 66
Occupation: Â Retired teacher
District: Â D-6
E-mail: Â h@ludd.net
Neighborhood You Live In: Â Tenderloin
Date Questionnaire Returned: Â 8-26-10
1.How often do you rely on Muni to get you around town? If not, what do you use instead? What would make it easier for you to choose Muni over other forms of transportation?
Muni is my primary transport. I ride it 5 to 10 times weekly counting round trips and I generally am able to keep my trips short enough to use transfers.
Making it an easier choice? Naw, like most riders I seldom have options. If it gets worse I’ll still ride it. I’d like to see permanent onboard security on the most dangerous routes.
2.What are the primary concerns of Muni’s owners (aka riders) about transportation and Muni in your District?
First, security. I don’t think Muni should pay the cops a dime. Until the last 2 years the cops didn’t send bills to Muni. They shouldn’t now. Particularly since they don’t earn the money. They game the Muni budget as do a plethora of departments. I’d rather see Patrol Specials on the coaches.
3.As a Supervisor, you will serve on the Board of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. What is the role of the SFCTA, and what would you set as priorities for the agency in the next 4 years?
The primary function of the SFTA is to rubber stamp outrageous giveaway construction contracts to friends of the Mayor. Contracts for such projects as the completely useless Chinatown Subway. The supes should be putting measures on the ballot to take control of the MTA.
4. Difficult decisions often have to be made regarding transportation in San Francisco.
Sometimes a well-researched project may have loud, angry opponents, or a popular project may not be the best for City residents and for San Francisco’s transportation
infrastructure.
How would you make a decision under these kinds of circumstances?
(Feel free to cite a similar situation from your past experience as an example – it doesn’t have to be transit related)
‘Lost leaders’ like the cable car system are legitimate. Political pork like Rose Pak’s personal subway are not. The crowd’s never a problem with me. I can yell louder and with more informed anger than anyone in town. Let them yell when I advocate bringing back and extending the jitney system. I’d do that at the rate of a hundred or so privately owned buses a year.
5.What is the Fix Muni Now charter amendment? Do you support it? (Y/N) Why or why not?
Sean’s charter amendment is a public mugging for political purposes. I don’t think the drivers or other employees are overpaid until you take overtime into account. Â Â I asked Elsbernd if he’d be in favor of re-opening the cops’ MOU and he said that he was. That said, I’ll vote for his measure. Some of the provisions of their contract are simply insane. I’ll fight to keep their pay scale competitive but won’t defend coke heads on a binge not required to phone in when they miss work.
6. One (of many) causes for Muni’s perennial budget woes was the illegal seizure of state gas tax money by Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature. This has left a large hole in Muni’s income (as well as every transit agency in CA).
How would you make up this gap in Muni revenue? Would you support
– a local funding source or sources (fees, taxes, or other type of revenue) to avoid future problems caused by the state?
– would you achieve savings through cuts to Muni’s budget, fare increases, etc.
– or, do you have other ideas on how to get Muni out of its annual financial woes?
(You can choose more than one option, but just explain it clearly)
Stop paying anything to any other department. Create a tax on sizeable business Downtown to cover the actual cost of getting their workers to them. Again, give contracts for one jitney per applicant up to say, 500 of them. All sizes of apparatus.
7. Finally, tell us a story about a funny or unique experience you’ve had on Muni.
Some guy jumped on the 5 Fulton headed downtown around midnight. There were only a half dozen or so of us riding. He started to curse and then threaten the driver for being late. I’ve no idea if the bus was late. I don’t think I waited over 10 minutes. Finally the guy asks the driver if he wants to get “slapped aroundâ€. I stood and called out:  “I’m on the driver’s side. Anyone else?â€.
The guy froze (bus was moving all this time) and after a few seconds a huge guy in the back called out: “I’m with the driver too.â€. Rest of ride was peaceful.
