Transit agencies across the state are facing a move by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to take $1 billion in transit funds as he attempts to counter California’s budget deficit, the San Francisco Examiner has reported. The timing could not be worse in San Francisco, where Muni ridership has increased 1.1 percent in the first nine months of 2009, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The trend runs counter to national statistics that show a decline in public transit ridership.
The Chronicle cited American Public Transportation Association officials, who blamed the national decrease on service cuts, fare increases and high unemployment. That doesn’t bode well for San Francisco: In the first week of December, Muni cut six lines and reduced service to several others. The agency attributed the cuts to a deficit in the current fiscal year. It increased the price of monthly passes as of January 1.
The Examiner reports that Schwarzenegger’s proposal would take gas-tax funds that voters approved for transit and shift them to the state’s general fund. The Transbay Terminal project, slated to begin construction this year, is funded by other revenue and does not appear to be affected by the cuts, according to the New York Times.
