Reminder! Free Transit Hearing! Tue Mar 4, 4pm SF City Hall, Rm 400 - PLEASE ATTEND!

Hi all,

Our first opportunity this year has arrived, to join in strong solidarity with the social justice community, and at the same time strike a key blow to reverse the climate crisis. It is such joining of our movements together toward common objectives that gives us the most power in numbers to make change!

**Tomorrow, on Tuesday, March 4, 4pm, SF City Hall, in Room 400, a key hearing is being held on extending and expanding the free youth transit program in San Francisco.**

POWER and other social justice and people-of-color organizations are working to permanently expand free transit to more youth, with the ultimate goal of eventually extending free transit to -all- San Francisco riders.

It is vital to reversing the climate crisis that we make San Francisco a car free city within the next two decades and the free youth transit program is the first crucial step.

POWER has asked us to show up in force to next Tuesday's hearing to show the Municipal Transit Agency (MTA) that the community demands free Muni to be expanded as quickly as possible, starting with all San Francisco youth.

PLEASE ATTEND! And please forward this message.

Here are the details:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Fwd: Free Muni for Youth Update for Allies - upcoming decision
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:06:06 -0800
From: jane martin <jane@peopleorganized.org>
To: Eric Brooks <brookse32@earthlink.net>


Begin forwarded message:

Free  Muni for Youth update for allies

March 4th MTA Hearing on the future of the program
Free Muni for Youth was initially approved a pilot program that will end in June of this year.  On March 4th the MTA Board will be considering the future of the program deciding whether is ends in June or continues as a permeant program. We need to organize a strong show of support at this hearing!!!  The hearing is set to begin at 1pm, but we have asked that the MTA Board accommodate youth coming after school by allowing youth to arrive 
& testify after 4pm. 

Mayor Lee in support
This what Mayor Lee said in his state of the city address, "And there's one more thing we can do for our working families who rely on Muni. Last year, the SFMTA, at the urging of Supervisor Campos and many in the community, began a pilot program to fund free Muni for low-income youth. The results are in. It's a hit! And our kids need it. It's time to make it permanent, and I call upon the SFMTA to do just that in its next two-year budget."  We did such a good job organizing last year and enrolling students in this program that the need for it to continue could not be more clear.  Now we to show up and make sure that the MTA Board does the right thing.  SF Chronicle 

18 year olds
The one serious flaw in the pilot program was that students who turned 18 in the middle of their senior year were suddenly no longer eligible and had to pay full fare to get to school.   The community has raised this concern and convinced the MTA Board  to considering whether or not to expand the program to include 18 year olds.  One of the main reasons that we need a  strong show of support on March 4th is get the MTA to include 18 years olds.  If you or someone who know has been impacted by the exclusion of 18 year olds please come to the hearing to tell your story.  

Free Muni for low-income seniors also being considered!
The MTA Board will be making decisions about the future of Free Muni for Youth as part of a series of decisions about what to include in their budget. We need to make sure the voices of Muni riders are heard so that we win a budget that provides the quality, affordable transportation that our communities need. There are both good and bad proposals on the table.  MTA Budget Presentation

Some of the good proposals include: 
- Continuing Free Muni for Youth
- Expanding Free Muni for Youth to include 18 years olds
- Free Muni for low-income seniors and people with disabilities
- Increased Muni service to restore service cuts and ensure that buses come more often
- More maintenance so buses don't break down as often

Some of the bad proposals include:
- A one dollar surcharge during rush hour on some bus routes increasing the fare at those times to $3
- Making it so that you can't use your fast pass during rush hour unless you buy the more expensive BART + Muni fast pass
- Increasing the youth and senior cash fares

Transit Equity
The MTA will be going to the voters next fall to approve millions in new revenue for transportation. Member organizations of the Free Muni for Youth Coalition have been working with other transportation advocates and Supervisor John Avalos to draft the Transportation Equity Charter Amendment that would require the MTA to address existing service disparities (worse service in low-income neighborhoods) with any new transportation funding.  It also requires the MTA to continue the Free Muni for Youth program and limits fare increases to no more that the cost of living increase.   Please let us know if your organization can endorse this effort.  CBS



-- 

"I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves."

Che Guevara