[Rescue Muni] F-line and the Ballot Proposal

Donald F. Robertson (donaldrf@hooked.net)
Thu, 04 Mar 1999 22:55:47 -0800

I fully support the Rescue MUNI ballot proposal -- MUNI has reached the
point where almost any change to increase management and employee
accountability has to be good -- but I think the F-line fiasco might
show us something of what we're in for once it passes. There are
advantages to having MUNI in the political domain: MUNI made a foolish
porposal, the drivers and riders objected, and the Mayor responded.
Now, suppose the same thing happens when MUNI is being run by an
"independent authority" under a "strong manager." We're all assuming
that MUNI will then be run by "experts" who won't make "stupid
decisions" (defined by us as cutting back on the F-line). But, suppose
in some fit of stupidity they _do_ decide to cut F-line service or
something similar. How will the voices of riders (and drivers) be
heard, then?

Part of the perceived advantage of the "strong manager" is that they
_won't_ be heard, that driver and rider meddling won't be able to
over-ride what's best for MUNI. But, who decides? The F-line fiasco
makes me concerned.

I don't think we necessarily need to fully answer these questions before
we have some real world experience with the new system, which _has_
worked well in other cities. But we do need to ask them, and have some
ideas for possible responses available.

-- Donald

_________________________
Donald F. Robertson
San Francisco

donaldrf@hooked.net

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