This is however another indication of the disaster that is MUNI management.
It is good that the F-line is not cut back. It is NOT good that it took
grass roots activism and a mayoral intervention to do the right thing.
This issue must be addressed. But it doesn't look too good to me. No one
wants to of course because civil service is the ultimate third-rail of SF
politics. But the crew in MUNI management simply are not cutting it.
Booze-Allen is supposed to be in there now under their new contract with
"real ability to influence". Well it didn't help in the decision about the
F line. A new General Manager is supposed to be on the way but I question
whether the best manager in the world could do much -- Cruz certainly
couldn't-- and I actually think he was pretty good. The public spin on the
ballot initiatives seems to be taking off in the direction of "how much
should we bust the driver's union". NOT THE ISSUE.
I do not advocate any particular solution. I just want to see the issue
come up. I feel that the Mayor understands the problem and is doing
everything he can to distract our attention. "The great OZ says ignore the
man behind the curtain." The most important thing that RescueMUNI can do
right now is try to move the public debate toward the question of how MUNI
management can be reformed/transformed/replaced or whatever into a group
that can manage the MUNI's resources to benefit the people and transit
riders of San Francisco.