On Tuesday, April 16, the SFMTA Board of Directors unanimously approved the agency's FY 2025 and FY 2026 SFMTA Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget.
This Budget will allow us to continue providing: transit service on 72 Muni lines; paratransit service for half a million seniors and people with disabilities every year; street safety programs and projects like new street designs that make our roads safer for everyone; and more. It also makes modest increases to Muni fares, fees and fines while protecting vulnerable populations, increasing fare equity and supporting the future financial health of the agency. For more information on the budget proposal, you can review the April 16 budget presentation we gave to the SFMTA Board.
The San Francisco City Charter requires the SFMTA to submit a two-year budget in even-numbered years that outlines how the agency will allocate its operating and capital resources for the next two years.
Transportation is vital to San Francisco’s livability, vitality and economic recovery as well as to our equity and environmental goals. As we plan our two-year budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 24-25 and FY 25-26, we are focused on how we can best use our limited resources to provide San Franciscans with the transportation services they need and deserve. Our challenge is that we are still recovering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and grappling with the structural deficit we had prior to the pandemic.
Budget Development Process
To establish the two-year budget, SFMTA staff develop a proposed revenue and expenditure plan for the coming two-year cycle for the Operating and Capital Budgets. The SFMTA Board of Directors discusses the budget over the course of numerous board meetings and must approve the budget in time for it to be presented to the Mayor no later than May 1of each even numbered year. The City Charter outlines formulas that determine the level of funding allocated to the SFMTA from the city's General Fund. If the proposed budget is within the defined funding levels, the Mayor must forward the budget to the Board of Supervisors as proposed. The Board of Supervisors may allow the SFMTA budget to take effect without any action or it may reject the budget.
In order to continue providing the same level of programs and services we provide now - from Muni service to traffic control to street safety improvements - we need to raise $12.7 million in new revenue. This is because costs go up every year with inflation and the cost of living. We are considering increasing Muni fares and parking fees and fines to bridge our budget gap and want to explain our proposals to you and respond to your questions and concerns: Fiscal Years 2025 & 2026 Community Briefing Presentation.
For more information on the different revenue options discussed at the March 19 Board Meeting, please review the FY 24-25 and 25-26 Operating and Capital Budget Update. You can to reach out to us at Budget@SFMTA.com or (415) 646-2299 to voice your questions and suggestions.
Community Engagement
We have held two public listening sessions, one virtual and one in-person, to present our budget proposal to community members, listen to questions and concerns, and discuss how the agency is funded and allocates resources. At these sessions, the top issues people expressed were:
- Concerns about fare evasion and security on Muni
- Concerns about changes to transit fares and parking fees
- Interest in increased access to Muni fare discount programs
Taking this feedback into consideration, we have reassessed our FY 24-25 and FY 25-26 budget proposals and will present and then finalize them in April 2024. You can listen to the full overview of the proposals given at the virtual listening session.
Muni Service Network
As part of the budget planning process, we are seeking customer feedback about Muni's current service network - all the service out on the streets since January 2024 - which includes previous modifications to the L-Taraval bus, the 28-19th Avenue bus and the Powell-Mason Cable Car that are already in effect. Given our financial constraints, no new service changes are being proposed. Any future service modifications will be cost neutral. The current service plan will be included in our Board budget discussions and will be open for public comment. Details on the current service network can be found at the Muni Routes & Stops webpage.
More Feedback Opportunities Coming Up in April - we want to hear from you!
The SFMTA Board of Directors will hold hearings in April to discuss its two-year budget, including proposals about fares, fees, fines and transit service.
The meetings will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall, Room 400 and Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 1:00.p.m. at City Hall, Room 400. An additional meeting with the Board of Directors may be held April 23, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall Room 400 if needed.
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Budget Information