Action Alert: Support Parking Fees and Fines to Fund Muni; Survey Reminder

As you probably know, the Municipal Transportation Agency Board
recently passed the MTA's 2006 budget that closed an approximately $55
million budget gap with a combination of fare increases, parking fees
and fines, and service cuts. Rescue Muni wasn't thrilled about the
fare increase, but we were pleased that the MTA chose to implement
substantial increases in parking-related charges to help fund Muni.

However, we've heard that some auto drivers have complained to their
Supervisors and are asking them to reject the increases in parking fees
and fines, or perhaps reject the entire budget. We need YOU to contact
your Supervisor to urge APPROVAL of the proposed fees! Higher parking
charges make sense, not only because they help fund Muni and prevent
much deeper service cuts, but also because they provide an incentive to
switch from driving to using transit.

See our letter to the MTA board and staff on the subject:
http://www.rescuemuni.org/budgetletter0205.pdf

We urge you to contact your Supervisor and urge him/her to support the
parking fees and fines AS PROPOSED by MTA. Call and briefly tell the
person who answers that you support charging auto drivers more to help
prevent Muni service cuts:

1. McGoldrick, Jake - 415-554-7410 - Jake.McGoldrick [at] sfgov.org
2. Alioto-Pier, Michela - 415-554-7752 - Michela.Alioto-Pier [at] sfgov.org
3. Peskin, Aaron - 415-554-7450 - Aaron.Peskin [at] sfgov.org
4. Ma, Fiona - 415-554-7460 - Fiona.Ma [at] sfgov.org
5. Mirkarimi, Ross - 415-554-7630 - Ross.Mirkarimi [at] sfgov.org
6. Daly, Chris - 415-554-7970 - Chris.Daly [at] sfgov.org
7. Elsbernd, Sean - 415-554-6516 - Sean.Elsbernd [at] sfgov.org
8. Dufty, Bevan - 415-554-6968 - Bevan.Dufty [at] sfgov.org
9. Ammiano, Tom - 415-554-5144 - Tom.Ammiano [at] sfgov.org
10. Maxwell, Sophie - 415-554-7674 -Sophie.Maxwell [at] sfgov.org
11. Sandoval, Gerardo - 415-554-6975 - Gerardo.Sandoval [at] sfgov.org

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REMINDER: Muni Riders' Survey is going on now. Don't forget to record
how long you wait every time you take Muni! For details, see
http://www.rescuemuni.org. You can download and print out a survey form at
http://www.rescuemuni.org/2005surv.pdf.

We also need volunteers to spread the word about the survey and get
more commuters to participate! If you would like to help, particularly
in the evening rush hour, please reply to this email.

Thanks!
Andrew Sullivan
Chair, Rescue Muni