When we advocate for a new bike project, the most common response from the City is “sorry, but we just don’t have enough money.”
Your SF Bicycle Coalition staff has put that excuse to test by reading every line of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s FY 2013-2014 Operating Budget. We wondered if the agency had indeed taken a fine-tooth comb to its budget to see if it was truly leaving no stone unturned in its quest to find money for critical street safety projects, including key biking projects.
Keep in mind that the agency historically spends less than 1% of its budget on biking (and a similar amount on pedestrian projects), which amounts to roughly $3-5 million per year.
Our findings were shocking. We found that in multiple cases, the SFMTA is spending the same amount or more money on unspecified office materials as they do on bike projects. Check out our findings here.
Is the agency truly prioritizing Post Its over street safety projects? All budget items have a rationale and a constituency. Perhaps these are critical items that take precedence over street safety. But that remains an open question – a question that you can help us get answered.
Speak up for bike funding at MTA Board Meeting on Friday, March 14 (9:00AM, City Hall, Room 400). Ask MTA leadership whether they are prioritizing Post Its over critical bike and other safety projects. Email janice@sfbike.org to plug in to this campaign.
