San Francisco Sun

On October 14th, mayoral candidate Keith Freedman said he would be voting 'No on L' in opposition of Proposition L, a measure that seeks to increase funding for MUNI, San Francisco’s public transportation system, by reallocating city resources.

“I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This is robbing Peter to pay for Paul's drug habit," Freedman said in a post on X. "MUNI needs to get its financial [emoji] in order before we go around making people who aren't riding the bus pay for bus rides. Absurd!”

Freedman’s opposition to Proposition L centers on the belief that the city should address the inefficiencies within MUNI before placing further financial burdens on taxpayers. His comments reflect a broader concern among residents about the transparency and fiscal responsibility of the agency’s operations.

With Proposition L on the ballot, Freedman’s stance adds a voice to the growing opposition, raising critical questions about accountability and the distribution of taxpayer dollars in San Francisco.

MUNI, short for the San Francisco Municipal Railway, is the public transit system in San Francisco, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), providing bus, streetcar, and light rail services throughout the city.

According to San Francisco’s Ethics Commission, for Fiscal Year 2025, San Francisco is facing a $799 million budget shortfall, compelling city departments, including SFMTA, to propose 10% cuts in FY25 and FY26 from their General Fund budgets.

An additional proposed contingency cut of 5% is required each year to address the financial challenges, which include a $245 million deficit in the first year and a $554 million deficit in the second year.