Boost the vehicle license fee to help fund S.F. public transit: mayoral candidate David Chiu on Muni

Part II of the interview

This video is part of the series “Can S.F.’s next mayor save Muni?” quizzing San Francisco mayoral candidates on their public transit policies. Reporter Jerold Chinn and photographer Steven Rhodes conducted the interviews. Check back daily for more videos interviews.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chui is one of three mayoral candidates to receive an endorsement from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Chiu plays up the fact that he does not have a car and gets around the city on his bike and on Muni, but will he be the mayor that stands up for Muni?

Last year, Chiu and then Mayor Gavin Newsom agreed upon Muni reforms to restore service, which had been cut 10 percent because of the transit agency’s budget shortfall. Since then, only 6 percent of that service has been restored.

Chiu said in order to help the cash-strapped agency he’s in favor of greatly increasing the state vehicle license fee. In 2003, when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, the first thing he did was slash the vehicle license fee.

Find out what other plans to has for funding and improving Muni service.