The recent revelations that Gavin Newsom’s been paying mayoral aides out of the Municipal Transportation Agency’s budget is an uncharacteristically blatant display of contempt for the desires of San Franciscans. Within months of the passage of the Newsom-endorsed Prop A, which dedicated more money for the MTA, we find out that he’s been siphoning off money all along to pay his posse. This might explain the tepidness of his Prop A campaigning, but more importantly shows the level of concern Newsom really has for Muni and the people who ride it.
Now, it must be said that the amount of money we’re talking about here is not really gigantic. If Muni really is $100 million short, Newsom’s misappropriations add up to less than one percent. Even if he were to give back all the money, it certainly wouldn’t solve Muni’s problems. Still, I think I speak for many San Franciscans when I say that I’d much rather have another driver than pay Newsom’s web guy $85k a year out of the MTA budget.
Muni’s consistently one of the biggest issues for San Franciscans. Those of us who don’t have limousines to cart us around every day depend on a functional Muni, either for everyday transportation or as a fallback. To casually divert money from the agency to pay your cronies is the action of a Mayor whose vision is fixed on a domed building well outside the city.