Labor, business, and transit advocacy groups are expressing concerns about the future of San Francisco’s Muni system. Transportation officials have shared that service cuts might be necessary if one or both of the proposed ballot measures to fund Muni operations fail this November.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) staff held a community panel discussion as part of its all-day workshop to discuss the agency’s budget. The panel was asked how Muni service cuts could affect the communities and employees they represent.
“We understand that like lines have to be cut everywhere, but when it has to get cut in a very vulnerable, low-income neighborhood, that’s very troublesome when the folks there heavily rely on transit to get to work every day, to get to school every day,” said Rosa Chen, who works at the Chinatown Community Development Center. “To hear about the possibility of all of these cuts, it’s going to hurt.”
Jaime Viloria with the San Francisco Transit Riders said, “The agency should be looking at raising revenue from parking instead of on the backs of transit riders.” The organization has opposed raising Muni fares to balance the budget.
“There’s only so much you can charge before people start using other modes of transportation,” Viloria said.
Julie Kirschbaum, the SFMTA’s director of transportation, told directors that the agency could be looking at cutting up to 20 Muni routes, while passengers could have to wait longer for trains and buses. Additionally, the agency could end regular service at 9 p.m. and reduce or cut cable car service and historic streetcar service on the F-Market/Wharves.
“To hear about the possibility of all of these cuts, it’s going to hurt.”
— Rosa Chen, Chinatown Community Development Center
To avoid any service cuts, voters will need to approve a regional sales tax measure and a parcel tax measure. If one or both fail, a potential timeline indicates that the SFMTA would begin planning and conducting outreach about Muni service cuts in early 2027. The regional measure would raise about $1 billion for Bay Area transit agencies, of which the SFMTA would receive approximately $155 million annually. On the parcel tax, the SFMTA would receive approximately $150 million, with at least $10 million for transit improvements.
Layoffs across the agency could occur if either or both measures fail. If one fails, the agency could face layoffs of 700–900 employees. If both fail, up to 2,100 employees could face layoffs.
“Having 2,000 people lose their jobs, that’s 2,000 families,” said Nicole Christian, a member of SEIU Local 1021. “That is 2,000 families that will have to decide between rent and food, that will have to decide between food and gas, food and commuting, rent and paying all the rest of their bills, clothes for their kids, medical care.”
The SFMTA is facing a $307 million deficit in the 2026–27 fiscal year, which starts on July 1. There was news last week from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) that there was an agreement with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and the state’s Department of Finance on a $590 million loan agreement for Bay Area agencies to avoid service cuts during the 2026–27 fiscal year. The original ask was $750 million.
Bree Mawhorter, the SFMTA’s chief financial officer, said the agency will receive $200 million as a loan from the state, but it will not cover the entire deficit. Mawhorter presented one-time funding sources for directors to ponder, including using the agency’s reserves, moving funds from capital to operations, or continuing one-time savings from previous cost controls.
The SFMTA will need to send its budget to the mayor and Board of Supervisors by May 1.