New SFMTA director ready to tackle $300M budget deficit
SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum outlines vision for agency
New SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum outlined her goals to seek new revenue and get the agency on firm financial footing.
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's new transit director has outlined her plans for the agency and the search for a new funding source.
Director Julie Kirschbaum has been with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) for nearly two decades and is poised to lead the agency into the future.
The SFMTA keeps the city running with buses and trains crisscrossing the area.
Projected $300M deficit
What we know:
Kirschbaum was appointed last week to the new position, which comes at a time of financial turmoil, with a projected $300 million budget deficit by July 2026. Addressing this is one of her top priorities.
"The first is addressing our revenue challenges. Related to that is rebuilding trust in some cases where we may have lost it. Then the third is to really be a force multiplier for the amazing SFMTA staff," Kirschbaum said.
To reach those financial goals, the director said the agency needs to run as efficiently as possible. That includes cutting hundreds of positions that don't directly impact the rider experience and being thoughtful about service.
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"We haven't restored all the service that we had before COVID," Kirschbaum said. "But the service we are delivering, we are delivering at a higher quality, where people can count on it, where it's clean, where it's reliable."
Transit expert Henriette Cornet, CEO of Urban Innovate, said while the SFMTA is considering service cuts to save money, the agency should look to increase ridership and reach out to those who aren't riding Muni to help cover the funding gap.
"Instead of seeing cuts into the services to spare money, I would love to see how we can generate more revenue and more ridership," Cornet said.
Mayor Daniel Lurie appointed Kirschbaum to the director position after she held the interim position when the previous director stepped down.
"She understands what we all understand, which is that we need to communicate better with community, and she understands SFMTA needs to do that every single day, working with community, not dictating to the community," Lurie said.
Kirschbaum said at this point she's not looking to make any big changes.
She said now is a time to listen to the people of San Francisco about how the transit agency can work best for them and the city.
"We are trying to be good listeners, focused on safety, and focused on customer service," Kirschbaum said.
Kirschbaum said when it comes to revenue, she is working with the city's controller's office and stakeholders on revenue options, including ballot measures and program cuts, to manage the budget.
There is no silver bullet to getting SFMTA on budget, she said, and it will require adjustments on several fronts.
The Source: Information for this story comes from a sit-down with SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum, and an interview with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.