Cars and Transit Needed

Letter to the Editor By: Marie Hurabiell

Regarding “Three ideas to save S.F. Muni that have nothing to do with cutting service” (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, June 23): Joe DiMento blames San Francisco’s transit crisis on “public subsidies for private cars.” That’s misleading. Drivers already pay registration fees, parking fees and gas taxes — much of which funds roads and transit.

Everyone wants Muni to succeed. But ridership is falling, routes are shrinking and the budget gap is growing. Blaming cars distracts from real issues: ballooning labor costs, outdated infrastructure and a transit system that hasn’t adjusted to post-pandemic patterns.

Dismissing residential parking as a luxury ignores reality. Many who rely on street parking aren’t driving luxury SUVs — they’re working-class people who live far from reliable transit. Taking away affordable parking doesn’t help Muni; it just punishes people with few choices.

This shouldn’t be a war between drivers and riders. We need smart investments to improve public transit — not a crusade against curb space.

Let’s be honest about equity. Eliminating low-cost parking doesn’t hurt the wealthy — it hurts the working class. Muni needs stable funding and practical reform, not scapegoating. That’s how we build a city that works for everyone, not just the car-free few.

Marie Hurabiell, executive director, ConnectedSF and InspireSF

Originally posted to The San Francisco Chronicle as a Letter to the Editor on June 30, 2025 by Marie Hurabiell