santa fe san francisco arc i want to talk about the free ride you muni for the seniors and for adult go disabilities and it will help my family a lot and helping me so i you know i'm using - thank you. >> thank you good testimony. >> (calling names). >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon. my name is is rem ma i'm a member of power and we worked long years for free muni passes i want to share some of the reasons why free muni was a success it's affordable a lot of the parents scrambling to get muni bus money

that burden is off their shoulders the child rides for free it gives vicinities so for the youth myself included when i didn't have money for the bus i would have to ask folks for money or try to do other things to get the money i also wanted to say the youth avoids crimtion you're not being has he would by the police for not paying your fair i know, you know in the death of kenneth harden he died because i didn't have the money to show he paid for his muni the principle if you have free muni you can go to school and the library and get around the city if you're not you're in one area your own community so a lot of the kids are surprised the kids

in bayview they're not able to be a tourist in their own city i support the free muni for seniors and people with disabilities thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker. >> (calling names) >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon. chair and the board and everyone else in the room i'm james wong representing an organization in the city called it help for the recalled we help seniors and people with disabilities to enhance the quality of life in the city we advocate free muni based on the sole reason of the living costs in the city is so high every penny counts for the seniors and the people with disabilities with low to

moderate income we're an organization we have different free lymph we offer to seniors and for the seniors to get to the sites they need free michigander and free transportation so they can get out of their home and see the sites as well in addition to the meals free muni helps them to get to other places in the city like the hospitals to see their doctors the golden gate park and everywhere he will we advocate free muni to the seniors and people with disabilities. >> we've been joined by supervisor campos will the supervisors come forward we'll be right back thank you very much. >> (laughter). go ahead >> the head of mta mr. tom president of the mta board and officers and members the board

ladies and gentlemen, good morning. i'm a seminar volunteer representing the senior center headed by the leader a smarlt lady she has social services and translations for the homeless to is a fantastic place to live in the living conditions are very high that effects the cost of basic needs like medicines and house and fairs seniors and adults with disability are hard up to reach out or traveling to buy food medical check up and going to recessional parks and art exhibits and walk to see a movie visiting relatives and friends we have $23 afforded in our

papers is not enough for seniors and persons with disabilities we want to leave a meaningful life and be healthier and happier we need free muni he repeat we need free muni our deepest appreciation and staff who came to the center and collaborate with us with current issues for the senior and 12k5ib89 university thank you for enitalian us on the safety measures and the benefits for seniors and persons with disabled in advance thank you so much for hearing our petition please free muni for seniors and people with disabilities the seniors center president here they are (clapping.) thank you. >> thank you, thank you

supervisor campos. >> good afternoon and welcome supervisor. >> good afternoon, president that's a pretty hard act to follow director reiskin and others i want to thank the senior and disability community i won't repeat what she said i'll provide context for what's happening when we started the pilot of free muni for low income and middle-income youth we were trying to figure out how tomato misses the use of our public permit system we know one the roadblocks it's expensive to live in san francisco the idea for us pushing for free muni for low income youth it will only be a inventing the hope we'll

expand that program to cover anyone that needs access to public transit that includes our seniors and low income folks the program has been a tremendous success and at that time when the mta and other agencies are seeing a decline in ridership this program is actually introducing new people into the public transportation system it's not only great public policy but insures the public transit i will say that this couldn't come two soon the fact is that san francisco is the most special place in the country everyone wants to live in san francisco it's a special city and a a city that faces many challenges we have the greatest income inequality of any city in the country there's

a great deal of prosperity and wealth in san francisco the fact that month san franciscans are struggling to live in the city and the studies 0 show a great great deal of of costs is housing by transportation so with this act by approving item 11 i'll be sending a clear message to our senior and dablthd community they belong in san francisco we want them to stay and we recognize they're struggling and time to make a commitment to them the senior and disabled will have been an important part of making san francisco today what it is unless we help them they'll not been able to live in san francisco i'm proud we're here and grateful to this board to the administration for the leadership and i know you're going to do the right thing and

especially the community advocates that made this possible you you know when we started a few years back who would have thought we'd be here thank you for what you're about to do today. >> thank you for your leadership and >> next speaker. >> >> next speaker. >> (calling names). >> okay. good afternoon. >> good afternoon.

>> (speaking foreign language.) >> good afternoon public transit is a net when it comes to the accessibility for many of us we struggle with the cost of

transportation i don't think it's working. >> use the other microphone the cost of the muni pass is now $23 a month it may not sound high but with a senior every nickel and dime counts only seniors can afford to buy one muni pass or share the muni passes if we can alleviate some of this it will greatly improve the quality of life where the cost of living is too much the city is getting increasingly hard for san franciscans if we want san francisco to be a transit first city we need to prioritize the need of our community we demand the free muni be approval today so we can

remain mobile in our city thank you very much thank you. next speaker. >> (calling names) are any of those folks here repeating. >> good afternoon. >> hi i have a video i'd like to share. >> video. >> video is it okay. >> who wants a video. >> about 4 minutes but only the last two minutes on u s c. >> i think you can plug it in there you have to download it. >> it can't exceed two minutes as long as you understand that

okay. >> it's not fair. >> it's not the decision it's for all the application in order to find (inaudible) in general if they need something strong around the city and probably the only way they can do it is in walking distance. >> okay thanks normally to promote the seniors taking the bus and in areas that they may serve i know they're not doing anything about it the fact that seniors are unable to

take the bus you need more folks with disabilities (inaudible) it is the only way in the budget especially for those next door in trouble i believe that people are seniors and (inaudible) this is the investment and anyone needing public transportation. >> minimal i know you guys doesn't have family and friends in other countries imagine. >> you call the senior skills this is why i ask the sfmta board for people with disabilities with grandparents and seniors can't see their friends they can only travel through muni. >> people with disability. >> i'm here to ask you altitude

to pass the free muni for seniors and people with disabilities to help them going get to their dissemination. >> thank you very much okay. >> thank you. next speaker, please (calling names). >> caesar. >> hello everyone i'm caesar i'm deaf i wanted to summarize alters story about disabilities you you know related to deaf to deaf disability well, i think we should earner free muni passes

why minimal our deaf and you're getting on muni and your struggles with communication and money you want to meet our deceive friends and it's important 2, 3, 4 san francisco i hope i get a free muni pass thank you very much. >> thank you (clapping.) >> >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> (calling names) good afternoon. >> hi good afternoon bob from urban habitat i want to thank all the unanimously advocates and the folks with disabilities out here for all the great work and thank you director reiskin and the staff i know at that time the public has talked about the level of quality in the city for all perspectives the fabric this agency has taken a role internationally and supervisor campos said we know that the

combined housing and transportation are stretching everyone to the limit and this is one way we can do to address that and i think as someone as a policy analyst advocate and organizer from washington to sacramento around the cap & trade debate shaking the trees to get more revenue for the state of mind this is trembling cost effective i want to make the case the saw way talking building the next free muni for youth program this agency is showing at that time of rising quality we'll make the right decisions not only the right thing to do but build the base for the ballot for fire chief measures we had a successful

year in 2014 around operations there's more to do we've talked to the agency and director reiskin has talked about the same need but the best way to assure the ongoing support when we have the opportunity we make investments that benefit the folks that rely on it the most your investing on the folks in this room and laying the foundation for the folks that will help you to fund the future and thanks for everyone. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> (calling names.) >> shirley. >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon, everyone i'm insuring will i meaning for seniors and the folks with district attorney's office it effects people of our community 24 program provides the opportunity for seniors and

people with disabled to travel around and explore that beautiful city those seniors will have less of a burden on their fees many people rely on transportation for example most moderate income seniors travel from bayview for many purposes for grocery shopping and hanging out with seniors and support without free muni people will stay home with this program many people will not isolate themselves from the community there ever we ask mta to approve this program and for this to happen it benefits many of the residents thank you and have a nice day. >> thank you.

>> (calling names) are any of those folks in the room or in the overflow room please come forward. >> good afternoon, sir. >> hi i'm paul hickman from the agency i'm speaking michael had to leave and so i work for family agencies an agency for mental health and the center when the seniors heard about this free muni they were very happy and good about us coming here and you folks hoping passing this bill seniors want to be out and have a good time and freeing muni will be an easy way to get

out and enjoy san francisco and they'll be enjoying muni and the city an easy way you know and it's much easier for them you know on their pay and everything do get out and go places and going down to get a pass sometimes it's a hard to get a muni placing pass this way they go out and have a good time and enjoy the city and thank you guys for the good work you're doing they enjoy the muni and going to enjoy it more and have a good time thank you so much. >> thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> (calling names). >> mr. maguire here?

oh please come >> i don't know if this works automatic i'm e.r. la maguire a member of the board of senior disability action since i'm obviously a senior riding a wheelchair i fit the bill you know, i know we're of everyone's peace but one thing it seems like we forget is timing it's crucial that we're not left behind or waiting when we have

something serious surrounding us and you know i don't need food and clothing and shelter but honestly have proper transportation we can't get to what we need and no less what we want we've almost given up on what we not because of our lack of transportation so i'm obviously here pleading for free mini for seniors and people with disabilities i do want to thank muni and other people for this sincere effort and helping us royals this thank you. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please >> (calling names)

jessica lehman is the last person to turn in a speaker card on this. >> good afternoon ms. la man. >> good afternoon, everyone i want to invite the senior and disability folks in the room to come up here mostly thank you to the mta for supporting this critical program particularly tom nolan that is a champion as well as director reiskin and supervisor mar and others so many community groups that came out to support we have too long a list but the housing alliance and the senior center and living progress center and on house and

walk san francisco and veterans equate center have worked and thank you for free muni for youth paving the way and starting to talk about the issues of justice with the widening gap between rich and poor we see the entire community community of color and poor communities are pushed out the city this is a critical step for seniors and folks with disabilities can play a critical role i think the last time i saw this lady she was talking about how important to get free muni for seniors and folks with disabilities we are proud to work with her and look forward to working with everyone in this room an implementing free muni for seniors and people b with disabilities. >> thank you all very much

anyone else care to address the board no one else has turned in a card members of the public thank you members of the board what's our pleasure i can begin with a word i was very pleased to be going to the rally awhile go i'll proud to part of the system it moves a lot and the mobile operation extremely proud the two days i was proudest to come up with free muni for youth that is wonderful and today i see looking at the crowd of folks here i know that people mentioned the $23 i know it matters so this is a very important step for us and barry was mentioning i wanted to dedicate any support to her and

if she were here in person she'll say good start she was like that you know your friend vieira an amazing woman and thank you to the department of aging adults and christian ton and sherry worked hard with the various committees and the advocates of jessica la man and second to none is the advocate in terms of getting us here today and deserving the credit eye we've been joined by supervisor yee so we'll hear in supervisor yee supervisor yee even to public comment has been cut off we're to make an exception. >> thank you for having me come up here i guess i've spoken about this issue and want to reiterate my strong support for

free muni for seniors and people with disabilities it is not because i'm a senior it's because laura i probably qualify but i've worked with seniors pretty much all my life and seen the issues in regards to fixed incomes and so forth especially now where it is the gap we're seeing the economic gap we're seeing really hits people with fixed income even more it's important for us as a city and stand up and support in notation is president noel was recalling to support this afternoon i'm here to stand by them he want to commend this commission i'm feeling confident he'll be supporting it and thank you very much. >> any more members of the

board. >> i definitely will support this proposal it is a great step forward we're here to provide transportation for the entire city if people can't afford to use our transportation it is our responsibility as a senior to take care of people and make sure they have access to transportation and again to play on the note this is a good first step and the next step to press forward with our vision zero goal to make sure that everybody what get to and from the business safely let's give you safe assess on the streets i'll go ahead and approve. >> second. >> obviously this is very critical i think one of the wonderful things not in the city i feel like you know when i get older i hope to remain in san francisco because you your able to be connected and it's

exciting when we pick up a clear it rims me people are cut off and isolated and people are able to do their basic shopping and meet up with friends and get out of their homes it's critical i know that people are having a hard time getting bay but we're increasing our service to accommodate more potential riders and obviously a large part of vision zero and overall muni plan to create the transportation around the city thank you for the boards leadership i'm the new but i'm excited thank you for your advocacy and leadership we're here to support you and thankfully your among us. >> thank you thank you, chairman nolan i'll support in enth