i. >> 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 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 enthusiasm and you mentioned two of you're most exciting days this will reveal only may be one person will like this comment two of the most exciting days our reserve policies were met and our upgrades we are taken (laughter) you know, i royals you'll tease me sophomore being bureaucratic but that financial scrutiny and diligence that allows us to be in this position i'm very glad my colleague raised this not voting in the interest of people voting today or the media we're expanding the service and doing other things we minded our p and q is congratulations and on that

sentiment what we're approving with respect to the pass for the low and moderate disability and senior customers is a 2 year program for 2015- 2016 and he assume director reiskin with the other programs to revisit this and see how it's holding up financially and make it better from a financial or service prospective; is that correct. >> so the board approved the this fair program along with the service increase with the elimination of the customer service center and online traction fee and the fleet appearance in the last two years you made the execution contingent on the agencies finances in 2015 which is where we are before you today and this

item contains that review it mentioned the credit rating increase the strong state of our reserves and the work that mayor ed lee has done has put us in a position along with the fiscal policy of the board i i'd like to thank the agency we can afford those we'll as it goes forward it is hard to bring a budget proposal next time that will undo this program if it's approved today we'll be with our approval we'll be executing the change and the faster way i'll urge it we advance it by a couple of months be effective on march first and will stay that way you'll be legally setting that fair through the end of next fiscal year and the next

process you'll contemplating this among the fair changes and monitor the fiscal impact what we expect it to be we're not looking this on a temporary policy should we need 0 recommend another change. >> >> i'm not suggesting 24 is a temporary program i'll suggesting more there have been critics or concerns about the potential fraud or potential impact all things unforeseen circumstances and here we're putting this in at part of 2015- 2016 and hearing if our director of transportation to look at this the next time to address those issues i want to make sure this is in the record to make sure that's important

other thing in 24 presentation he of time to say it struck me was how different the other cities are on this or perhaps how for a head we'll be so thank you to the staff for prep that report it is important to recognize the unique challenges that people have spoken to the cost of living and the disparity their resilience on transportation and our city's commitment to transportation so i'll ask one thing as we go forward with us youth and senior and disabled consultant are not the only people facing the issue we have the lifeline program in place i'll urge we use the publicity and the attention to make sure our fell seniors understand the lifeline you can

get assistance on your fair in san francisco on low means of you're not old or young or 12k5ib89d i will say that going forward at future workshops we revisit where the lifeline program is and revisit the goals that director heinecke stated well at the beginning felt discussion we have an obligation to make sure we're serving their needs as well. >> thank you director reiskin. >> yeah. i was excited to report this i want to thank everyone in the community who have been working hard and diligently working in all her colleagues appreciate that everyone has spoken on it eloquently this is a huge access a person with disabilities myself it is difficult to pay

for a ticket so hopefully with the clipper card this will be easier and very good economic benefits on the community members so thank you, again, for everyone and thank you staff for all the hard work it was great to read the report it was thoughtful and happen to support this proposal. >> director ramos. >> i wanted to say how proud i am to be part of that body and to be in community with all of you and in this amazing city that has present us with this opportunity to be able to do things that are so important i don't think my of us are unaware how people have a hard time making ends meet particularly with low income for me personally, i see my own parent in their 70s having a

hard time getting through the most and how important it is for them to be able to make every dollar stretch and while for some it might mean only able to get a tackle but eating a little bit better and being more active i'm trying to make sure my parents are healthy they have to be social and one of the most challenging thing is transportation so i know how important this is going to be to get to keep all of us social and active and really a true community i feel that that for those that might be concerned that well, we can't keep on giving things away i'll remind them of the prayer of st. francis in this prayer it

is not in giving that we receive the healthier our seniors are this healthier we all are we will all be seniors hopefully and want you to be healthy and be here and want people with disabled it be here and frankly i, say none of us want to live in a city without people of disabilities you make our community richer i'm greatly honored and very grateful to chairman nolan and director reiskin for being committed from the beginning this could have been a whole lot harder just the entities in the leadership not only in this agency but the mayor and the board of supervisors it really says a lot about who we are so i'm looking forward to doing this.

>> we are joined by supervisor kim happen to hear our words if i can get another expectation. >> good afternoon of supervisor. >> well, since i don't have to convince the board of supervisors i want to appreciate the board of directors and our staff taking up this issue it's something we have been talking about for a very, very long time coming up 2, 3, 42003 the complept of having public transcript for those of our resident that need it and don't think our transportation all the arguments have been made i represent a difference constituency including our low income residents here in san francisco we have double the number of people living under the poverty line under 20 percent in my district and in

the city of roughly $37 this is an issue i hear about from our low income seniors and 12kr5ib89d residents and our residents that are homeless that depends on the number of limited beds in the shelter to shufrtd back and forth with they're waiting lines for the shelter and job training to doctor appointments this is a lifeline for many of the folks it was great for mta to really start the signature program with our low income youth many are here today in support of their another brothers and sisters and want to emphasize the community fought for prop a and prop b and they want to brings the revenues so this board of directors can

make this a reality thank you four engaging in this important discussion and allowing the communities to have a robust discussion i sit on the other side and sit to long public system i want to thank you. the people are heard and the policies it impacts us congratulations to everyone that worked on the issue and thank you to the board of directors for making this a reality. >> thank you, supervisor kim for your leadership we have a vote and second any further discussion all in favor, say i. opposed? the i's have so ordered we'll take yes item 12 propping the programming up to $210 million. exercise first population for

light rail authorizing the director to enter into an agreement with the operator for $250 million if the sfmta ant secure the funds to contract 1219 dash for the exercise of opposition one to procure an additional light rail rails needing one and $10 million >> director reiskin. >> last year you approved the contract for a one hundred and 75 new light rail options for 40 and 45 additional light rail vehicles last meeting first meeting in january you authorized the resolution indicating our intent to exercise the first option for 40 vehicles this example action before you is essentially making the funding available to

exercise that option john halley our transit director has been shepherding this program to say why we have this opportunity and why it is the right time to take this opportunity it is subject to approval by the full transportation commission at their program and allocation committee lecture it was advance to the commission for approval so with you're taking action today, if you choose to approve it we'll signal to the sfmta the mta board is supportive of this action. >> we have numbers of the public. >> no members. >> you want it st. to add something. >> thank you chairman and ed this is the action you took last july we described as the single

more o most important thing you can do it approve the transit service not only forful now but future generations i'll remind the board the cars we're purchasing are state of the art extremely reliable 059 thousand miles between the fairs and the options that will approve the maintenance but most importantly we need railcars now we have a lot of people everyday despite 5 years in a row of ridership right now on the light rail that are not able to get on because of crowding we simply don't have the cars we are doing everybody to overhaul the program that is really a tremendous benefit for us we appreciate the fact that you as a board all