S.f. Sunday Parking Charge Voted Down

After being bombarded for hours from all sides, the city's Municipal Transportation Agency board voted to give up $11 million in annual revenue and go along with Mayor Ed Lee's plan to stop charging for parking in metered spaces on Sundays. The members also voted to prioritize expanded service to low-income seniors and youths, banking on some of a $15 million surplus the agency has, and delayed some planned fare increases. Before the MTA board vote on Tuesday, the mayor had reiterated that continuing to charge for Sunday parking would send the wrong message to the public as key votes loom in the November election on a $500 million bond measure to finance transportation infrastructure and on a separate vehicle license fee hike. [...] members of Muni riders' groups and pedestrian and bicycle safety groups stepped up and urged the board not to reverse the Sunday policy, citing the millions of dollars in revenue it produced as helping to finance reduced fare programs and other needed improvements while at the same time cutting traffic and emissions. Nicole Schneider of Walk San Francisco said the parking revenue could be targeted to cut the number of pedestrian deaths to zero as the city faces a recent string of traffic deaths and accidents, many involving seniors.