Here's Half the Solution...

Or at least a start.

With the Muni drivers refusing to compromise it looks like the only to change the situation is to change the rules. The rules, in this case the City Charter, has a provisions which makes the Muni operators salaries determined by a formula. The formula is to take the two highest paid agenecies in the country, average them, and that is the salary for the Muni employees.

It does not take into account anything else. Just what other employees, in the two highest paid systems are being paid.

This is like paying Eguenio Velez the same as Manny Ramirez-type money. And quite frankly, calling the Muni drivers Velez does a disservice to that goof of a ball-player.

So with it in mind that Muni employees won't forgo an increase at the trough, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd is proposing to abolish that provision (it would also eliminate a trust fund that pays operators an additional benefit of $3,000.00 per year) with a ballot measure.

Now, I have not seen the final proposed ballot measure. Hopefully, Supervisor Elsbernd's proposal is going to have the effect he is trumpeting, and not some ineffective piece of political propoganda for someone who wants to get a ticket punch on his political CV as he tries to move up in the Democratic ranks. However, if it is what it says it is, I would urge people to sign the peittion to get it on the ballott and voted on by the people. Its the electorate's fault that its on the City's Charter in the first place, we should do the right thing and get it off.

Otherwise, we can just continue to watch the drivers get paid more and more to run few and fewer lines and see our fares go higher and higher.

Next target: the MTA board and Muni execs. Getting the employees costs under control is only half the problem.