Gee, this is rich: Leland Yee, arguably the goofiest candidate running for San Francisco mayor, wants to make Muni free for all public school kids. Yee's Clintonesque-titled new plan, “It Takes a Community," wants to "provide affordable housing for teachers, time off for parents to participate, free Muni for low-income students, community services through school programs, and more college savings accounts," reports the Daily Kos.
Is this a good idea, allowing little rapscallions to ride the bus or train for free? Sure, why not. Though it could be pricey. As Joe Eskenazi of SF Weekly point out (via SFCitizen), "it warrants mentioning that a kid rides on the bus for 75 cents, a monthly youth pass costs $20, and Muni sells about 18,000 of them a month. That brings in around $360,000 a month during the school year."
Of course, the daydream of Muni doing anything for free and/or for the greater good is laughable at best.