Despite a balanced budget submitted to the Mayor's office in the beginning of May, crumbling labor negotiations recently left the SFMTA with a $17 million pothole in their operating costs. To cover a large portion of that difference, the agency is looking to rake in a cool $6.5 million over two years by hiring additional parking enforcement officers and stepping up enforcement of parking violations.

Ed Reiskin, SFMTA's director of Transportation, apparently anticipated that his agency would be taking some heat in the press for the parking enforcement plan. As he sees it though, the agency isn't really targeting motorists to cover the budget shortfall, only "enforcing the rules we have."

As for the other $10 million and change the agency still needs to make up over the next two years: The city will pitch in another $6 million from the general fund, while the agency expects to make another $4 million in revenue from the taxi medallion program and by cracking down on gypsy cabs and illegal limo services. How's that for "Moving Forward Together"?

[SFEx]