Uber just spent $750,000, while Lyft put up $65,000, on a campaign against Proposition L, “The Community Transit Act,” a ballot initiative that wo

Uber, Lyft unleash avalanche of cash to kill ‘fund the bus’ plan

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2024-10-03 14:30:03

Uber just spent $750,000, while Lyft put up $65,000, on a campaign against Proposition L, “The Community Transit Act,” a ballot initiative that would levy a gross-receipts tax on ride-share companies to help restore transit service across the city.

The Aug. 29 donation was spotted in a Tuesday filing to the city’s ethics commission. Kat Siegal said she and other Proposition L proponents have long braced for an onslaught from Uber’s bank account.

“We’re certainly concerned about it, but it doesn’t change our strategy,” Siegal told The Standard. “We know we can’t compete with them in terms of money, but we’re going to win through people power and conversation with voters.”

Indeed, while the CommunIty Transit Act campaign has only about $120,000 to its name, according to recent city filings, it does have volunteers by the busload. They can be spotted at farmers markets touting their slogan: “Fund the bus!”

Transit activists placed the measure on the ballot in the wake of a projected $227 million budget deficit at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, plans bike lanes, and oversees taxis. In May, the agency announced it would reduce discounts for Muni riders and increase parking fines to lessen the deficit.