Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 1, 2007

A split San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to place a measure on the November ballot that backers say would provide crucial funding and management tools to improve the city's troubled Muni system.

No one is saying that the plan would fix Muni, "but it's certainly going to help," said board President Aaron Peskin, the measure's chief sponsor.

"It will show the city's commitment to improving public transit and reducing greenhouse gas emissions" by giving people a reason to get out of their cars, he said.

The proposed charter amendment is endorsed by a politically powerful coalition of organized labor, public transportation advocates and environmentalists. It is opposed by deep-pocket business interests upset with wording tucked into the ballot measure at the 11th hour to cement existing city policy that restricts the amount of parking allowed in new large residential projects.

If approved by voters, the supervisors' measure would trump a separate November ballot initiative backed by businessman and Gap Inc. founder Don Fisher that would allow more parking in the city.