Could some SF crossing guard positions be cut as SFMTA tackles $50 million budget deficit?
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Crossing guard Joel Kamisher is worried his job could be on the chopping block as SFMTA tries to figure out how to tackle a $50 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year.
"I think it's very short sighted because I think we actually save the city money by preventing accidents," Kamisher siad.
This also concerns Fiona Tran, who often walks her nieces to school in the city.
"I think that'd be pretty unfortunate because they do help with safety to help kids like them cross the street," Tran said.
MORE: What are you most likely to get a ticket for in SF? Here's a breakdown
Materials posted online show SFMTA has figured out how to make up $35 million, but the board still needs to weigh options to close the remaining $15 million gap.
Those options include:
- Muni service cuts
- Other agencywide program cuts, including to the school crossing guard program.
- Or spending $15 million in reserve funds
SFMTA says they don't want to cut the crossing guard program and that their leadership is not endorsing this option saying in a statement, in part:
"If it ever became necessary to cut the crossing guard program because of our financial crisis, we would search high and low for alternative funding to keep the program going. Keeping children and their families safe is an urgent priority for our agency and for the city."
MORE: SF Unified says layoffs 'likely' in the future to tackle $113M budget deficit
SFMTA also points out the online materials related to the option of eliminating the school crossing guard program say, they could find an alternate funding source.
Kamisher is also a union rep for SEIU Local 1021, which represents employees including school crossing guards. He's retired and says the job, which is a split shift, helps supplement his income.
"It's very sad," Kamisher said. "I feel that a lot of people rely on this income. Often the crossing guard is a second person in the household that supplements the family's income and makes it possible for them to live in San Francisco."
The SFMTA board is discussing these options Tuesday.
A decision is expected to be made on March 4.
