Interim Mayor May be Good for Muni

San Franciscans have plenty of questions for our new interim mayor, Ed Lee. And for many commuters, their top question is, "what are you going to do about Muni?"

It's hard to say for sure, but early signs indicate that Lee's on the side of Muni riders, according to Streetsblog. He's been praised by transit advocates, and Supervisor Eric Mar recently pointed out that Lee's background is in civil rights, so transportation justice will probably be at the top of his mind. That means favoring everyone's modes of transportation, rather than just concentrating on rich people in cars.

Lee's a familiar face around city hall. He's worked on behalf of whistleblowers, human rights, and public works projects. He's been recognized for his attention to efficiency, of which Muni is sorely in need. Transit advocates described him as simultaneously highly productive and humble.

He's also credited with helping to jumpstart progressive movements in Chinatown, as well as creating an Alleyway Master Plan. That's made Chinatown much more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.

But some progressives are skeptical. Supervisor Daly predicted that Lee would keep the Brown and Newsom policies in place, favoring developers over citizens.