It’s a Gimmick But So What: Newsom Is “Asking” People to Apply to be an MTA Commissioner

Today’s announcement that you can email the Mayor and ask to be an MTA commissioner is one of those things that I’m sure someone in the campaign war room came up with to sound cool on the eve of a potential run for Lt. Governor. But let’s cut the guy some slack and take him at his word and let’s all apply.
Seriously. Now, I give Newsom a hard time, but that’s primarily because he kinda sold himself as the idea guy and the good manager guy. So when he has done things that are cuckoo bananas, it’s more a disappointment that’s frustrating when I’m stuck waiting for the N than anything else.
And, while I do enjoy penning a good rant now and then, I’ve always tried to round up the latest news and try and put things into a more long term view, and offer solutions. Even if they’re soundly hated by progressives and others, like my idea to pre-sell in bulk FastPasses to anyone enrolled at any place of higher education*.
So I have no doubt any email I send to Hizzoner will be sent to the Windows Recycle Bin, I figure, why not? All I can promise my fellow Muni owners is that I’d make sure the MTA puts the owners first, and the shenanigans last. That probably ensures I won’t get picked, but hey, being on the MTA board would cut into my LOST watching time….
Seriously – go apply! If nothing else, have fun with it. Just email Mr. Mayor at gavin.newsom@sfgov.org!
*This idea was proposed before Translink was widely available, so yeah, I know. But guaranteed bulk sales at just CCSF, UCSF, USF, and SFSU alone would be a large, guaranteed monthly income, and when you do bulk sales, you can do a discount (that’s how Wal-Mart does it) and still make some cash.