Several community members have shown support for the measure.

“We’ve been collaborating with Supervisors David Campos, John Avalos, Malia Cohen, Jane Kim,” Faria said. “The SFUSD is supporting this, also the SF Bike coalition and Women Advocates for Youth.”

Faria said Sen. Leland Yee has also been a supporter.

“Financial restrictions have forced the San Francisco Unified School District to cut its transportation budget nearly in half, from $6 million down to just under $3.5 million over the next three years,” said Laura Lane, deputy policy director to Senator Leland Yee.  “That means no more bus service for 11 schools this year with more to follow.”

A majority of San Francisco’s public school students depend on Muni for transportation.  In 2008, a YouthVote Student Survey found that nearly 70 percent of the 8,000 students that were part of the survey use some form of public transportation to get to school. Almost 44 percent of the students require more than one train or bus to get to school. To make matters worse, the price of the Muni Youth Fast Pass recently increased 100 percent, rising from $10 per month to $20 per month as of May 2010.

As the SFMTA deficit keeps rising, many people are asking where the money will come from if school children get to ride the bus for free.

Lane said funds can be generated through cutting back on spending in other areas.

“Identifying and trimming wasteful spending within Muni, like putting an end to golden parachutes for executives, will help us find the needed funding resources,” Lane said.

Some San Francisco Muni users don’t see a reason to be against free ridership.

“It will help low-income children get to school. Just that is reason enough to be behind this plan,” said Stephanie Fowler, 28, a San Francisco Muni rider. “In the bigger picture it won’t cost that much more out of our pockets, and we’ll be helping children get to school.  It’s a no-brainer.”