{"id":533,"date":"2026-05-26T13:12:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T13:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=533"},"modified":"2026-05-26T13:12:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T13:12:44","slug":"tax-to-bail-out-struggling-bay-area-transit-agencies-appears-headed-to-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=533","title":{"rendered":"Tax to bail out struggling Bay Area transit agencies appears headed to voters"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Backers of a new sales tax measure to bail out the Bay Area\u2019s struggling public transit systems say they have gathered enough signatures to place the proposal on the November ballot.<\/p>\n

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On Tuesday, supporters announced they\u2019d submitted 300,000 signatures to bring the measure before voters, surpassing the 186,000 required. They say the tax hike is critical to preventing drastic service cuts triggered by a decline in ridership across the region with the rise of remote work.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic transit is a public good,\u201d said Jeff Cretan, spokesperson for Connect Bay Area, the campaign behind the measure. \u201cIt\u2019s part of a well-functioning, thriving region.\u201d<\/p>\n

If approved, the initiative is estimated to generate about $980 million a year for bus, train, ferry and metro lines in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties. The measure asks voters in those areas to raise sales taxes by 0.5%, except in San Francisco, where the increase would be 1%.<\/p>\n

To pass, it needs a simple majority of votes across all five counties combined.<\/p>\n

Measure supporters, a coalition of business, labor, and transit advocates, say the tax increases would cost most Bay Area households around $100 annually. The new rates would kick in at the start of 2027 and last for 14 years.<\/p>\n

Critics argue that rather than raising taxes on residents already facing growing affordability concerns, local transit agencies should instead scale back operations to adapt to lower ridership. They\u2019ve also questioned whether the potential service cuts floated by agencies, including BART and Caltrains, are as dire as projected, a claim measure backers rejected.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody\u2019s asking the critical questions as to whether we\u2019re getting the value for the existing dollar,\u201d said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a question I think many voters will be asking themselves this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The association generally opposes tax increases but has yet to take a position on the transit measure since it has not officially qualified for the ballot.<\/p>\n

An October poll commissioned by the region\u2019s Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which has backed the measure, found that 56% of residents would support the new sales taxes. But with a host of other state and local tax and bond measures potentially on the November ballot \u2014 including possibly two multibillion-dollar statewide housing bond proposals \u2014 voters could be wary.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere\u2019s not only going to be ballot fatigue, but tax fatigue,\u201d Coupal said.<\/p>\n

Supporters of the measure say that without the tax, BART may need to close up to 15 stations and two lines, resulting in service cuts of up to 70%. BART is especially vulnerable to cuts, measure supporters said, because of the fixed costs of running the rail lines, making it more difficult to partially scale back service.<\/p>\n

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CalTrain, meanwhile, may slash weekend service and see weekday shutdowns after 9 p.m. AC Transit could cut service by at least 16%, and San Francisco MUNI may need to reduce service by 30% or more. Measures backers said that since VTA has scaled back its service over the years, it is not facing serious cuts, but would still see revenue from the tax increases.<\/p>\n

BART would see the largest estimated funding boost at $330 million a year, followed by VTA at $264 million, MUNI at $170 million, Caltrain at $75 million and AC Transit at $51 million. Most of the remaining funding would be split among smaller transportation agencies.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a $590 million state loan to help the four agencies at risk of cuts cover operating costs until they can collect new tax money, assuming the measure passes. They would have 12 years to repay it.<\/p>\n

In making the pitch for the measure, Cretan with Connect Bay Area said that even those who don\u2019t regularly take public transit should have a reason to support it. Transit services keep cars off the road to reduce traffic, he said, and provide a crucial lifeline for many lower-income communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic transit affects everyone, whether you ride or not,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the Bay Area. It\u2019s part of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that supporters have submitted the signatures, election officials in each of the five counties will work to verify them to officially place them on the ballot. That process is expected to take at least a few weeks.<\/p>\n

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