A pair of transit funding measures will most likely appear on the November ballot to help bail out Bay Area transit systems from financial despair.
Both campaigns, Connect Bay Area and Stronger Muni for All, announced last week that they exceeded the signature threshold to place both measures on the ballot. The measures, if passed, will help plug deficits and keep Bay Area transit running.
The Connect Bay Area campaign said last Tuesday that it had collected about 305,000 signatures, giving it enough of a cushion to surpass the 186,000-signature threshold. If it qualifies, the measure would ask voters to approve a regional sales tax to fund transit operations in five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Santa Clara.
If passed by voters, the measure would set the tax rate at 0.5 percent, while in San Francisco the rate would be 1 percent and would last for 14 years. Revenue from the tax will help fund transit operations at BART, Muni, AC Transit, SamTrans, Caltrain, and VTA.
BART has already sounded the alarm that if the measure fails, the transit system would have to close up to 15 stations, eliminate two lines, and end service by 9 p.m., slashing service by as much as 70 percent. BART faces a deficit of at least $376 million in fiscal year 2027.
“This is the largest grassroots signature-gathering effort in the history of the Bay Area, and represents thousands of hours spent by people from all backgrounds and all corners of our five-county region to protect this thing — transit — that matters to millions of Bay Area residents,” said Lian Chang, the co-lead of the Connect Bay Area signature-gathering campaign that included 1,000 volunteers.
In another measure, San Francisco voters will likely also see a parcel tax measure, as the Stronger Muni for All campaign collected 18,469 signatures of the 10,600 needed to qualify for the ballot. Both the regional and parcel tax measures, if passed, would help the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency plug a $307 million budget deficit and prevent Muni service cuts.
Most single-family homeowners would pay $129 annually, while owners of apartment buildings would pay at least $249 annually, with possible increases depending on the building’s square footage. Landlords of rent-controlled units could pass the tax along to renters of up to $65. Owners of commercial property in the city will have to pay at least $799 annually, but could have to pay more depending on the size of the building.
The parcel tax could generate $183 million annually for the cash-strapped agency.
SFMTA officials had previously said that if one or both measures fail in November, the agency may look at cutting up to 20 Muni service routes; ending service at 9 p.m. for rapid and train routes, which would increase wait times; and cutting historic streetcar and cable car service.
Among the supporters of the measure is Mayor Daniel Lurie.
“Muni is the lifeline that connects our city. To keep San Francisco’s comeback on track, we need a thriving public transit system. Deep cuts to Muni would make our city less affordable, slow our economic recovery, and add more congestion to our streets,” said Lurie in a statement from the Stronger Muni for All campaign.
