SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The future of public transit as we now know it in the Bay Area will be up for a vote this November. Faced with massive funding shortages, public transit agencies are asking voters to increase taxes to keep the trains running and avoid service cuts.
Regional transit measure RTM asks residents in counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara to approve a 0.5% sales tax increase, while San Franciscans will be asked to approve a 1% sales tax increase.
If approved, that will generate $980 million annually for 14 years to support BART, Caltrain, VTA, Sam Trans, AC Transit and Muni, among others.
Without it, all agencies face drastic service cuts.
AC Transit says its riders could face service reductions of at least 16% and that could lead to eliminating 100 buses from its daily operations.
BART says it could see Red and Green line service eliminated except during peak hours, as well as 30-minute frequencies on every line, ending service each night at 9 p.m., fare increases and the possible closure of 15 stations.
And while many riders see BART as a lifeline for their daily lives, some aren’t willing to support the measure.
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Photo: Aaron Tolentino/KRON4
‘I'm not in favor of adding or taxing like students and stuff,” said BART rider Jeremy Funes. “I know that there are any other ways that they could find any way to get this funding.”
Fellow rider Shawn Landrum-Teppish agrees, saying, “I just think there's better means…. like these tech companies.”
Political analysts say money is tight now, which could prove difficult for the measure to pass
“Putting these measures on the ballot at a time when all of the conversations we're having is about affordability could mean that these measures are defeated because people just don't feel like they want to pay more in taxes right now, even if they support public transportation, said Melissa Michelson, a Menlo College political science professor.
San Francisco residents will not only vote on the regional transit measure (RTM) but also citywide Measure H, which focuses only on Muni. It would increase property taxes by at least $129 annually.
This would raise $177 million a year for 15 years to close an annual shortfall of $350 million. Muni says if Measure H doesn’t pass, riders could face the elimination of 20 Muni routes, double wait times, service ending at 9 each night and the elimination of cable car and F-line streetcars.
