New Polling Shows Path Forward for Regional Transportation Funding Measure
A poll commissioned by Bay Area Forward, an alliance of labor unions and transportation advocates, found that Bay Area residents want to save public transit and favor a gross receipts tax on businesses to provide a secure funding source. Transform, which is a founding member of the alliance as part of the Voices for Public Transportation Coalition, has long advocated for a progressive funding mechanism such as a gross receipts tax, rather than a regressive sales tax.
A strong majority of 61% supports the gross receipts tax. Before we can place a gross receipts tax measure on the ballot, however, we need state authority. Transform will be working hard to add an amendment to SB 63, the measure sponsored by Senators Arreguin and Wiener, to replace the sales tax with a gross receipts tax for Bay Area transit funding.
Poll results
Coalition statement on polling
Bay Area Forward, a New Transit Alliance, Launches to Advocate Big Business Pay Their Fair Share to Fund Transportation
Community and labor organizations release new polling showing strong voter support for a business tax as the funding mechanism for a 2026 regional transit ballot measure.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams, (510) 590-2782, [email protected]
OAKLAND, CA – Bay Area Forward, a new transit alliance consisting of labor unions, transit advocates, and climate, bike and pedestrian groups, announces its formation to strengthen and modernize Bay Area public transportation and urges the State Legislature to use a business gross receipts tax as the funding mechanism for the measure following poll results that show strong voter support.
“BART, SF Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit are careening toward a fiscal cliff that would upend our economy and the lives of Bay Area residents,” said Richard Marcantonio of Public Advocates and the Voices for Public Transportation coalition, and board member of Bay Area Forward. “Voters want to save transit, but utilizing a sales tax won’t raise enough to solve the crisis.”
A recent poll, conducted by FM3 Research on a regional transit measure, asked likely November 2026 voters in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Francisco, and San Mateo County whether big business should pay their fair share to support public transit.
The results are clear: for the first time in five years of polling, a revenue source supporting regional transit needs broke 60% support with a business gross receipts tax initially polling at 61%.
After both positive and negative messaging, the business gross receipts tax ended with +21% net support (57-36%) while the sales tax was +10% (55-45%). Importantly, in places where polls show the sales tax option is failing, such as San Mateo County (47-53%), the business gross receipts tax polled at a whopping +27% net support (60-33%).
Business gross receipts is not a source of revenue normally available to most counties for transit needs, except with state authorization. Because SB 63, authored by Senators Jesse Arreguín and Scott Wiener, is necessary to authorize the regional measure, the Legislature can choose a county level business gross receipts tax to fund the transit measure.
“We urge the Legislature to amend the funding mechanism in SB 63 to a gross receipts tax instead of a sales tax,” said Jesse Hunt, President of ATU Local 1555 and board member of Bay Area Forward. “Utilizing this source is a win-win approach providing funding for regional transit agencies while protecting sales tax revenue for other important local needs.”
The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic shifts in work patterns and the Trump Administration’s attacks on transit have created a perfect storm threatening the very foundation of the public transportation network in the Bay Area. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission projects that without new revenue sources, Bay Area transit agencies could face annual deficits exceeding $915 million annually starting as early as 2026, leading to massive service cuts, the elimination of transit as a viable transportation option for Bay Area residents, and widespread congestion and delays.
Bay Area Forward is dedicated to strengthening and modernizing our public transportation system in the Bay Area and making it more equitable, affordable, safe, and reliable so that Bay Area residents, businesses, environment, and the economy can thrive.
The founding member organizations of Bay Area Forward include AFSCME Council 57, AFSCME Local 3993, AFSCME Local 3916, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192, Service Employees International Union 1021, SMART – Transportation Division, Transport Workers Union Local 250A, United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 6, and dozens of community groups that are part of the Voices for Public Transportation coalition.
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