Public Transit Archives

Movement Forming Against Highway Widening

January 28, 2025/in Blog, Climate Change, Policy, Transportation/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

On January 21, 2025, Transform was one of 61 nonprofits that joined together to send a message to California agencies in charge of transportation, housing, and air quality: We urgently need to lower our transportation emissions now. Transform was a central member of the group drafting the letter, which outlines concrete steps the agencies must take to ensure California meets its transportation emission targets.

Transform’s work advocating for transportation and housing policies to avert climate change has never been more crucial. The wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles are just the latest in a string of climate disasters to rock our state, threatening the lives and livelihoods of Californians. Yet our state agencies and elected officials often act as if changing our driving habits and petroleum addiction would be more harmful than fires and floods that wipe out whole towns and communities.

We can’t afford to push climate action to some fuzzy date in the future. We need concrete, significant action now. The strong and determined coalition united behind this letter is demanding just that.

No help from Washington

One of the biggest sticking points for climate action is money. It costs money to ensure transit systems have robust operating budgets. Building infill housing near transit hubs takes funding. Creating bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly streets requires infrastructure spending that most California communities can’t take on without support.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and other infrastructure legislation passed during the last administration sent a large influx of money to the states to fund climate-resilient infrastructure. Unfortunately, even under a supportive administration, California used the funding on projects that will lead to a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

But, as the letter notes, we can’t expect support from the federal government under the current administration, which has already signaled its intent to prioritize oil production and strip EV mandates. The good news is that California has the money it needs for transportation transformation.

Stop building highways

Transportation emissions are the largest single source of GHGs in California, and the state has developed excellent policies to reduce tailpipe emissions. However, while our state’s transportation spending includes some funding to support active and public transportation, we’re still spending too much money on highway expansion.

Every mile of state-controlled highway is a debt against the future. Although planners widen highways to reduce congestion, it’s empirically evident that widening roads only eases traffic flow for a few years. In the long term, it leads to more driving, more pollution, more climate-killing emissions, and even worse traffic jams. And, every highway mile California builds is a future maintenance cost. New highways are money pits that drag climate stability down with them.

The coalition letter demands that the agencies controlling California’s transportation budget take steps to ensure we follow established laws and policies for reducing driving. Plus, simply shifting the money allocated for new freeway miles would free up a significant amount of money that could be used to shore up struggling public transit systems and build low-stress bike networks and walkable neighborhoods.

Strength in numbers

ClimatePlan headed the coalition that sent the letter. The group included environmental advocates like NRDC, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club. Regional and statewide active transportation groups signed on, including local bicycle coalitions in Santa Monica, San Diego, the East Bay, and Los Angeles, as well as CalBike and California Walks. The Coalition for Clean Air, the American Lung Association, and the Central California Asthma Collective are part of the coalition, as are climate action groups, including Climate Action California, 350 chapters, and Elders Climate Action. Transit, housing, and street safety groups also signed on.

The diversity of the groups coming together to advocate for a shift in California’s transportation spending reflects the seriousness of the issue. Changing the focus of our transportation policies from moving as many cars and trucks as possible as fast as possible to clean, efficient, and safe alternatives affects every facet of our lives. Spending more on bike lanes and sidewalks creates safer streets, reducing traffic fatalities and injuries. Making transit more efficient reduces air pollution that causes a myriad of diseases, from lung cancer to Alzheimer’s.

A coalition with voices from so many diverse interest areas will be heard in Sacramento. Transform is proud to join forces with allies across disciplines to unite around our shared interest in moving California back from the climate abyss.

The steps we take to wean California from its carbon addiction are crucial to protect our communities from the worst ravages of climate change. But those same actions also improve health and well-being in a variety of ways. Reimagining our transportation systems is an opportunity to create a future that’s human-centered, efficient, cost-effective, and healthy, for the planet and the creatures who depend on it.

Read the letter:

Accelerate Transpo Emissions Reduction 20250121 Download

Governor’s Proposed Budget Falls Short on Housing, Transportation, and Climate

January 14, 2025/in Blog, Housing, Policy/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

As we review Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, it’s becoming clear that, once again, proposed expenditures are not in alignment with California’s climate goals. With the first balanced budget in three years, the governor is missing a massive opportunity to commit additional resources to vital housing and transportation programs that will reduce climate emissions.

Affordable housing and transportation are essential for Californians

Affordability was clearly a big theme in the 2024 election, and investments in housing and transportation are a fundamental part of the solution. On average, Californians spend 62% of their income on combined housing and transportation costs. The state has the power to increase transit service and double down on the production of affordable housing, but Governor Newsom’s budget fails to do so.

We need more funding for new affordable homes to combat the rising cost of housing and the increasing number of homeless residents. We’re intrigued by the creation of a new Department of Housing and Homelessness and will continue to track that closely, but we remain disappointed that the governor didn’t appropriate new funds for housing.

Californians also need affordable transportation options. In too many communities, people are trapped in their cars and forced into long commutes to reach workplaces. While it’s notable that, for the first time in three years, the governor didn’t try to pull money from the tiny Active Transportation Program, the transportation budget still puts too many dollars toward highway projects and not enough into public transit and biking and walking infrastructure.

Climate investments are critical

Voters approved a $10 billion climate bond in 2024, which will positively impact California’s ability to put state monies toward projects that mitigate climate change. However, the bond is a fraction of what’s needed to make our communities climate-resilient. Our climate budget must find funding beyond the bond to make those investments now. Instead, the budget pulls money from existing programs that were funded by the bond.

With the reauthorization of California’s Cap and Trade program on the table this year, Transform is focused on identifying additional funding for climate solutions. As recent climate disasters such as the LA fires show, we don’t have a moment to spare to reduce emissions.

MTC Indecision on Regional Transit Funding Measure Leaves Riders in the Lurch

December 9, 2024/in Blog, Press Releases, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

For immediate release

Contact: Abibat Rahman-Davies, [email protected], 510-740-9303

SAN FRANCISCO – After months of deliberation, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) failed to identify a clear path forward for a much-needed regional transportation measure.

“We can’t let the unthinkable happen and let transit services collapse. It will be a domino effect, stripping the Bay Area of the public transit that’s the lifeblood of our region,” said Transform Transportation Policy Director Zack Deutsch-Gross. “Everyone suffers when transit service goes away. But low-income and BIPOC people, who often have the fewest transportation choices, will bear the brunt of diminished or absent public transit, with reduced access to jobs, education, and necessary services.”

The Bay Area’s transit agencies face a fiscal crisis, with massive service cuts expected if the region doesn’t secure an additional revenue source by 2027. BART could be forced to reduce train frequencies to once an hour during off-peak times, while Muni would suspend up to 20 routes, and AC Transit would have to cut their entire service by up to 30%.

Time is running out to develop a unifying vision for a regional transportation revenue measure that can be approved by the legislature in 2025 and go on the ballot in 2026. With today’s vote to advance two different funding concepts — both lacking full-throated support from the Commission and select committee — Bay Area residents are entering the 2025 legislative cycle without a clear path forward to keep their buses and trains running.

One of the scenarios (1a) would not even fully address the fiscal cliff for Muni or AC Transit, despite the fact that these two agencies carry approximately 75% of the transit ridership in the Bay Area.

Both scenarios are funded through a regressive sales tax. A sales tax measure would further burden low-income residents, especially in Alameda County, which already has the highest sales tax in the Bay Area.

“Affordability is a top concern for voters, but a half-cent sales tax would burden those with the least ability to pay without fully addressing the fiscal cliff,” said Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies. “It’s incredibly disheartening to see civic leaders like the Bay Area Council threaten to kill any measure that is not a sales tax.”

The Bay Area cannot give up on regional transit. If any of our transit systems is forced into drastic service cuts or ceases operation, we will lose a vital link in a transit chain, stranding residents from throughout the region. As a member of Voices for Public Transportation, Transform will continue to work with MTC, Bay Area transit operators, and the state legislature to advance authorizing legislation to support a robust, vibrant, connected transit future for our whole region.

Transform Responds to MTC Select Committee Inaction on Regional Transit Funding

October 22, 2024/in Blog, Press Releases/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

For immediate release

Contact: Abibat Rahman-Davies, [email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) select committee tasked with developing a proposal for a funding mechanism for public transit has failed to come to a consensus. Now, the full commission will take up the task — and it must not fail.

“We can’t let the unthinkable happen and let transit agencies fail. It will be a domino effect, stripping the Bay Area of the public transit that’s the lifeblood of our region. Everyone suffers when transit service fails. But low-income and BIPOC people, who often have the fewest transportation choices, will bear the brunt of diminished or absent public transit, with reduced access to jobs, education, and necessary services,” says Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies. “It’s time for the commissioners to think big and take their responsibility to provide a stable funding source for the whole region seriously.”

The Bay Area’s 27 transit agencies face a fiscal crisis. An additional funding allocation from the legislature in 2023 will run out soon, and Bay Area legislators and MTC have struggled to find a solution acceptable to all stakeholders that could win enough support at the ballot box. Most recently, MTC created a select committee to craft a measure with broad support.

We recognize this is a daunting task. Counties and cities have different priorities. Business interests and labor unions want specific provisions. But the members of the select committee, rather than providing certainty amidst the dissent, have not shown the leadership we need in this moment. Members have been focused on parochial interests and swayed by special interests. Today, as the MTC Special Select Committee mandate ended, they failed to reach a true consensus.

The Bay Area cannot give up on regional transit. As a member of Voices for Public Transportation, we have been working for years toward a vision for a more robust, vibrant, connected transit future for our whole region. If any of our transit systems is forced into drastic service cuts or ceases operation, we will lose a vital link in a transit chain, stranding residents from throughout the region.

We are not giving up. We call on MTC to quickly develop a funding proposal where no one is left behind, meaning that it is regional, fully funds the transit operator gap, and contains projects that reduce emissions. Any projects that increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) should be strictly mitigated.

Reliable transit protects our climate from an emissions catastrophe and our roadways from endless gridlock. It’s time for MTC to step up, make hard decisions, and show it’s up to the challenge of leading the way for Bay Area transportation.

Transform 2024 Ballot Proposition Guide

October 17, 2024/in Blog, Housing, Policy, Transit, Transportation/by Transform Staff

Climate crisis mitigation, affordable housing, public transportation, and racial equity are all on the November 2024 ballot. Below, we offer Transform’s positions on relevant propositions and measures that move our mission forward and help move the needle on these crucial, urgent issues. This guide includes statewide measures and local ballot initiatives in each region of the Bay Area.

As a 501(c)3, Transform can take positions on ballot measures but cannot endorse candidates. We worked with the Transbay Coalition and other allies to gather candidate questionnaires on sustainable transportation. You can find links to the questionnaires here.

How to vote

You can confirm your voter registration and track your ballot in the mail. You can also sign up for text alerts to find out when your county election office processes your ballot. As a reminder, you have until Tuesday, November 5, to turn it back in or vote in person.

Important dates to keep in mind:

October 21 is the last day to register to vote.
November 5 is Election Day, and polls are open 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Find your polling place.

Short list of Transform positions on ballot propositions

Statewide

Yes on Prop 4

Yes on Prop 5

Yes on Prop 33

No on Prop 34

Local

SAN FRANCISCO Yes on Prop B Yes on Prop G Yes on Prop K Yes on Prop L	SOUTH BAY Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ Yes on San Mateo City Measure T
EAST BAY Yes on Albany Measure C Yes on Berkeley Measure BB No on Berkeley Measure CC No on Berkeley Measure EE Yes on Berkeley Measure FF Yes on Berkeley Measure W	NORTH BAY No on Fairfax Measure I Yes on Fairfax Measure J Yes on Larkspur Measure K Yes on Petaluma Measure Y Yes on San Anselmo Measure N Yes on San Anselmo Measure O

Detailed breakdown of Transform’s ballot measure positions

STATEWIDE

Yes on Prop 4: $10 billion for climate crisis mitigation
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 4 Campaign early on. Prop 4 will make urgent investments in proven solutions for mitigating the deadly and destructive impact of the climate crisis. Without clean air and drinking water, people can not walk, bike, and roll safely. Vote yes on Prop 4. Supported by the California Green New Deal Coalition.
Yes on Prop 5: Lower the approval threshold needed for funding affordable housing and public infrastructure
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 5 Campaign early on as well. Prop 5 will lower the voter approval threshold from 66% to 55% on housing and public infrastructure bonds. We urgently need to lower the systemic barriers to building new affordable housing and safer street infrastructure and this bond achieves that goal. Supported by Urban Habitat, Bike East Bay, East Bay Housing Organizations, and the California Green New Deal Coalition, among others. Vote yes on Prop 5, and please tell your friends to vote yes as well — this measure is crucial to allowing California communities to build a brighter future.
Yes on Prop 33: Remove limits on cities’ ability to adjust rent control regulations
- Voting Yes on Prop 33 repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995. The Act currently prohibits municipalities’ ability to adjust rent control policies such as imposing rent control on new developments built after 1995. Prop 33 will also prohibit the state from passing future restrictions. The proposition does not impose any rent control provision but merely frees local jurisdictions to enact renter protections that work in their communities. While rent control alone is not the ultimate panacea for our region’s housing crisis, it is an important tool that has improved the material conditions of the most vulnerable communities by protecting them from displacement. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition
No on Prop 34: Restrict how the AIDS Healthcare Foundation can spend funds
- This proposition targets a single entity: the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). The organization has taken strong positions on tenant protections, earning the ire of the real estate industry. The requirements in this measure that nonprofit healthcare providers spend more on patient care might seem reasonable, but the qualifications written into the measure would apply to only one organization: AHF. It’s an attempt to stop AHF’s housing advocacy, and whether or not you agree with the organization’s positions, it’s a misuse of the proposition system that should not be rewarded with support. Opposed by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition. Vote No on Prop 34.

SAN FRANCISCO

Yes on Prop B: Funding for safer streets and shelter
- This bond measure would provide funding for public amenities, including community health centers, street and sidewalk safety, and more shelter or interim housing space. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition because of the funding for infrastructure improvements. Vote yes on Prop B.
Yes on Prop G: City funding to keep rental units affordable
- This would amend San Francisco’s charter and require the city to make annual contributions to an Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund for Seniors, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. The city already provides supplemental payments to landlords to create affordable housing units. We urgently need more, and this dedicated funding will help ensure San Francisco maintains affordable rentals. Vote yes on Prop G.
Yes on Prop K: Convert Upper Great Highway from a road into a park for people
- Prop K will create a permanent car-free space on the Upper Great Highway by Ocean Beach, allowing a safer and more joyful experience for people enjoying San Francisco’s shoreline. Advocates have fought hard for this critical amenity since a COVID-era closure was rescinded. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on Prop K.
Yes on Prop L: Tax ride-hail and autonomous vehicle businesses to fund crucial transit operations
- SFMTA is facing an existential crisis due to a lack of funding. Prop L would contribute an estimated $25 million to critical transit operations, preserving Muni services and allowing people with disabilities, low-income families, and older adults to continue to travel around the region. Supported by Urban Habitat and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on L.

EAST BAY:

Yes on Albany Measure C: Approve tax funding for sidewalks and pathways
- More funding is urgently needed that is specifically dedicated to safer street infrastructure. Supported by Bike East Bay. Vote yes on Measure C.
Yes on Berkeley Measure BB: Fund housing retention programs and expand tenant protections
- This measure, supported by Berkeley renters and the city’s Rent Control Board, strengthens renter protections and lowers the cap on rent increases. Urban Habitat joins us in supporting a yes vote on Measure BB.
No on Berkeley Measure CC: Limit and change tenant protections
- The mirror image of Measure BB, CC raises the cap on rent increases slightly and limits the power of Berkeley’s Rent Control Board. Urban Habitat urges a no vote on Measure CC and so do we.

*If both Berkeley Measures BB and CC pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

No on Berkeley Measure EE: Competing with Measure FF with less funding, no guarantees for safer street infrastructure
- Measure EE is in direct contention with Measure FF. Transform encourages you to vote no on Measure EE as it does not include a guaranteed dedicated revenue for safer street infrastructure and would also bring in less funding than Measure FF. We need to push for maximum funding for safe streets, not settle for potential scraps that are subject to political will. Bike East Bay opposes this measure. Vote no on Measure EE.
Yes on Berkeley Measure FF: Parcel tax to fund safer streets for all
- Measure FF is a proposed Berkeley parcel tax of 17¢ per lot square foot residential and 25¢ commercial that will fund paving activities across the city and require bike/walk plan implementation to ensure that smoother streets don’t just lead to more speeding. Bike East Bay supports this measure. Vote yes on Measure FF.

*If both Berkeley Measures EE and FF pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

Yes on Berkeley Measure W: Parcel taxes to support homeless services
- In 2018, Berkeley voters adopted Measure P, which raised the transfer tax on properties sold for over $1.5 million, with the revenue going to support homeless services. Measure W changes the formula. The tax increase, from 1.5% to 2.5% starts at $1.6 million and the rate increases progressively for higher-dollar real estate transactions. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations. Vote yes on Measure W.

SOUTH BAY:

Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ:
- This measure would divert revenue collected from an existing 2.5% tax on gross receipts from a general fund to instead go towards rental assistance for tenants and other types of housing assistance such as affordable home ownership, affordable housing preservation, protecting residents from displacement or homelessness, and administrative expenses. The San Mateo Anti-Displacement Coalition and Urban Habitat support this measure. Vote Yes on Measure JJ.
Yes on San Mateo City Measure T: Allow San Mateo to build more housing by Caltrain and along key corridors like El Camino Real
- A great opportunity to rebuke outdated zoning and build more housing near transit, a key strategy to curbing intersectional climate and housing crises.

NORTH BAY:

No on Fairfax Measure I:
- This measure would repeal Fairfax’s current Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and Rent Stabilization Ordinance passed in 2022 and replace it with the state standards put forth in the Contra-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Opposition includes Canal Alliance, Public Advocates, Urban Habitat, and Tenants Together. Vote no on Measure I.
Yes on Fairfax Measure J:
- This measure would allow for investment in safer street infrastructure, with dedicated investment in protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks by schools. This funding would also unlock millions in additional federal grant support needed to continue to design and build safer streets for all roadway users. Supported by Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure J.
Yes on Larkspur Measure K: Establish rent control in Larkspur
- Grassroots organizing brought this measure to the ballot. It will cap rent increases at 3%, or 60% of inflation — whichever is lower — and establishes other tenant rights. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure K.
Yes on Petaluma Measure Y: Extend Petaluma’s urban growth boundary
- This measure preserves farmland and encourages the kind of dense, infill development the North Bay needs to combat climate change. Sprawl is a major driver of climate-killing emissions; vote yes on Measure Y.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure N: Establish rent control in San Anselmo
- This measure caps rent increases for buildings with three units or more at 60% of inflation or 5%, whichever is less. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure N.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure O: Affirm tenant protection in San Anselmo
- This ballot measure confirms tenant protections already in place, such as compensation for evictions without just cause and rent control. Vote yes on Measure N to protect sensible tenant protections. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates.

Please share this guide with your network, and don’t forget to vote by Tuesday, November 5th!

Transform Transportation Advocate Speaks on Transit Month Panel

October 14, 2024/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Laura McCamy

On September 24, 2024, Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies was part of a panel on gendered perspectives on transportation advocacy and activism. The panel was part of a series hosted by the Transbay Coalition in honor of Transit Month and was moderated by Thea Selby, Co-founder of the San Francisco Transit Riders and Voices for Public Transportation. The other panelists were Lian Chang, a proponent of Prop L: Fund the Bus who has previously supported transit lanes through Faster Safer Geary, and Haleema Bharoocha (MPP), who helped lead Phase One of BART’s “Not One More Girl” campaign and spearheaded Transform’s Ride Fearlessly report on reimagining transit safety.

The panelists come to transit advocacy from different perspectives. Chang is a non-driver and a grassroots activist for transit, biking, and walking, while Rahman-Davies worked for a policy nonprofit and on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., before joining Transform. Bharoocha has worked extensively with youth through the Alliance for Girls and has often seen transit through a gendered lens.

Experience, advice, and hope

Bharoocha encouraged advocates not to focus too much on technical details and forget human issues such as navigating transit with a disability or a stroller. It’s okay to be a troublemaker and push on what’s important to you, even if it’s not well-received. Rahman-Davies concurred, noting that just because you’re the lone voice on something, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong.

Chang noted that, in the San Francisco advocacy community, which tends to skew White and cis male, it’s easy to feel like there’s only one way to do public comment, and that can be a barrier to participation. She learned to participate in ways that feel comfortable to her. That included making a casket for a model of a BART car and having a transit funeral, using her artistic skills to make an impact.

Chang offered a mom hack: recording a public comment from her son and playing it when it was her turn to speak. That gave her slightly shy child a chance to speak without hanging around for hours waiting to comment.

Rahman-Davies emphasized the importance of centering the people your advocacy is meant to lift up. “Never lose the north star of who you’re trying to help,” she said, and don’t cut deals just to get a result. Change takes time, and the results we want don’t always happen right away.

Bharoocha noted that there is space for everyone in transit advocacy. “We need you in this movement,” she said, referring to Deepa Iyer’s social change ecosystem map.

The panelists touched on a range of other topics, sharing experience and advice. Watch the full webinar.

September Is a Time to Celebrate Public Transit

September 4, 2024/in Blog, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

September is Transit Month, and it will be marked this year by events around the Bay Area. Transform’s Transportation Policy Advocate, Abibat Rahman-Davies will participate in a panel on transit advocacy as part of a series on gender and transit sponsored by the Transbay Coalition. Transit Month events include contests, transit to trail hike and bike rides, a pub crawl on Muni, a BART state concert, and much more.

But first, it’s worth looking at how public transit benefits everyone, even those who don’t use it.

Public transit is the backbone of the Bay Area

In our dense, congested Bay Area, public transit provides an inexpensive and efficient way to get around without worrying about traffic or parking. And those who do travel by car can thank transit riders for reducing congestion and easing the pressure on local streets and highways.

In 2024, 163,000 people ride BART on an average weekday. While BART’s ridership has taken a dip from pre-pandemic levels, it is on the rebound as ridership numbers continue to increase each year. That ridership represents less smog, fewer vehicle miles traveled, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less need for parking at office buildings, destinations, and venues around the region.

About half a million people ride San Francisco’s Muni; about 135,000 ride AC Transit; and 23,000 ride Caltrain on an average weekday. VTA doesn’t have daily statistics, but it carried 21.4 million riders in 2023.

Ways to celebrate Transit Month

In addition to the many transit-centered fun activities planned for Transit Month, you can celebrate our rich transit ecosystem any day of the week. If you’re on the bus, thank your driver! Additionally, if you don’t normally take transit, try substituting the bus or train for your next outing.

See you on the bus!

Regional Transportation Funding Meeting Exposes Conflicting Views, Hope

September 4, 2024/in Blog/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

On August 26, 2024, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) met to discuss the two frameworks for a transportation funding bill. Thankfully, despite a big push for business interests and few commissioners, the scenario that Transform supports, the Go Big Scenario, also known as Scenario 2, is still in play. The commission has decided to go forward and revise Scenarios 1 and 2, and look into the feasibility of Scenario 3, and bring these revised scenarios to the next MTC select committee meeting on September 23.

What’s at stake

Ridership for all of the Bay Area’s transit systems is still well below pre-pandemic levels, reducing fare revenue that many providers rely on. Yet providers must maintain routes and schedules to make public transit a viable option and build ridership back up, rather than losing more passengers due to lack of service. MTC is developing language for authorizing legislation for a funding measure that will be on the ballot in 2026. The challenge is to find a solution that stakeholders can agree on.

The options currently under consideration are:

Scenario 1: Core Counties. San Francisco, Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Mateo Counties would develop a regional funding mechanism just covering their transit systems. Other counties could opt in. The funding mechanism would be a half-cent sales tax.
Scenario 2: Go Big. This option would cover all nine Bay Area counties and use a progressive funding mechanism of a parcel or payroll tax.
Scenario 3: Go It Alone. There would be no regional measure, but MTC would support counties that wanted to run their own revenue measures.

Transform supports the Go Big option because it offers the best chance for an integrated and improved transit ecosystem throughout the Bay Area. Residents rely on more than their local transit systems to move from city to city throughout the region, so a region-wide approach will keep transit consistent and prevent a patchwork of different service levels. Plus, the progressive funding options are the most equitable and sustainable.

Voices in support of transformational transit funding

In the meeting, commissioners reaffirmed their commitment to funding transit. After MTC staff presented the scenarios, several MTC commissioners spoke up in support of the Go Big Scenario.

Commissioner Noak, who represents Contra Costa County, stated that she supported The Go Big Scenario but had concerns about the funding amounts being reduced after eight years. Commissioner Canepa, who represents San Mateo County, also spoke favorably of Scenario 2, stating that a more regional approach will ensure that everyone pays their fair share into regional systems such as Caltrain.

Several members of the select committee objected to asking voters to raise their taxes for service cuts, and Scenario 1 would do just that. Many commissioners also pointed out that Scenario 3 would force certain counties to vote on multiple transit measures. San Francisco, for example, would have to vote on three different transit agency funding measures for Caltrain, Muni, and BART.

Despite the issues with Scenario 1, some members of the select committee spoke up in its favor and against Scenario 2. The primary concerns about Scenario 2 were that it was funded through a parcel or a payroll tax and that currently, a truly regional measure that included all nine counties lacked political feasibility.

Advocates speak out

Many advocates with Transform and the Voices for Public Transportation Coalition made public comments at the meeting in support of Scenario 2. They coalesced around several demands addressed by Scenario 2:

This measure needs to be regional, so it must include all nine counties.
The main goal of this measure is to fund transit, and Bay Area transit riders and voters have said they support investing in a transit system with fast, frequent, reliable, coordinated, accessible, and affordable service.
MTC’s polling showed that voters want transit improvements even more than they want to prevent cuts. Only Scenario 2, the 9-county, $1.5 billion option, achieves this need.
We must prioritize safe and complete streets in the measure and limit roadway expenditures to a state of good repair with no highway expansions.
It should be funded through progressive revenue sources such as a payroll tax or parcel tax.
Scenario 2 has a wide breadth of support from riders, community organizations, and labor unions.

Many advocates hit home the point that we can’t run a campaign asking voters to increase their taxes and then start implementing transit cuts. Not only will voters not vote for this, but it will make it difficult to ask them to fund transit in the future.

On September 23, 2024, MTC staff will present revised versions of Scenarios 1 and 2 based on suggestions made by commissioners at the August meeting. They will also present on the feasibility of Scenario 3. At the September meeting, the commission hopes to narrow in on one scenario, with a final vote being at the October special select committee meeting.

While it is good news that the Go Big Scenario is still on the table, advocates, riders, labor, and community groups will have to continue to speak up and take action if we want to ensure that the select committee narrows its focus and selects the Go Big Scenario as the best option to move forward in the upcoming legislative session.

Gendered Perspectives of Bay Area Transit – Event Series September 2024

August 30, 2024/in Blog, Transit, Transportation/by Nicolay Kreidler

TransitCenter Releases Updated Transportation Equity Dashboard

June 26, 2024/in Blog, Transit, Transportation/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

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