Under the current version of a proposed sales tax ballot measure, Caltrain would receive about $75 million annually to narrow its growing structural deficit, with leadership voting unanimously to support an allocation of $32 million each for San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and $10 million for San Francisco.
In May, the Caltrain Board of Directors voted to support Senate Bill 63, which authorizes a regional transit measure consisting of San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Both Santa Clara and San Mateo can decide to opt in. The half-cent sales tax would largely benefit the region’s largest transit operators, including Caltrain and BART, both of which are facing massive structural deficits.
“This is very much an existential discussion for Caltrain, but we also need to acknowledge that we are part of a regional network, and all boats here need to rise with the tide,” Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said.
Currently, Caltrain’s operations are largely supported by Measure RR revenue, a one-eighth sales tax passed in 2020 that applies to the three member counties, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara. If the regional measure passes, the rail agency would also receive about $75 million annually, which is set to last 14 years, under the current version of the measure. That is equivalent to Caltrain’s average annual deficit starting in fiscal year 2027.
According to a letter from state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, the current proposal would allocate 7% of the measure to Caltrain, with 31%, or $330 million, to BART. About 16%, or $170 million, would go toward Muni.
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SamTrans, Caltrain’s managing agency, has until Aug. 11 to decide whether to opt in, with its Board of Directors meeting on Aug. 6.
“The bigger picture here is, we’re really down to the eleventh hour on a really critical piece of legislation that is desperately needed to patch a gaping hole in the region’s transportation,” Sebastian Petty, senior transportation policy advisor at SPUR, said during public comment.
Caltrain board members voted unanimously to accept the member county allocation proposal should the measure pass with San Mateo’s participation.
“We don’t just need to pass a bill. We need Bay Area voters to save our public transit system as we know it,” Steve Heminger, chair of the Caltrain Board of Directors, said. “Especially for some of the other systems that are linked together, BART being the notable one, if this measure fails, they fail. And what we’d see out on the rails is just a different system and a system that is not what the Bay Area deserves.”
Correction: The article has been updated to reflect that the SamTrans Board of Directors will meet on Aug. 6, not July 31.
Folks, don’t be fooled by the scare-mongering. Public transit will continue to exist but it needs to exist and operate according to demand and not 100% all the time when there’s less than 50% demand. Notice, again, there’s no reporting of what transit agencies are doing to manage your money. Regardless of what’s decided, vote NO on any tax measures taking more hard-earned money out of your pockets until transportation companies practice fiscal management.
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Folks, don’t be fooled by the scare-mongering. Public transit will continue to exist but it needs to exist and operate according to demand and not 100% all the time when there’s less than 50% demand. Notice, again, there’s no reporting of what transit agencies are doing to manage your money. Regardless of what’s decided, vote NO on any tax measures taking more hard-earned money out of your pockets until transportation companies practice fiscal management.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.