SamTrans board supporting additional Caltrain funding

“Caltrain is vital to the region. It was vital to the region before the pandemic. It is still vital to the region now, and it's going to be incredibly vital to the region in the future,” Stone said.

The SamTrans board, at its May 5 meeting, passed a resolution indicating its willingness to commit $5 million in funding to Caltrain’s 2021-22 fiscal year capital budget to support system improvement projects to trains and tracks. In addition, the board called on the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, or SFCTA, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, or VTA, to match the SamTrans proposed contribution of $5 million to Caltrain. The resolution does not bind SamTrans to spend the $5 million if the other agencies do not commit funding. The total funding could then end up being $15 million for Caltrain, a significant boost for the transit agency facing funding issues and debt in the coming years due to the pandemic and low ridership.

Caltrain historically has no dedicated funding source other than passenger fare and relied on member agencies like SamTrans to provide capital budget help. SamTrans, VTA and SFCTA contributed an equal amount of capital funding each year, usually around $5 million to $7.5 million per agency, similar to the current $5 million proposed. However, the passage of Measure RR, an eighth-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco county last year for Caltrain, raised questions about capital funding this year.

Stone said some felt that would mean managing agencies would no longer have to provide that funding. Stone noted the San Mateo County Transit District has been able to fund its share of the capital contribution and the operating expense in the past. He hoped the resolution would help kick-start commitments from other partner agencies for this year.

“I hope we are sending a clear signal to our partner agencies that we need them to step up too. Measure RR was never intended to be a silver bullet to solve all the problems,” Stone said.

SamTrans Director Dave Pine, also a member of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said he was pleased to see the resolution came forward. Pine said it made clear that Caltrain can't use all of Measure RR funds to fund Caltrain's needs.

“It makes a very strong statement that we are ready to continue to make our capital contributions as we always have in the past because we realize the future of Caltrain depends on these capital contributions,” Pine said.

The SamTrans board was concerned that when Measure RR funds become available in the upcoming Caltrain fiscal year, 2022 revenue will not be enough to meet costs or help long-term Caltrain service enhancement goals.

SamTrans Director Jeff Gee, also a Redwood City councilmember, said having SamTrans step up and calling on local partners to do the same sends a powerful message. He felt additional funding was a good and important funding step to help riders in the coming years.

“Deferring capital projects doesn’t help. But more importantly, we are here to serve the riders, and by deferring capital projects and constraining the JPB organization from doing more or even doing what it needs to do, it is going to affect ridership at the most important time where we need to grow ridership,” Gee said.

SamTrans Director Josh Powell agreed, noting now was not the time to be cutting investments in infrastructure.

“I see this as an invitation to our partners in the JPB to also make their contributions that they've made year after year, and we can continue to support this vital part of our economy,” Powell said.

SFCTA Director of Communications Eric Young said Caltrain had yet to notify the agency of funding needs for the 2022 year, but when called upon, it is ready to work with Caltrain to provide a local match contribution for 2022 as it has done since 2003. He said SMCTA understood Measure RR was never meant to meet all of Caltrain’s capital needs, especially post-electrification. SFCTA is not a joint powers board member agency but covers San Francisco's local capital match contribution on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco.

“We have some sales tax funds programmed to Caltrain already that is available for [Fiscal Year 2022], which Caltrain staff are aware of, and will be glad to work on ways to identify more funds as needed and requested,” Young said.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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