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Mass Transit Sales Tax Gets Enough Signatures to Make November Ballot
Supporters said more than 77,000 volunteer-collected signatures will be submitted for verification, as transit agencies warn of service cuts if voters reject the measure.
- On Tuesday, the Connect Bay Area campaign announced more than 305,000 signatures submitted to county elections departments, far exceeding the 186,000 required to place the regional sales tax measure on November's ballot.
- BART, Muni and Caltrain face mounting deficits as federal COVID-19 relief funding expires: BART projects roughly $350 million in annual operating losses starting in July, Muni faces $300 million annually from July 2026, and Caltrain warned of complete shutdown by 2029 without new revenue.
- Since January, more than 1,000 volunteers collected 77,000 signatures while the campaign raised around $5.5 million, backed by major employers including Salesforce, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, and more than 80 elected officials.
- Elections departments in the five counties will verify signatures over the next few weeks, while SB 63 requires transit agencies to adopt efficiency recommendations by July 1, 2026, and establishes a citizen oversight committee.
- A November poll showed 58% voter support, up from 47% two years earlier, though political analysts flagged Contra Costa as the most challenging county; failure means BART could close up to 15 stations and cut service 70%, Muni would slash at least 20 routes, and AC Transit could cut service by at least 16%.
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14 Articles
14 Articles
Mass transit sales tax gets enough signatures to make November ballot
Organizers with the Connect Bay Area Act, a regional sales tax measure for public transit, collected 305,895 signatures across five Bay Area counties, well above the 186,000 required threshold to place it on this year’s ballot.Voters in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Santa Clara will vote this November on the sales tax measure Senate Bill 63 — more commonly known as the Connect Bay Area Act — that would crea…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution80% Center
Bias Distribution
- 80% of the sources are Center
80% Center
L 20%
C 80%
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