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Measure RTM seeks to fund Bay Area transit amid concerns about cuts
Supporters say the 14-year tax would raise about $1 billion annually to avert service cuts and possible shutdowns at BART, Muni and Caltrain.
- On Tuesday, voters across five Bay Area counties passed the Regional Transit Measure with 61% support, a sales tax increase designed to prevent drastic service cuts at BART, Caltrain, and other transit systems.
- Pandemic-Era remote work models drastically reduced ridership, leaving the Bay Area's four largest transit systems collectively facing an $800 million annual deficit next year without new revenue.
- The measure raises $980 million annually through a 0.5% sales tax in four counties and 1% in San Francisco, averting the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's "Alternative Service Plan" that would close 15 stations.
- San Francisco voters separately approved Proposition H, a parcel tax raising $150 million annually to fund Muni through 2042, providing additional support for the city's bus and train system.
- While advocates celebrate averting "catastrophic" cuts, the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit argued agencies should prioritize budget reforms over new taxes, citing rising costs despite lower ridership.
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16 Articles
Danville San Ramon+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
Early returns signal regional transit measure could pass
Early returns from Tuesday’s election showed voters of five Bay Area counties supporting a regional sales tax measure, upon which the future of public transit in the region hinges. The Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, proposed a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent […]
Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left10Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution72% Left
Bias Distribution
- 72% of the sources lean Left
72% Left
L 72%
C 21%
Factuality
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