"The loan included in a budget deal between Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature earlier this summer was designed as a bridge to keep BART, San Francisco's Muni, AC Transit in the East Bay and Caltrain on the Peninsula afloat through 2026. The hope was that by then, lawmakers could persuade voters to back a long-term funding source, likely through a regional sales tax measure."
"In a statement, Newsom's communications director Daniel Villasenor said that the administration "supports our local transit agencies and remains open to reviewing proposals as we finalize the remaining budget items." It's also unclear whether Newsom would actually block the loan, or whether the administration is slow-walking the bill to get leverage somewhere else, as is common in the last days of the legislative session."
A $750 million loan to Bay Area transit agencies included in the state budget may not be finalized because separate implementing legislation has not passed. The loan was intended as a bridge to sustain BART, San Francisco's Muni, AC Transit and Caltrain through 2026 while lawmakers pursue a regional, long-term funding source such as a sales tax. Transit advocates say the governor's office has delayed the bill that would set loan terms. The legislative deadline to pass bills is Sept. 12. The administration says it supports transit and is open to reviewing proposals.
Read at The Mercury News
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