BART releases doomsday scenario in case sales tax doesn't pass

"According to the report, the deep deficit the agency is currently facing, which has grown since the pandemic decimated rider revenue, has become so large that without the new tax money, BART will have to implement severe reductions. These would include ending evening and weekend service, increasing fares by up to 30%, and shuttering stations and even entire lines. In a document detailing what would happen if the measure fails in November, BART says that it would need an influx of $132 million"

"In laying out its doomsday "measure fails" scenario, the agency details how the cascading disaster might unfold. In Phase 1, in January 2027, 63% train hours would be cut. Ten stations, or 20% of the total, would be closed. The stations targeted for closure, because they have the fewest riders, would be Castro Valley, North Concord, Orinda, Pittsburg Center, San Bruno, South Hayward, South San Francisco, Warm Springs, West Dublin/Pleasanton, and the Oakland International Airport."

"In a report prepared for the Feb. 12 board of directors meeting, the transit agency explains that if voters do not pass a tax measure in November to raise a billion dollars a year for 14 years, the agency could crater, slashing service or shutting down the entire system. The report marshals an array of grim data to support the argument."

BART faces a deep budget shortfall that grew after the pandemic sharply reduced rider revenue, leaving operations dependent on a November tax measure that would raise about $1 billion per year for 14 years. The proposed Connect Bay Area measure would add a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and a one-cent tax in San Francisco. Without the tax, BART projects severe actions including ending evening and weekend service, up to 30% fare increases, station and line closures, and an immediate need for $132 million to sustain service through June 2027. The agency outlines phased cuts beginning January 2027 that could eliminate most train hours and close multiple stations.

Read at The Oaklandside