A regional measure to fund Bay Area transit operators qualified for the November ballot after advocates gathered 305,895 signatures, exceeding the 186,000 required. The measure targets BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit, and other regional operators. Supporters cite existential financial challenges and argue that transit is essential for the Bay Area’s functioning. Efforts began years earlier, including emergency state funding and a 2025 loan, followed by passage of Senate Bill 63 to authorize the Connect Bay Area measure and establish long-term funding. Advocates report a large community campaign with over a thousand volunteers and many organizations contacting voters. If approved, the measure would include five counties and impose a half-cent sales tax for 14 years, with San Francisco contributing one cent.
"Advocates for a regional measure to fund BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit and other Bay Area operators announced Tuesday morning that they had succeeded in gathering enough signatures to qualify it for the November ballot. The final count came in at 305,895-only 186,000 valid signatures were required."
"“Three years ago, I teamed up with this amazing coalition to save BART and Muni from financial collapse,” said Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). “The challenges facing BART and Muni are existential, but failure is not an option here. The Bay Area runs on transit, and we must step up to save it for all our sakes.”"
"In 2022, Wiener and others began sounding the alarm about the threat to Bay Area transit, leading the efforts to secure $1.1 billion in emergency state funds that year and an additional $500 million loan in 2025. After three years of negotiations, Senators Wiener and Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) passed Senate Bill 63 in 2025 to authorize the Connect Bay Area ballot measure and create a sustainable long-term source of funding to stabilize Bay Area transit."
"“Our massive community advocate effort was crucial to making this happen, with over a thousand volunteers and dozens of community organizations around the region talking to voters,” said Seamless Bay Area's Adina Levin. “It's energizing to see how many people in our area want to save transit that is needed to move millions.”"
Read at Streetsblog San Francisco
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