Bay Area Democrats are proposing a controversial bill, SB 63, that would allow voters to decide on a sales tax increase to bail out struggling transit agencies. If passed, this measure could generate around $550 million per year, crucial for agencies like BART and AC Transit. However, weak polling and divisions between various interest groups are causing skepticism among lawmakers regarding the bill's future. The pressing need for funding stems from a steep decline in public transit ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent financial consequences, threatening severe service cuts if not addressed.
The stakes are high as Bay Area Democrats in the state Legislature advance a bill that would ask local voters to bail out struggling public transit agencies by raising sales taxes.
If it becomes law, voters in certain Bay Area counties will decide in 2026 whether to raise sales taxes by half a cent, generating roughly $550 million annually.
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