"Let's not sugarcoat this. Either Bay Area transit agencies get funding or drastic cuts will be made. Here's a scenario not far from the truth presented during a recent rally in support of public transportation. "Under one of our worst-case scenarios, BART closing at 9 p.m., trains run only once an hour, stations shut down and 1,000 workers lose their jobs," expressed one of the protesters. Where and how will the money come from to rescue them?"
"Let's start with the state, on Wednesday, Newsom's office announced that the $750 million loan to subsidize public transportation in five Bay Area counties will move ahead. That initially helps agencies like Muni with their projected $307 million deficit beginning June 2026. But not enough to cover all of their expenses. "And these are going to be hard, big choices,""
Bay Area transit agencies face large shortfalls that could force service reductions and layoffs without new funding. The state approved a $750 million loan to subsidize transit in five Bay Area counties, which partly addresses agencies like Muni with a projected $307 million deficit beginning June 2026. Local proposals include a parcel tax and a half-cent sales tax on the November 2026 ballot to generate additional revenue. Ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels at about 76 percent, and labor costs consume over 60 percent of Muni's budget, contributing to persistent deficits.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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