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Senate panel advances measure to let Bay Area voters tax themselves to shore up transit operations
Summary
SB 63 would authorize certain Bay Area counties to place a sales tax measure on the ballot to fund BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit operations; authors and transit officials warned that without new revenue service cuts could be severe.
The Senate Transportation Committee advanced SB 63, a bill that would authorize voter measures in specific Bay Area counties to raise local sales taxes for transit operations and system‑wide improvements.
Sen. Scott Wiener and co‑author Sen. (name spelled in transcript as Adegin) described SB 63 as an effort to avert a fiscal cliff that could force large service cuts for Bay Area operators after sustained ridership declines and reduced farebox revenues. Wiener said, “If nothing happens … BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit will be absolute shadows of what they are today.”
The bill as drafted would permit Contra Costa, Alameda and San Francisco counties to place measures (San Francisco up to 1 cent; Alameda and Contra Costa up to ½ cent) on the ballot; the text invites San Mateo and Santa Clara counties to join. The bill also conditions any measure on a financial efficiency review to identify operating improvements and spending accountability before new funds are used.
Transit leaders testified in support. Sue Nowak, chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and mayor of Pleasant Hill, told the committee that Bay Area operators face a combined operating deficit of at least $700 million annually without new funds and that riders have returned to roughly 70% of pre‑pandemic levels. Mark Foley, president of the BART board, said BART cannot “cut our way out of this crisis” and urged the Legislature to allow voters to decide on local support.
Committee action: Members voted to refer SB 63 to the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation; the committee roll call recorded the motion passing (10 yes, 3 no on the committee record at the time of the vote). The authors and MTC said they will continue to work with Bay Area jurisdictions and stakeholders on allocations and district governance issues as the measure moves forward.
Why it matters: Sponsors framed the bill as a voter‑led, local solution to preserve transit service and protect low‑income and transit‑dependent riders. The committee emphasized the need for fiscal transparency requirements and a return‑to‑source conversation for fund allocation among Bay Area operators.
Next steps: The bill was advanced to Revenue & Taxation; authors and local authorities will continue to negotiate participation, allocation formulas and efficiency review details.
