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Committee advances local-election bill to let Santa Cruz Metro voters decide funding measure
Summary
AB 19 19 would add election procedures so voters in the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District can place a local initiative on the ballot to authorize funding; backers said a one‑time infusion of $28.3 million will run out in 2026 and the bill would enable a local vote to avoid service cuts and layoffs.
AB 19 19, presented as a local‑control measure, would add election procedures that allow residents served by the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District to place a qualified voter initiative on the ballot seeking funding or other local decisions for the transit system.
The author said Reimagine Metro service improvements were funded with a one‑time $28.3 million infusion in 2023 and that funds will be exhausted in 2026; without new funding, the transit district could reduce services and lay off employees. Jaime Renteria, general chairperson for Smart Local 23, told the committee that bus operators and low‑income communities would be hardest hit by service cuts.
Supporters included Santa Cruz Metro and several union representatives who said the bill simply provides a local process for voters to decide the future of their transit system and helps protect union jobs. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association registered opposition.
The committee voted to pass and refer the bill to the Transportation Committee. Sponsors framed the measure as giving voters the choice to sustain transit service before the funding cliff arrives.
