Green Light for Voter-Led Regional Transportation Measure

The Bay Area took an important step forward today (Jan. 7) to keep our trains, buses, and ferries running into the future. In accordance with legislation (SB 63) the Bay Area Council supported, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission established the Public Transit Revenue Measure District to authorize the placement of a sales tax measure on the ballot in November to stave off transit service cuts, improve service, and make targeted road improvements within the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

Bay Area Council Senior Vice President Emily Loper joined the MTC hearing where the action was taken to announce the creation of the Connect Bay Area Transit Committee, which is co-chaired by Bay Area Council Chair Kristina Lawson. Over the past few months, the campaign committee has built a broad coalition and raised significant funds to pursue this measure as a voter-led initiative. The Commissioners agreed that polling shows consistently strong support for the voter-led initiative, and that an MTC-led measure with a higher threshold for passage would not win. 

“Reliable transit isn’t optional — it’s economic infrastructure,” said Bay Area Council Interim President & CEO John Grubb. “It’s how this region functions, how people get to work, and how the Bay Area remains competitive.”

The Council was instrumental in the creation of this measure, ensuring that the expenditure plan was shaped around what voters want: reliable, safe, and accountable transit. The Council also led the development of a strict accountability framework including a requirement for transit agencies to cut costs without compromising service, which is essential to build voter trust in the measure. To learn more about Connect Bay Area, contact Senior Vice President Emily Loper.