As the financial health of Bay Area public transit teeters precariously, state senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín have introduced a legislative effort aimed at infusing much-needed funding into the system. Their proposed Connect Bay Area Act, or Senate Bill 63, sets to authorize a new sales tax measure which, if passed by voters, would take effect in November 2026. This act targets San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties, potentially extending to San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Without the injection of capital SB63 seeks to secure, officials warn that the outcome could be dire for local transit agencies. BART might resort to station closures, hour-long headways, and possible shutdowns after 9 p.m. Muni, already at 75% of its pre-pandemic ridership levels, could see a 50% decrease in service frequency across many lines. State Senator Wiener stated, "If we do nothing, we will see catastrophic service cuts," as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. These eventualities could spell out increased freeway traffic and a more congested Bay Area, with commuters possibly facing extended travel times by as much as 10 hours a week.
Supporters of the measure seek a novel legal strategy that allows citizen groups to sponsor the measure, requiring only a simple majority for passage instead of the usual two-thirds threshold needed for tax approvals. Despite recent surveys showing a 55% approval rate in several counties, there remains a hesitation among residents when it comes to actual financial support for transit, reflecting a disparity between the recognition of transit's importance and the willingness to fund it. Wiener, however, expresses confidence that the measure is winnable, emphasizing its significance to the region's infrastructure.
The stakes are high when considering the impact of transit on the city's economic vitality, including the implications for San Francisco's tax base. Mayor Daniel Lurie has ordered departments to make budget cuts in the wake of a ballooning $840 million deficit, "BART is facing its greatest existential challenge we’ve faced since the system was created," Edward Wright from the BART Board of Directors told the The San Francisco Standard. The situation's fragility is further evidenced by the cautious optimism from transit policy devotees such as Sebastian Petty from the public policy nonprofit SPUR, who conveyed to the San Francisco Chronicle the necessity of preventing the Bay Area's transit system from reaching a state of critical disrepair.
