BART discusses ballot measure as financial lifeline

BART discusses ballot measure as financial lifeline

BART's board of directors are meeting on Thursday to discuss a ballot measure that would give the transit agency a much-needed financial lifeline.

OAKLAND, Calif. - BART's board of directors are meeting on Thursday to discuss a ballot measure that would give the transit agency a much-needed financial lifeline.

While ridership has grown in the past couple years, BART officials say it's not back to the level it was before the pandemic.

And they acknowledge that it may never get back to that level.

That's because the Bay Area has many people who continue to work from home, meaning they don't commute as often during the week.

Because of that, BART, like many other transit agencies, is  facing a financial crisis after next year, when state and federal emergency funds run out.

BART is facing a $35 million deficit starting in 2026.

The agency says it would have to cut service from 60% to 85% if it wanted to cut its way out of that budget hole.

Some BART directors are saying that a possible ballot measure may be their only hope. 

Legislation by San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener and Hayward state Sen. Aisha Wahab would authorize the nine-county Bay Area to place a 30-year tax measure, such as a parcel tax or vehicle registration fee, on the 2026 ballot.

SB 1031 would allow regional transportation officials to raise money for BART and other transit agencies in the Bay Area through some type of tax increase.

The bill could also pave the way to consolidate the 27 different transit agencies that operate throughout the Bay Area. 

Merging transit agencies like BART, Muni, AC Transit and others together would help them survive longterm.

No decisions are expected to be made at the meeting. BART's board is just going to get an update about the ongoing efforts to get that measure on the ballot.