Mass Transit magazine’s 2026 Transit Ballot Measure Tracker

Mass Transit magazine is tracking the status of all of the transit ballot measures that are being voted on across the U.S. in 2026. While some are still getting the traction they need to make the ballot, others have already secured their position—and some have already been decided. This is a living webpage that will be updated as ballot measures progress through the approval process or when the votes are finalized. 

Decided

Pima County, Ariz. 

Pima County, Ariz., voters approved a pair of ballot measures on March 10 that creates and funds a Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Next plan. The Next plan is a $2.67 billion, 20-year transportation plan that focuses on five major priority areas: roadway (multimodal) corridors, arterial reconstruction, transit, safety and ADA enhancements and environmental goals. 

Proposition 418—the proposition that creates the plan—passed with 61% of the vote. Proposition 419—the proposition that asked voters whether to continue to charge the half-cent sales tax that funds the plan—passed with 59% of the vote. 

The funding breaks down like this: $1.2 billion for roadway corridors (31 major projects, including freeway interchanges, lane enhancements and bike lanes); $726 million for transit expansion; and $254.6 million for safety and ADA improvements. The new plan also includes $257.6 million to complete seven leftover corridor projects from the 2006 plan that stalled due to the Great Recession and post-pandemic cost inflation. 

The plan also continues RTA funding to Sun Tran for expanded evening and weekend services, improved frequencies, expanded paratransit and Sun Shuttle neighborhood circulator services. Without the measure passing, those expanded transit services funded under the 2006 plan could have ceased unless another funding source was found. 

"Tucsonans have voted to invest in ourselves at a time when it's especially crucial for us to do so," Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement. "These funds will bring tangible benefits to our city, from improved roads and bicycle and pedestrian safety to a new bus rapid transit system and major infrastructure upgrades like Mary Ann Cleveland Way."   

Transit funding in the plan faced criticism, though. The plan allocates $70 million toward bus rapid transit (BRT), which is only enough to partially finance approximately five miles of BRT, opponents noted to the Tucson Spotlight. The new RTA Next Plan took effect on April 1, 2026, the day the prior plan expired. 

Highland Park, Texas 

Voters in Highland Park, Texas, elected to exit the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system on May 2, an election that saw three Texas cities deciding their DART future. Highland Park residents opted to exit with 69.7% of residents voting no to staying in the system. 

As of May 14, DART services no longer operate within the city limits of Highland Park after its city council canvassed the results of the election on May 13. While fixed-route buses and paratransit trips will still travel through the city, neither will start or end routes or conduct trips inside city limits.The transit system notes that it will continue to collect the 1% sales tax until the obligations of Highland Park are met in accordance with withdrawal calculations laid out in Transportation Code Ch. 452. 

Initially, six member cities considered leaving the network due to a perception they were not receiving a fair return on the 1% sales tax revenue that each contributes for membership to the network. The six cities include Addison, Farmers Branch, Highland Park, Irving, Plano and University Park—though three withdrew the ballot question when DART adopted a new General Mobility Plan (GMP).  

That GMP gives back up to 7.5% of the contributed tax on a rising scale over five years and contributes another 2.5% of funding from the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, which approved $75 million to fund transportation-related projects in DART member cities in early February. 

While the agency projects Highland Park’s exit creates a loss of $270 million in sales tax revenue over the next 20 years, it also notes that its current financial standing positions it for success going forward. 

“Because of DART’s prudent fiscal policies and practices—and as evidenced by recent comments from credit rating agencies—our financial position remains strong,” said a DART spokesperson in an email to Mass Transit magazine. “While the loss of any city is detrimental to regional mobility,Highland Park represents [less than] 1% of DART’s annual sales tax revenue. Additionally, the GMP is a significant percentage of DART’s revenues, but we have already incorporated the first two years into the 20-year financial plan, following the board’s adoption of a different version of the program in March 2025. This gives us time to discuss with the board how to accommodate the GMP in fiscal year (FY) 2028 and beyond while minimizing impact to riders.” 

To compensate for the loss of DART services, the city launched Highland Park On-Demand, a microtransit service powered by Via Transportation that’ll operate seven days a week for $3 a trip. The city also launched Highland Park Access, a pre-scheduled paratransit service that will also operate seven days a week for $3.50 a trip. 

DART Board Chair Randall Bryant shared how the agency will move forward with the results of the votes. 

“The future of North Texas will be shaped by the cities that choose to move forward with DART. We are focused on expanding this system with partners who recognize that transit drives economic growth, connects people to opportunity and strengthens communities,” Bryant said in a press release. “As we head into the next legislative session, we are united in our ask, give our cities room to breathe and allow the state to step in as a true partner in shaping what comes next. At the same time, we are pushing forward to expand our system and establish a fair, modern governance and funding model that works for everyone. This is our moment to move forward, and DART is ready to lead.” 

Addison, Texas 

Voters in Addison, Texas, elected to remain a part of the DART network in the May 2 election. Residents opted to stay, with 70% voting yes. This means the city will still contribute the 1% sales tax it’s obligated to and will retain access to all current DART services that serve the city. If voters elected to exit, services would have stopped once the election results were canvassed, and the sales tax would cease when the obligation to DART was fully met—the exit plan laid out in Highland Park. 

In a statement issued to CBS News Texas, Addison Mayor Bruce Arfsten said in part, "By choosing to remain part of DART, our community has reaffirmed the importance of regional connectivity and mobility. With the Silver Line now in place, Addison is well positioned to benefit from increased access and the economic opportunity it provides." 

University Park, Texas 

Voters in University Park opted to remain a part of the DART network in the May 2 election. University Park opted to stay with a slimmer margin than Addison, with 53.7% voting yes to staying. This means the city will still contribute the 1% sales tax it’s obligated to and will retain access to all current DART services that serve the city. 

In an email to Mass Transit, a University Park spokesperson shared a similar sentiment to Bryant, noting that the city was looking to DART for leadership in this moment. 

“The outcome of the election indicates that University Park voters wanted to continue the regional transportation framework and have access to the services provided by DART,” said the University Park spokesperson. “The narrow margin is indicative of the challenges facing regional transportation, and the city will look to DART to ensure University Park residents receive a return on its transportation investment.” 

Holland and Holland Charter Township, Mich. 

Holland and Holland Charter Township voters opted to approve a 0.6-mill levy—0.4-mills renewal, 0.2-mills new—for the next five years to fund Macatawa Area Express Transportation Authority (MAX Transit). The levy—set to raise $2.45 million in 2027—passed with 70% of the vote. MAX Transit officials said the funding bump would assist in covering gaps created by a loss in state revenues and assist with securing more grant funding. 

Further, the agency notes that funds also would be used to upgrade aging vehicles, potentially expand hours to meet demand and improve the passenger experience. 

Licking County, Ohio 

Licking County voters declined to approve a dedicated 0.15% sales tax for Licking County Transit on May 5, with 57% voting no. The measure would have generated somewhere between an estimated $3.5 million and $6 million annually. The agency has seen ridership more than double since 2022 and has continued to launch new fixed-route services in its fare-free network. 

The measure would have been the first time the transit agency had a dedicated sales tax stream in addition to the funding it receives from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Ohio Department of Transportation and through other grant funding. 

Licking County Transit Executive Director Matt Allison explained what the funding would do for the agency—and in turn, what it would miss out on if the measure failed—in an interview with The Reporting Project prior to the election. 

“We want to expand to lines running to/through Pataskala to Etna, Mount Vernon Road and Johnstown to New Albany,” Allison said. “We are also hoping to increase frequency on our busiest lines, increasing them to every 30 minutes, versus the current hourly schedule.” 

Stark County, Ohio 

Stark County voters declined to approve a renewal of the existing 0.25% sales tax, plus a 0.1% increase for 10 years, with 51% voting no—a measure that funds Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA). SARTA was seeking the increase on top of renewing its dedicated funding stream to decrease the average age of its buses, restore cuts it made to its ProLine ride-by-appointment service it cut back in February 2025 and resume operations of a limited Sunday service after Sunday service was cut entirely in 2009. 

The failure puts the agency on a clock, as it bundled the rate increase with its standard renewal that’s set to expire in June of 2027—leaving it only two chances to secure even its base funding. Those come in November 2026 during the general election, though a ballot question that aims to amend the Ohio Constitution to prohibit taxes on real property entirely in the state may not make the timing of asking for another tax to be renewed ideal. That ballot question is in the signature collection process and needs nearly half a million verifiable signatures collected by July 1. The other option is during the May 2027 primary, though that’s its final chance before funding lapses in June. 

SARTA Human Resources Director Tammy Brown told 88.5 WYSU what to expect should the funding measure fail. 

“We would really have to take a look to stay sustained as long as possible,” Brown said. “So that may mean some additional cuts.” 

Athens County, Ohio 

Athens County residents voted on May 5 on a 0.2% increase to the city municipal income tax, which would in part go to Athens Public Transit, operated by Hocking Athens Perry Community Action (HAPCAP). The increase—raising from 1.95% to 2.15%—is estimated to generate $1.9 million in 2027. As of May 13, results for this election are still unofficial, though the increase has tentatively passed with a margin of eight votes, according to the Ohio Board of Elections. 

With transit listed as one of the five priorities for the funding, Athens Mayor Steve Patterson noted ahead of the election that the city would commit to restoring Saturday transit services, likely in 2028 once funding was flowing—an offering dropped when the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

“This is something that would certainly benefit everyone, to have Saturday service come back,” Patterson said in an April 20 city council meeting, also remarking he’d like to see Sunday service happen as well. 

The measure would fund other general municipal obligations and does not impose a sunset date or procedure. This measure also comes after voters rejected a 0.3% increase in 2025 by a 14% margin, leaving the city to come back with a smaller ask. 

If the measure ultimately fails, the tax rate of 1.95% will remain in place. 

Belmont County, Ohio 

Belmont County voters opted to approve a renewal to a 2.5-mills property tax assessment that funds, in part, the Eastern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (EORTA). The renewal passed with approximately 65% of the vote, though final totals haven’t been made official with the Ohio Board of Elections. 

The measure approves the renewal for the next five years and funds EORTA’s operations in Bellaire, Bridgeport, Brookside, Shadyside and Yorkville, Ohio. 

Benwood, W.Va. 

Benwood City voters opted to renew a property tax millage on May 12 that, in part, funds the Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority (OVRTA). The levy is charged at 9.07 cents per $100 of assessed value for Class II property and 18.14 cents per $100 of assessed value for Class IV property. The millage was renewed for two years and will run through June 30, 2029. 

While results are still unofficial, the measure tentatively passed with just shy of 70% of the vote—an important number to watch in West Virginia as property tax ballot measures need a 60% majority to be enacted. 

The measure’s funding, according to the ballot language, covers the city of Benwood’s obligations to the OVRTA, covering operating deficits, capital costs, equipment and facilities connected to urban mass transit. 

Cabell County, W.Va. 

Cabell County voters opted to renew a property tax measure that funds the Tri-State Transit Authority (TTA), in part. While the results are still unofficial, the measure passed with 76% of the vote—exceeding the 60% needed for tax levies to pass in the state. The levy is collected at 7.95 mills overall but is shared among multiple county priorities. The share for transit works out to 0.75 mills. 

The levy, which runs in tandem with a levy in Huntington, W.Va., runs for five years, covering fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027, through July 1, 2031. The Cabell County levy allocates $1.6 million to TTA as part of a broader levy that also covers EMS, the health department, senior services and fire protection. 

TTA's total annual budget works out to approximately $8 million, comprised of federal grants, the levies, fares and other fees. TTA CEO Paul Davis explained the gravity of the measures for the agency.  

"TTA can't survive without them. We will not be here without these levies. We won't be able to match the federal grants," Davis said to WSAZ. 

Huntington, W.Va. 

Voters in Huntington opted to renew a five-year property tax levy, continuing the stream of dedicated funding for TTA bus services from the city with an unofficial yes vote of 81%. Rates of the levy are charged at 3.5 cents per $100 for Class I property, 7 cents for Class II and 14 cents for Class IVproperties. 

The levy, which runs in tandem with a levy in Cabell County, W.Va., runs for five years, covering fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027, through July 1, 2031. Unlike Cabell County, the funding stream in Huntington only supports the TTA. While the TTA serves the whole county, the city of Huntington contributes a dedicated stream due to the proportion of service offered. 

Kanawha County, W.Va. 

Kanawha County voters opted to approve a renewal and modify the Kanawha County Public Safety Levy with 75% of the vote on May 12. While not a stand-alone public transit measure, the levy does, in part, fund Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority (KRT). 

The levy continues—starting at 6.09 cents per $100 of assessed property value—but changes how the tax is disbursed throughout the county. KRT's share drops from 43.5% to 39%, while other services, like Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority, will see its share rise. The county's share increases from 13% to 15% to close a Metro 911 deficit. The levy is estimated to be valued at $19.5 million by 2029, of which KRT's share is expected to be approximately $7.6 million annually. KRT Executive Director Sean Hill said on 580 Live with Dave Allen that the levy provides about 60% of the of KRT’s funding. 

While the passage is good news for the transit agency, it’s also facing some large bills in its future while already operating on a deficit. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that the agency is about to spend $6 million to match grants for a new maintenance facility, totaling $30 million, while operating on a year-to-date deficit of $1.5 million. 

Changes take effect in July 2028.

On the ballot 

Oregon

Oregon voters will decide on May 19 whether to uphold Oregon House Bill 3991, a state-wide funding package passed by Democrats during special session in September 2025. That package of legislation does many things—it increases the gas tax by 6 cents to a total of 46 cents per gallon, increases titling fees for vehicles from $77 to $216 and registration fees from $86 to $170 every two years. It also doubles the statewide transit payroll tax from 0.1% to 0.2% through 2028—a tax that was first implemented in 2017. Total projected revenue is $4.3 billion for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) over the next 10 years—should it pass the vote. 

It came to the ballot after Republicans collected north of 200,000 signatures—over two times the 78,000 needed to refer a measure like this to ballot—to refer the law to voters. The campaign was led by gubernatorial candidate and State Rep. Ed Diehl (R-17), Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr(R-12) and Taxpayer Association of Oregon founder Jason Williams. 

The fate of this bill is still very much up in the air, as no “yes” vote committee has filed or been campaigning for the measure. Further, it was initially set to appear on November’s ballot but was moved up through a state senate bill to be on the May ballot, as Democrats claim the road funding cannot wait until November, according to OPB. 

Sunset Empire Transportation District Executive Director David Carr said that without the funding from the measure, the agency would face unavoidable cuts, as it gets a majority of its funding through the state budget. 

"State funding represents nearly 60% of our operating budget,” Carr said in a special session. “Reductions would result in unavoidable service cuts, disproportionately harming disabled and transit-dependent riders. Conversely, timely and increased state funding could offset federal delays, preserve essential services and enable the restoration of routes lost during previous cutbacks. A meaningful increase would also help us move closer to pre-COVID service levels and better serve unserved areas of our rural county." 

The failure would also leave a deficit of more than $200 million for ODOT, which it backfilled with other grants that the measure intended to replenish while also ensuring the stability of the department going forward. 

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has begun to compile another funding package should this measure fail, according to OPB. However, the package isn’t set for delivery until next year—and she’s currently up for re-election. 

Jackson County, Ore. 

Jackson County voters will be asked on May 19 whether to renew a property tax levy that funds the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD). The levy—charged at 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value on a house— is up for a five-year renewal and would generate $2.8 million in FY 2026-2027 and about $3.3 million in FY 2030-2031. The current measure is set to expire on June 30. 

The vote comes after the agency had to make cuts in 2025 due to losses of federal funding. If the measure fails, the agency indicated that it would make more cuts to service, according to the Rogue Valley Times. 

Athens-Clarke County, Ga. 

Athens-Clarke County voters will decide on May 19 whether or not to renew a 1% Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST). If approved, the TSPLOST would, in part, offer nearly $68 million over five years to fund Athens Transit. Funding would cover items like operations, fleet upgrades, a new transfer station, service expansion and bus stop renovations. 

Of the nearly $70 million that would go to transit, $45 million would be earmarked for preserving Athens Transit's fare-free service, should that be determined as a feasible path forward. Athens is one of a few U.S. cities recorded to be offering fare-free public transit—a policy that initially began as a temporary COVID-era executive order in 2020, though became permanent. A 2025 internal agency audit recommended reevaluating the fare-free policy due to sustainability concerns, and transit officials are pointing to the TSPLOST as a mechanism to help keep fares at zero. While the TSPLOST doesn’t guarantee the continuation of fare-free services, it’s seen as a prerequisite that would bolster its future consideration as it’s evaluated over the next two years. 

The service is currently being kept free through April 2027 via a grant from AmeriHealth Caritas. 

The TSPLOST would also provide $96.7 million to road projects, including repaving, culvert replacement, bridge repairs, residential traffic calming and Vision Zero safety projects. 

If the TSPLOST is approved, the existing overall 8% sales tax rate would continue—voters are being asked to renew the 1% dedicated to transit rather than add a new tax. 

As for what happens should the vote fail, the specifics aren’t clear. Athens-Clarke County Transit Director Victor Pope said in an interview with Flagpole that “if the TSPLOST referendum were to fail, we would need to look at other funding resources.” 

Flagpole also reports that transit department officials also say fares could rise to as much as the pre-2020 rate, depending on the results of the analysis that’ll follow the election; though previous reports have suggested that the costs to reimplement fare collection infrastructure would leave the agency with minimal revenue. 

Marin and Sonoma Counties, Calif. 

Marin and Sonoma County voters will decide on June 2 whether or not to extend Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit’s (SMART) existing quarter-cent sales tax for another 30 years through 2059. The measure would generate approximately $51 million annually beginning in 2029, according to the ballot measure language. This renews the funding measure that was first approved by voters 17 years ago in November 2008. 

The measure was initially up for renewal in 2020 to attempt to get ahead of its 2029 expiration, but the measure required a two-thirds majority, for which it fell short. However, the new attempt will only need a simple majority to pass due to the passage of Senate Bill 504—a bill that created a special statutory pathway for renewing the SMART train sales tax in Marin and Sonoma counties after a Marin grand jury urged SMART to bolster support for the measure due to the financial instability of the agency. 

If the measure fails, SMART’s CFO Heather McKillop suggested two failure scenarios at a September 2023 board meeting.  

The more likely scenario—simply put—would see SMART cut 50% of service in July 2029 through June 2030. The service cuts would be like those SMART implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This option would also include significant layoffs. This version of events would leave $26 million in reserves, which the agency could use to resume full service if the measure was eventually approved during the 2029-2030 fiscal year. 

The other option would see services reduced less initially—SMART would continue full passenger rail service through June 2029, then cut service by approximately 7% in 2030 and continue operations until its funding is depleted. This option leaves SMART with approximately $141,000 in funding by the 2029-2030 FY.. The agency would not have enough money even to pay for dissolution, according to McKillop’s presentation. 

Delta County, Mich. 

Delta County voters will decide whether to renew and expand a transit property tax levy that would see multiple smaller municipal millages be unified into one county-wide millage. The new structure would be for an eight-year, county-wide transit millage at 0.689 mills from 2026 through 2033, expected to generate approximately $1.1 million in its first year. 

The measure would replace current city and township transit millages—currently 0.6 mills in Escanaba and Gladstone and 0.5 mills in seven participating townships—while expanding Delta Area Transit Authority’s (DATA) service into seven currently unserved townships. It would also extendoperating hours to include service until 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays, along with Saturday service county-wide. 

The service currently operates in a patchwork fashion across the county, with some municipalities lacking access to services due to a lack of millage. As for what happens without the millage, DATA essentially has one shot to get the needed funding to maintain service.  

“We’re banking on a millage, potentially, that could put us out of business if this doesn’t pass,” said DATA Executive Director John Stapleton to county commissioners in an April 21 meeting. 

Stapleton continued, noting that there wasn’t an official contingency plan on paper and that it would be a tight turn-around for the agency to get something else on the November ballot. 

Manistee County, Mich. 

Manistee voters will decide on Aug. 4 whether to renew and increase a property tax millage funding the Manistee County Transportation Dial-a-Ride. The millage would combine a 0.5-mill renewal with a 0.25-mill increase for a total of 0.75 mill over six years, from 2027 through 2032, to improve availability and increased service hours. 

The funding measure would renew the current measure that’s set to expire at the end of the year. While no information could be located regarding the outcome if the system was unable to pass the millage, the agency’s funding is made up of local government funding—driven by the millage—the agency's largest single revenue source, with state and federal grants making up the remainder, according to 2023 National Transit Database data. 

Dial-a-ride General Manager Julie Stec also noted that the system was at capacity and “was struggling to meet demand” when explaining the increased ask during an April 15 county board meeting, according to the Manistee News Advocate. 

Pere Marquette Charter Township, Mich. 

Pere Marquette voters will decide on Aug. 4 whether or not to renew the Public Transport Service Millage to continue Ludington Mass Transportation Authority’s (LMTA) dial-a-ride service.  

The measure would modify and renew Pere Marquette's Public Transport Service Millage, bringing the fund up for renewal again in 2033 after seven years instead of the four-year basis it was previously approved on. The measure also indicates the township would act on charging the full 0.4 mill—or 40 cents per $1,000 of taxable value—ceiling allotted by the measure during the first year, doubling the revenue from the previous seven years at 0.2 mill. The township has historically levied only 0.2 mills of that authorized ceiling, generating roughly $178,000 annually—close to the current $170,900 budget. The full 0.4 mills would generate about $356,830. 

While no official word has been said on what happens should the measure fail, the millage is how Pere Marquette Township funds its contract with LMTA, so a failed renewal would likely mean the township loses the ability to levy the tax and would have to find another funding source or end its LMTA service contract and lose access to dial-a-ride. 

Wayne County, Mich. 

Wayne County voters will decide on Aug. 4 whether to renew and expand the county property tax millage for 10 years, instead of the usual four, that funds the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). The vote would impose a uniform millage of between 0.98 and 0.994 mills annually on all residential and commercial properties to fund SMART, as the opt-out provision was struck down by the state legislature. Now, if approved, the tax would be imposed across the entire county and provide transit services via SMART to the entire county, dissolving “a patchwork of transit systems,” as characterized by the sponsor of the bill that struck down opt outs, Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn). 

Currently 17 of the 43 county municipalities do not pay into, nor have access to the SMART system. If the measure passes, all 43 municipalities would be granted access with the tax. The county laid out expansion plans for the system, should the vote pass. 

The ballot question is, however, facing legal challenges under the guise it was placed on the ballot illegally. The lawsuit takes issue with the ballot language and how it made it to the ballot—the lawsuit claiming via an illegal, secret meeting on March 19. 

Without the funding, SMART CEO Tiffany Gunter said to Detroit News that the agency would eventually have to shudder in the county. 

Wexford County, Mich. 

Wexford County voters will decide on Aug. 4 whether or not to renew and restore a transit property tax millage. The countywide transportation millage would be taxed at a rate of 0.60 mills for five additional years—from 2028 to 2033—to fund the Cadillac Wexford Transit Authority (WexExpress).If approved and charged at its full rate, the transit millage could generate approximately $845,018 in its first year. 

The agency offers door-to-door transit services in Wexford County while also hosting daily trips to and from Traverse City, Mich. According to the NTD, the agency carried out around 135,700 unlinked trips in 2024 across a demand-response fleet of only 35 revenue vehicles. In that data, the agency reported operating expenses around $4.1 million, for which the local government contributed approximately $1.4 million, the state government approximately $1.7 million and the federal government approximately $850,000. Of the operating expenses, the agency only expensed just over $210,000—meaning the millage would offer a significant funding boost for the agency. 

While no information is publicly available regarding what happens if the millage fails, the current millage does not expire until 2027, providing the agency a buffer should a contingency plan be needed. 

Charleston County, S.C. 

Charleston County voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether or not to reapprove and reformat the county-wide half-cent sales tax for the next 25 years. The tax is projected to raise $4.25 billion over the life of the measure—20.24% of which is being directed to public transit, or $860 million. 

The measure funds roadway infrastructure, public transit and the greenbelt, with the prior category of bike/pedestrian funding getting folded into the roadway infrastructure item. Public transit was funded at a flat 20% in the prior tax structure, not getting cut in the revision that’s headed to the ballot—even in the face of a plurality of surveyed residents saying the public transit funding share was too high. 

A lot for Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) rests on this funding—not just sustaining service, but for service and frequency expansion and for the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project. That bus rapid transit project aims to serve the corridor connecting Summerville, North Charleston and downtown Charleston and is currently expected to begin construction next year. 

The Charleston Metro Area Chamber of Commerce notes that “without adequate funding from the tax continuation, CARTA would be unable to sustain its current operations.” 

Still working toward the ballot

Bay Area regional transportation sales tax measure 

The counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco, Calif., could vote in November’s general election on a proposed regional transportation sales tax, but only if a citizen initiative gathers enough valid signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot. The effort is enabled by State Bill (SB) 63, the Connect Bay Area Act, which authorizes a five-county framework for a coordinated transit funding measure that’s designed in an effort to fend off possible fiscal cliffs for regional transit agencies. 

The proposed measure would levy a 0.5% sales tax in most participating counties and a 1% tax in San Francisco over approximately 14 years, generating roughly $1 billion annually for transit operations and capital investments. 

Currently, the measure is seeking a citizen-initiated path to the ballot, meaning it needs to get roughly 186,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot across the five counties, according to California’s regional sales tax rules. That number is statutorily decided based on the populations of registered voters in the included counties. As of May 4, just shy of 60,000 of the more than 200,000 signatures that are expected to be collected had been collected. While the requirement to qualify for the ballot is roughly 186,000 spread across the five counties, typically ballot measure organizers aim to collect roughly 20-30% more signatures than are expected to be needed to ensure enough are left after verification. 

That path to the ballot means that the measure only needs to receive 50% plus one of the votes for it to pass. It could also be placed on the ballot by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). However, this could be more difficult as new special taxes, like that of funding transit, require a two-thirds majority to be approved via this method according to California state law. 

SB 63 also created the Public Transit Revenue Measure District (PTRMD)—governed by the MTC. PTRMD is the fund governing and oversight body that will dole out revenue according to formulas created in SB 63. Two-thirds of the funding would be dedicated to the preservation of service on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), San Francisco Bay Ferry and other smaller area transit services—agencies that are facing a multi-hundred million dollar deficit starting in fiscal year 2027-28 according to independent review. The remaining third would go to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (Santa Clara VTA), San Mateo County Transit District, the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to use flexibly for anything from capital projects to operations or road paving projects for their bus routes. 

Attached to the new funding would be independent oversight requirements. One committee would be comprised of representation from each of the participating counties that would ensure that funding is being spent in accordance with the law. Another set of committees would be created for BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit to create a two-phase independent third-party review of the efficiency of their financials. The committee would host four independent experts, board representatives from each of the four operators, one transit agency representative, one department of finance representative and a commissioner from the MTC. 

Additionally, the measure would require agencies to maintain existing levels of funding for operating purposes. The requirement was included to ensure the funding wasn’t replacing existing means, but adding to them to fight off the potential funding crisis. 

Without the measure making the ballot and passing, multiple regional agencies would face significant financial strain. For instance, BART could see the closure of 15 stations, the shutdown of the Blue Line, the reduction of service to peak hours on multiple other lines and the loss of 70% of train service hours and 25% of system miles in worst case planning scenarios. Further, the SFMTA noted it would have to make cuts to Muni services, including cuts and reductions to up to 20 Muni lines, ending service at 9:00 p.m. and the possible layoff of up to 2,100 employees in its worst case plan projections. 

This measure still needs to finish signature collection and go through a signature verification process that can take anywhere from an estimated 30 to 60 days, though this varies by county and sampling method. That process must be completed by July-August, the time when the five counties solidify their ballots for the November election.