Bay Area Voters Approve Major Tax Measures to Rescue BART and Muni from Fiscal Crisis

POLICY WIRE — San Francisco, California — Voters have taken decisive action to stabilize the region’s transportation infrastructure by approving new tax measures designed to avert imminent financial collapse.

The election results provide a critical lifeline for BART, San Francisco Muni, and other regional transit agencies that were facing the immediate threat of devastating service cuts.

In San Francisco, Proposition H—a parcel tax aimed at averaging Muni’s dire financial situation—led with a commanding 72% of the vote as final tallies were processed Tuesday night.

Additionally, the Regional Transit Measure R (RTM) saw clear success across five Bay Area counties. The measure, which increases sales taxes to bolster BART and local services, passed with a combined 62% approval from voters.

This apparent victory suggests a significant shift in public sentiment, indicating that residents are prepared to rethink public transportation in the era following the pandemic.

The urgency of the vote cannot be overstated, as advocates noted that the fiscal crisis facing operators would have impacted the public within months had the measures failed to pass.

The support for these measures reflects a belief that the existing transit network is an asset worth preserving and expanding upon.

The fight for these systems gained momentum as early as 2023, when Lian Chang of Connect Bay Area used creative protest, including a mock funeral featuring cardboard coffins and replicas of local trains to draw attention.

The Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit, the group that opposed the RTM, did not provide a comment regarding the results on Tuesday night.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)em>