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Newsom OKs regional transit sale tax for 2026 Bay Area ballot

BART passengers board a train bound for SFO Airport at Montgomery station.
shaylyn martos / KALW
BART passengers board a train bound for SFO Airport at Montgomery station.

Senate Bill 63, also known as the Connect Bay Area Act, adds a regional measure on the 2026 ballot to Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties.

If approved by voters, the 14-year sales tax would be directly distributed to transit agencies. That would be a half-cent tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and one cent in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Standard reports BART, the Alameda/Contra Costa Transit District, Muni, Caltrain, the San Francisco Bay Ferry and Golden Gate Transit would be the primary beneficiaries of the sales tax.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission – a region-wide planning body for transit – estimated agencies could be facing a nearly billion-dollar budget shortfall at the beginning of fiscal year 2027.

If the measure passes, it could generate enough revenue to close the deficits and keep services running.

Sunni M. Khalid is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, having worked in print, radio, television, and web journalism.