A proposed tax to support Bay Area public transit was certified Tuesday to go on the California general election ballot this November.
If approved by voters, the Connect Bay Area initiative would add a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco to help fund local transit agencies.
The petition for the measure collected nearly 242,000 valid signatures, far exceeding the required number of 186,000. That’s according to the Public Transit Revenue Measure District, the regional entity established by the state law that also authorized the measure to go in front of voters.
Exceeding the signature threshold means the measure would be put on the ballot by a citizen initiative. Because of this, the measure will only require a simple majority to pass instead of a two-thirds supermajority.
The proposed tax comes as public transit agencies in the region face severe budget shortfalls in the current fiscal year.
If the measure fails, BART will cut up to 70% of service, Caltrain will shut down weekend and evening service, Muni will eliminate at least 20 routes and Alameda-Contra Costa Transit will cut at least 16% of service.
