Bay Area leaders propose sales tax measure to save BART and Muni

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Bay Area's elected leaders say they have a plan to save local public transit, but it will be up to the voters to decide. Two State Senators are introducing a bill that would be placed on the ballot in three Bay Area counties next year to help save future BART and Muni services amid low ridership and rising operating costs.

"We need to shore up and save public transportation in the Bay Area," said State Senator Scott Wiener.

State Senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin want the public to imagine a world without BART service and no San Francisco Muni trains and buses either.

"The impact it have on so many people in the region to get to work, get to school, see a doctor," said State Senator Jesse Arreguin from Berkeley.

Transit agencies have yet to fully recover from dramatic pandemic-era ridership drop-offs and rising operating costs. BART says for now, they have a balanced budget but that will change.

MORE: BART report highlights need for additional funding and why ridership has dropped

"A year and a half from now, we'll be facing a $300,000 to 400,000 deficit and the only way to fix those is to ask voters for support," said BART deputy general manager Michael Jones.

Weiner and Arreguin are introducing a bill to place a sales tax ballot measure in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The funds would raise millions of dollars to prevent service reductions on BART and Muni.

"If we do nothing, we will see massive service cuts at our public transit agencies, it would be horrific for the Bay Area," said Wiener.

Wiener says it could put more cars on the road. San Francisco leaders say bringing downtown back to where it was pre-COVID depends on public transit.

"We know the reality is, San Francisco won't recover unless we have strong reliable public transit in the city," said Alicia Jean-Baptiste, San Francisco chief of Infrastructure, Climate and Mobility.

MORE: SFMTA considers higher parking meter rates, pickleball court amid budget deficit

The Bay Area Council admits that timing of the funding measure isn't great.

"We know this is a difficult time to ask the public to raise taxes for transit we know residents are feeling the rising cost of living, frustrated with our transit services," said Kristina Lawson, Bay Area Council chair.

"Inflation is going up on everything," said Sandra Collins.

BART rider Sandra Collins isn't sure how she'll vote on the measure.

"I'm undecided but I have to ride, if that's what they need to keep it going which I really don't think I believe," Collins said.