SFMTA, BART, Caltrain host meeting as agencies could face $700M deficit in 2027: Here's what to know

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The San Francisco County Transportation Authority hosted a first of its kind meeting Tuesday morning.

The gathering bringing together BART, SFMTA and Caltrain officials to discuss the so-called fiscal cliffs that several Bay Area transit agencies are facing.

"It's a regional problem...and it's going to require a lot of coordination throughout the region, which means we need to be working with people who are not in this room," said SFMTA CFO, Bree Mawhorter.

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

Since the start of the pandemic, the three agencies have faced plummeting ridership numbers that haven't yet recovered to their 2019 levels.

With governmental funding coming to an end, the agencies could face a collective budget deficit as high as $700 million by 2027.

A nightmare scenario, they say, that could lead to massive service cuts that would have severe impacts across the Bay Area.

"The arguments are financial. They are everything to do with sustainability, so environment. Congestion. And so transportation works in order to keep basically the engine running," said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard.

MORE: 'Death spiral': Here's what is at stake for Bay Area public transit amid battle for state funding

To address the problem, the agencies and some lawmakers have proposed placing a taxpayer funding measure on the November 2026 ballot.

"We can't afford right now to take any options off the table. We really need to follow any path that might lead to some relief," Bouchard said.

But would Bay Area voters actually pass such a measure?

On the streets of San Francisco, some told us they would support it and cited public transit's importance in our car-centric region.

"They can't really see the impact that a greater integrated public transit system would have on the community as a whole," said Shreya Pujari.

Others though, were more skeptical.

"I don't know one person that's taken BART that says, 'this is fantastic'," said Daniel Mok.

MORE: 25% fewer Muni buses possible as SFMTA faces potential $214 million deficit

Mok says while he thinks public transportation is important, he'd be hesitant to vote yes unless some of the money also went to improving the services provided.

"It's hard to justify spending more money for a transit system that is not really that great," Mok said.