Episode
Regional Ballot Measure is a $14 Billion Bet on Bay Area Transit
- Podcast
- KQED's Forum
- Published
- Sep 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3288
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Summary
Years after the pandemic emptied trains and buses, Bay Area transit agencies still face anemic ridership and rising costs. A new regional transit measure that voters put on the November ballot aims to shift the tides. It would add a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and 1% in San Francisco, to raise an estimated $14 billion over 14 years. Supporters hope it will fund BART, Muni, Caltrain, SamTrans, VTA and AC Transit and better connect the systems, while critics call it a regressive tax that hits lower-income residents hardest. We’ll talk about how we got here and the future of public transit with – or without – these funds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices