Rather than planning for a sales tax increase, Bay Area transit agencies could first take steps to cut costs
Metropolitan Transit Commission polling shows that voter support for a half-cent sales tax to fund local transit is a few points shy of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. While transit advocates may conclude from these results that they can get over the top with additional voter education, a better option is to improve transit before asking voters for more money.
Rather than lobbying for interim state support and then asking residents to pay an additional $800 million annually to continue business as usual, BART and sister agencies should implement reforms that encourage transit use and improve stewardship of taxpayer and rider revenues. BART has taken promising first steps by hardening fare gate and increasing Inspector General funding — albeit without sufficient independence and power — but much more needs to be done.
First, BART should achieve five-minute headways on all lines throughout the day by adding two-car driverless trains. Long waits and cancellations due to a shortage of operators is a major barrier to attracting riders. Driverless trains have proven themselves in Vancouver, Singapore and Paris. And even BART already has driverless service on its Oakland Airport connector.
BART should also terminate other postemployment benefits including retiree healthcare coverage. For many BART retirees, generous pension benefits should be sufficient to cover the cost of health insurance. Others should take advantage of federal and state subsidies available through Covered California. In the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, BART spent $31 million on OPEBs which instead should go to operations.
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