On Wednesday, July 2, the SamTrans board will discuss new polling and will evaluate options to fund transit for the county, including Caltrain and BART regional services which face steep deficits and potential service cuts in upcoming budget years, and SamTrans which is starting to show future deficits imperiling service.
Options to keep the regional services running include joining the regional transit funding measure in November 2026, or reauthorization of San Mateo County Measure A, which expires in 2033.
Important new polling asking voters to weigh in on the options will be presented on Wednesday at the SamTrans board meeting starting at 2pm.
Cannibalizing Measure A
Measure A, a half-percent sales tax passed in 2004, currently brings in about $120 Million. Currently, over 80% of Measure A goes to capital investments.
To reauthorize Measure A, the county agencies would in any scenario gather public feedback to reconsider the expenditure plan.
However, if San Mateo County relied on its local measure to keep the transit services running, the amount of funding needed to prevent cuts to Caltrain, BART and SamTrans would be between $50 and $60M – 40-50% of Measure A.
Eliminating highway funds – the largest share of the current expenditure plan – would not be enough. And the highway funds are used for needed maintenance, not only controversial highway expansion.
In order to prevent steep cuts to BART and Caltrain service, San Mateo County would need to cut into funds used for repaving local streets and roads – grade separations – bike/pedestrian improvements – and or local transit. Cannibalizing these popular investments could make it more difficult to get voter support.
Option to Join Regional Measure
San Mateo County could also choose to join the regional measure at a half cent or quarter cent level. The quarter cent would raise $60M and would be barely enough to provide funding for Caltrain, BART, and the county’s contribution to investments to provide rider-friendly, coordinated transit, including a free transfer program and standardized low-income discounts that improve affordability and increase ridership.
Reauthorizing at a half-percent level would generate additional revenue for local transit purposes – if SB63, the authorizing legislation, were to allow this, which is a top ask for both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties in their decision whether to join the regional measure.
One important difference is the regional measure legislation would authorize a citizens’ initiative which would allow a measure to pass at 50%+1. Reauthorizing Measure A, put on the ballot by local government agencies, would require a two thirds vote, which is a significantly higher hurdle.
| San Mateo County Measure A | |
| Highways | 33 |
| Local streets | 27 |
| Grade separations | 18 |
| Transit operations | 6 |
| Transit capital | 30 |
| Bike-ped | 4 |
| Alt congestion relief | 1.2 |
| Administration | 1.2 |
| Total | 120 |
