San Francisco County Measure RTM is on the November 3, 2026 ballot in California.
What it does
Create a sales tax for a 14-year period to fund transportation programs in the region
On your ballot
To prevent major service cuts to BART and other transit, avoid increased traffic, and reduce pollution by: Preserving BART, Caltrain, VTA, SamTrans, AC Transit, Muni, other transit for everyone, including workers, students, seniors, persons with disabilities; Supporting transit safety, cleanliness, affordability, reliability;
Repairing targeted roads/potholes; Requiring financial transparency, oversight, accountability; shall the measure enacting a 0.5% (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara counties), and 1% (San Francisco) sales tax for 14 years generating approximately $980,000,000 annually, be adopted?
What a yes vote means
A "yes" vote supports issuing a sales tax for a period of 14 years to fund public transportation systems in the region, including BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and Golden Gate Transit, with the following tax rates:
1.0% in San Francisco; and
0.5% in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
Join a group to add its recommendations to your ballot.

San Francisco and California urbanism
Led by Barak Gila · 50 voters

GrowSF's Voting Group
Posted by Sway

San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters' Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Prop RTM is a regional sales tax that will fund public transit across San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties. If all five counties vote yes on Prop RTM, we will pay a sales tax of 1% in SF (0.5% in the other counties). Prop RTM is expected to bring in $1 billion annually to fund regional transit agencies, with $310 million going to BART and $160 million to Muni.
BART estimates that without Prop RTM funds, it would have to close 15 stations and cut up to 70% of service. Muni would have to cut 20 lines and end regular bus service at 9pm without the combined funds of Prop RTM and the Prop H parcel tax.
We’re pissed off that working people across the Bay Area will have to pay more sales tax, while rich corporations dodge their responsibility to fund our public transportation directly. Still, we implore you to vote Yes on Prop RTM, and let’s keep fighting for a better plan to fund transit.
Source (https://www.theleaguesf.org/#PropRTM)

YIMBY Action's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
The Regional Transit Measure is the regional Connect Bay Area sales tax across five counties, funding Muni, BART, Caltrain, and the smaller regional operators. The regional nature of the BART necessitates a financial backstop that has united 3 county governments in this effort. BART has already cut over a billion dollars in costs since 2019 and without new revenue, it may face a 63% cut in train hours, three lines instead of five, 9pm closures, and fare hikes of up to 50% starting in 2027, followed by station closures and mass layoffs. A regional economy this large cannot function with a gutted BART, and a modest, sunsetting sales tax is a far better outcome than losing the system.

SPUR's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
SPUR's Recommendation
The potential collapse of transit services poses a serious threat to the many people who rely on transit to access jobs, medical appointments, and groceries. Vulnerable groups — including people with disabilities, older adults, students, and low-income workers — would bear the brunt of service cuts. SPUR believes maintaining reliable transit funding outweighs concerns about the regressive nature of a sales tax.
Transit is also vital for the region’s economy: half of all transit trips are work-related, and transit supports access to job opportunities. Robust service, especially in the evenings, supports small businesses and major events. Without it, traffic congestion will worsen, raising transportation costs for everyone and negatively impacting quality of life and the region’s economy.
BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit account for more than 80% of transit trips in the region. Cutting their services would not only exacerbate traffic but also significantly increase air and climate pollution, jeopardizing environmental progress.
What Prop. RTM Would Do
Note: SPUR is a sponsor of Proposition RTM.
Proposition RTM is a 14-year, 5-county sales tax that would raise approximately $1 billion per year to preserve transit service. In addition to preventing cuts to BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit, the measure would raise revenue for regional rider-focused programs that make transit more seamless and easy to use. Most counties would also receive funding for local transit improvements and road maintenance. The tax rate would be 0.5% in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo and 1% in San Francisco. The varied rates reflect differences in each county’s tax base and use of regional transit services.
• San Francisco: All revenues would fund the city’s share of regional transit services and provide support for Muni.
• Alameda: Most revenues would support and sustain regional transit operations, with $15.6 million each year for use on other local bus service and transit priorities.
• Contra Costa: Most funds would support and sustain regional transit operations, with $42.3 million each year for local bus service and transit priorities.
• Santa Clara: After meeting the contribution to regional transit services, the county would have approximately $264 million per year for local transportation priorities.
• San Mateo: After meeting the contribution to regional services, the county would have approximately $50 million annually for local transportation priorities.
Five percent of the revenues generated from the measure would fund its administration and rider-focused improvements such as discounted and coordinated fares, wayfinding, and accessibility improvements that make transit more seamless.
The measure includes strict oversight and transparency requirements:
• Independent financial reviews of BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit, with requirements to implement cost-saving recommendations in order to receive funds
• Citizen oversight of spending and performance.
• County-level oversight to ensure service standards are applied fairly, with authority to withhold funds for noncompliance.
State legislation authorized the measure, and a citizen initiative placed it on the ballot. It requires a simple majority (50% plus one vote) to pass.
The Backstory
Facing a fiscal cliff, BART, Caltrain, Muni, and AC Transit could undertake widespread service cuts beginning as soon as January 2027. Should Prop. RTM fail, the agencies have identified the following cuts:
• Caltrain: To close a $75 million deficit, close up to 10 stations, eliminate weekend service, reduce frequency to hourly, end service by 9 p.m., and potentially close corridor segments.
• BART: To close a $376 million deficit, cut more than 60% of service, reduce service to three primary lines with limited peak service on two others, and end service by 9 p.m. Longer-term cuts could include closing up to 15 stations and potentially the entire system.
• Muni: To close a $322 million deficit, eliminate nearly one-quarter of routes, end service after 9 p.m., and cut frequency on Metro, Rapid, and frequent routes by half.
• AC Transit: To address a $200 million four-year deficit, cut service by 16%, eliminate routes, reduce service hours and frequency (including transbay service), and leave only 13 of 74 lines unchanged.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bay Area’s largest transit systems operated near capacity, collecting a significant share of operational funding from fares, parking revenues, and other local sources tied to the economy’s health. This model made them more self-sufficient compared with other agencies nationwide, but it also made them vulnerable to pandemic-related disruptions. With a large share of Bay Area jobs now remote, ridership and revenues are recovering more slowly than in other major metropolitan regions. Six years post-pandemic, riders have returned to transit, but they ride less frequently.
When federal and state COVID-relief funds are exhausted at the end of this year, BART, Caltrain, Muni, and AC Transit will face annual deficits of 25% to 45% of their operating budgets. They have been preparing for this fiscal crisis by reducing costs and stretching public funds. An independent review of AC Transit, BART, Caltrain and SF Muni found that they have collectively saved $1 billion in operating expenses in the last five years through various cost-saving actions.
Some have suggested shifting federal funds for capital projects (i.e., building new transit) to fill the operations gap. However, existing funding sources would still be insufficient to meet transit’s operating needs, even under the most optimistic scenarios. The funds available pale in comparison to the deficits, and most capital funding can’t be repurposed for operations due to legal requirements. In short, transit agencies cannot reallocate funds.
Additionally, transit, particularly rail, has high fixed costs. Cutting service doesn’t yield commensurate savings. Instead, it creates a downward spiral of fewer riders and, therefore, lower revenues, highlighting the need for new revenue.
Previous attempts to explore alternative revenue sources for Bay Area transit (including Senate Bill 532 and Senate Bill 1031) lacked political support.
Prop. RTM was a regional solution developed with the state legislature, elected county officials, and other stakeholders to ensure consensus on fair revenue distribution that supports transit and benefits residents in all five counties. The legislature authorized the measure by a two-thirds vote, and a citizen signature-gathering initiative placed it on the ballot. It requires a simple majority (50% plus one vote) to pass.
Equity Impacts
As a flat sales tax, Prop. RTM is regressive, meaning it takes a larger percentage of income from low-income households. However, failing to implement this measure would trigger devastating service cuts that will land hardest on those with the fewest resources, particularly people with disabilities, older adults, youth, and people with low incomes for whom transit is not optional.
Failing to implement this measure could create significant financial burdens for Bay Area residents, particularly transit riders, who are more likely to be low-income than the general population. SPUR estimates that transit riders who shift some trips to driving due to service cuts would spend $3,280 more in fuel, tolls, and parking costs annually, and that does not include the cost of purchasing or insuring a vehicle. SPUR estimates that the cost of the measure for individuals earning up to 80% of the median income is $7 a month or $82 annually, a fraction of the increased cost of transportation if agencies are forced to cut service. Moreover, worsening traffic conditions and air quality would affect everyone, even those who do not use public transit.
Pros
• Prop. RTM would prevent catastrophic service cuts to BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit, the backbone of the Bay Area’s public transit system, which carries more than 1 million trips each weekday and accounts for more than 80% of all transit trips in the region.
• Maintaining robust transit services would enable people with disabilities, older adults, students, and low-income workers to get where they need to go independently, affordably, and with dignity.
• A well-functioning transit system reduces car traffic and emissions, preventing gridlock and protecting climate progress.
• The measure emphasizes financial accountability and requires transit agencies to implement further efficiencies and cost controls to align expenses with available resources.
• It would provide meaningful resources to strengthen regional coordination of schedules and fares and make it easier for more people to use transit.
• It would provide significant funding in San Mateo and Santa Clara County for investments in local transit and transportation improvements.
• By supporting regional mobility, the measure would help ensure the Bay Area remains economically competitive and that residents have access to opportunity.
Con
• The measure would impose a new tax.
Source (https://www.spur.org/voter-guide/2026-11/ba-prop-rtm-regional-transit-sales-tax)
Abundant San Francisco
Posted by Sway

San Francisco YIMBY's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
The Regional Transit Measure is the regional Connect Bay Area sales tax across five counties, funding Muni, BART, Caltrain, and the smaller regional operators. The regional nature of the BART necessitates a financial backstop that has united 3 county governments in this effort. BART has already cut over a billion dollars in costs since 2019 and without new revenue, it may face a 63% cut in train hours, three lines instead of five, 9pm closures, and fare hikes of up to 50% starting in 2027, followed by station closures and mass layoffs. A regional economy this large cannot function with a gutted BART, and a modest, sunsetting sales tax is a far better outcome than losing the system.

Vote with Lila
Led by Lila Holzman · 3 voters
Again, WE HAVE TO FUND TRANSIT! Nobody likes taxes, but cutting service on BART, Muni, Caltrain, and many others is far worse. YES ON BOTH H AND RTM

California Young Democrats' Voting Group
Posted by Sway

San Francisco Democratic Party's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Vote with the League of Women Voters of San Francisco!
Led by League of Women Voters of San Francisco · 4 voters

Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club's Voting Group
Posted by Sway

DRW Politics Desk
Led by Dane R Willette · 2 voters

Make rent cheaper in SF
Led by Nejat Can · 2 voters

Alice B Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
San Francisco Housing & Transit voter guide
Led by Robin Pam · 1 voter

San Francisco Tenants Union's Voting Group
Posted by Sway

Sierra Club San Francisco Bay's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Urbanists & SF Love
Led by Juliana Lamm-Perez · 1 voter
Save Bay Area Public Transit!!!

Ro Khanna's recommendations
Posted by Sway

Teamsters Joint Council 7's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
SF Solidarity Club
Posted by Sway
Bay Rising Action November 2026 Endorsements
Posted by Sway
Many in the Bay Area depend on public transit to get to work, school, medical appointments, community events, and more. Without significant investments in public transit—AC Transit, MUNI, BART—our region’s traffic gridlock and commute times will balloon. After decades of underinvestment, public transit agencies in the Bay Area are facing severe financial crises. Measure RTM would enact a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties, and a 1-cent sales tax in San Francisco, for 14 years—providing $1B a year in new funding. Without this funding, public transit services would be cut dramatically: MUNI would cut services by at least 30%, AC Transit would reduce service by 16%, and BART would close 15 stations and cut service by 70%. An historic alliance of labor, business, and transit advocates coalesced to put this measure on the ballot after enabling legislation, CA Senate Bill 63 (Wiener, Arreguin), passed in 2025. An investment in public transit is an investment in a thriving economy, clearer air, and a more affordable region. Vote Yes on Measure RTM.

Greenbelt Alliance's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
After a successful signature-gathering campaign by Connect Bay Area, the Regional Transit Measure (https://connectbayarea.com/) (RTM) will appear on the November ballots for many Bay Area voters, and Greenbelt Alliance is excited to endorse a YES vote on RTM.
If the Regional Transit Measure passes, the roughly $1 billion in revenue per year will support public transit agencies’ improvements to safety, cleanliness, convenience, seamless integration of transit services, and specific capital projects. The new revenue will be sourced from a 1% sales tax in San Francisco County and a 0.5% sales tax in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties.
The measure aims to prevent catastrophic funding cuts that could impact regional public transit as soon as 2027. These major impacts will particularly hurt BART, Muni, AC Transit, and Caltrain, but will have many downstream consequences for our entire region. If we don’t approve it, the Bay Area will lose its transit backbone, making our weekly commutes longer, causing a dramatic increase in pollution, and leaving us with less time to be with our friends and family.
RTM supports a resilient and sustainable future where our communities are able to use public transit with ease, and we can protect our environment from further greenhouse gas emissions from cars. Please join Greenbelt Alliance, alongside organizations such as 350 Bay Area, SPUR, and Public Advocates, in endorsing the Regional Transit Measure! Vote YES on RTM in November to save the Bay Area’s public transit and fight against climate change.
Additionally, learn more about Proposition H in San Francisco (https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/vote-yes-proposition-h-sf/) to further strengthen the Muni transit system in San Francisco.
Why It Matters
The Bay Area is facing its biggest threat to public transportation in decades. With a looming fiscal cliff, major transit agencies—including BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit—may soon have to make difficult decisions to close stations, reduce frequencies, and shorten hours of operation.
To avert this looming crisis, a coalition of advocates came together to launch the Connect Bay Area (https://connectbayarea.com) campaign. Earlier in May, the campaign announced it collected more than 305,000 signatures to qualify a regional transit funding measure for the November ballot—crushing the minimal threshold of 186,000 required signatures.
Greenbelt Alliance was proud to be part of this grassroots coalition and endorse the Connect Bay Area Campaign. (https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/connect-bay-area-transit/)
How We Got Here
"The Bay Area's public transit is a core pillar of our region's ability to usher in a climate-smart, affordable, and just future. Greenbelt Alliance is excited to be a part of this grassroots coalition to help protect and enhance our public transportation and reduce pollution."
Amanda Brown-Stevens, Executive Director
Funding for transit agencies in the Bay Area relies heavily on fares and local revenue sources, so when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and ridership plunged, a substantial amount of that funding disappeared. For a while, agencies were able to stay afloat due to the federal relief stimulus, but that has quickly dried up, and California has not stepped in to address those deficits. Without yearly State funding and with ridership only slowly recovering to pre-pandemic levels, agencies are not seeing the revenue needed to continue operating at full capacity.
To put this into perspective, here is what will happen in 2027 if we do not pass the transit measure:
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
• Red and Green lines will be phased down to just peak hours in January 2027. The Grey line will close at this time, too. The blue line will close in July 2027.
• 15 stations with the lowest ridership will close, including Millbrae and Warm Springs, by July 2027.
• 70% reduction in train hours and 25% reduction in system miles by July 2027.
• 30% fare increase in January 2027, and a 50% increase in July 2027.
• The agency will face a $355-$385 million budget deficit (30% of the operating budget)
• Without a funding pathway by mid-2028, BART may have to stop all operations. See more details here (https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/%5BBART%20Board%20Workshop%2002-12-2026%5D%20Presentations.pdf).
SFMTA Muni
• There will be a 50% cut of Muni services
• There will be an elimination of fare discounts and pass programs for youth and seniors
• The agency will face a $322-$398 million budget deficit (25% of the operating budget)
AC Transit
• There will be a nearly 40% cut to services
• The agency will face a $51-$72 million budget deficit (10% of the operating budget)
Caltrain
• The agency will run 1 train per hour and cut all weekend service
• The agency will face a $65-$76 million budget deficit (42% of the operating budget)
These monumental disruptions to operations are direct consequences of the fiscal cliff. However, it does not account for the myriad ramifications down the road for managing traffic, tackling climate change, meeting our housing needs, and ensuring an affordable California for all.
“Fuming” with Greenhouse Gases
With 41% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions (https://coolcalifornia.arb.ca.gov/sustainable_transportation) coming from the transportation sector, losing major parts of our public transit system will allow for even more cars on the road and weaken our ability to fight the climate crisis. Without BART, drivers can expect their commute to extend by 12 more hours per week and see traffic across the Bay Bridge surging by 73%. This means less time with family and friends doing the things we love.
In the long term, this may lead to worsening climate hazards, including droughts, flooding, and wildfires. More cars will also be a direct threat to our health and well-being, causing more air pollution (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4243514/#S24), compromising air quality, and increasing respiratory-related illnesses. By maintaining our public transit system, we can reduce GHG emissions (https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2017/12/12-5-17_item_15_transportation_sector_climate_action_strategy.pdf) and avoid these catastrophic changes to our communities.
Communities Connected to Transit
Three words encapsulate our housing abundance strategy: transit-oriented development (TOD). In the last two decades, many urbanists have turned their attention to creating walkable, affordable, and resilient communities that are well-connected to the places where people work, study, and play. A cornerstone of this vision is built on the idea that we should promote more homes near our public transit corridors.
BART TOD projects like MacArthur Station provide residents access to the vibrant Temescal neighborhood, while allowing easy access to commute to downtown Oakland or San Francisco. Even new project proposals like the Caltrain-adjacent Hillsdale Reimagined (https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/hillsdale-endorsement/) in San Mateo demonstrate the durability of TOD in renovating underutilized buildings and turning them into lively community spaces.
That is why Greenbelt Alliance co-sponsored Senate Bill 79 (https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/sb79-transit-housing-bill/) in the California legislature, which makes it easier and faster to build homes near public transit. While SB 79 is now law, the risks of public transit’s fiscal cliff diminish the law’s application by making fewer sites viable for TOD upzoning. Other proposed TOD projects funded by transit agencies will likely be reevaluated, too. This could all delay much-needed affordable housing in the Bay Area and worsen the housing crisis.
Saving public transit goes far beyond just our means of commuting. A healthy public transit system reduces traffic, protects us from pollution, reduces GHG emissions, creates resilient neighborhoods, and supports new housing.
This November, vote YES on the Regional Transit Measure.
Source (https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/vote-yes-for-the-regional-transit-measure-rtm/)

IFPTE Local 21's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Indivisible SF's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
YES on Prop H, the Muni funding measure, and YES on the Regional Transit Measure that would fund BART and Caltrain: Muni and BART are our City’s main arteries, but they’re now endangered by chronic underfunding. BART is notoriously fare-dependent, but doesn’t have enough fare revenues anymore to support it, while Muni is subsidized by parking revenues. Both systems are currently dependent on loans to stay afloat, and need tax revenue to become solvent. If these taxes don’t pass, we’ll face major service cuts across both systems, potentially up to the total shutdown and dismantlement of BART entirely. We must pass these two measures, both to keep Muni and BART alive in the short term and to demonstrate more broadly that the people want taxes to support our public transit and help them grow.
Luke Bornheimer's Group
Led by Luke Bornheimer
Nancy Pelosi's recommendations
Posted by Sway
Nick’s Picks 4 SF&CA
Led by Nick Knezek
Seamless Bay Area
Posted by Sway
The situation will become dire if we don't take action.
BART would be forced to cut 70% of service. This would mean stopping service at 9pm, closing 15 stations, reducing frequencies to every 30 minutes, ending Blue line service, ending Yellow line service past Concord, increasing fares by 50%, and more.
Muni would be forced to cut 50% of all bus and Metro lines, including eliminating entire neighborhood routes, ending regular service at 9pm (with only bare-bones late-night service), and removing San Francisco's iconic historic cable cars and trolleys.
AC Transit would be forced to cut service by up to 31% of pre-2019 levels meaning less frequent buses, eliminating segments of bus routes, and ending early morning and late night service.
Caltrain would be forced to run service only once an hour, provide no weekend service, eliminate weekday service after 9pm, and close 10 stations.
VTA and SamTrans are also looking at significant upcoming budget deficits which would force similarly devastating cuts.
Public transit is the lifeblood of the Bay Area. Without the bus, train, and ferry service our communities depend on, freeways would become clogged, our economy would stall, our air would be dirtier, and people would have to shell out thousands of dollars more each year on car payments, gas, and insurance.
However, there is a way we can save families money on transportation, unsnarl traffic, grow the economy, clean our air, and create a more equitable and affordable Bay Area.

United Democratic Club of San Francisco's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Walk San Francisco's Voting Group
Posted by Sway
Safe streets and a walkable San Francisco aren’t possible without frequent, reliable public transportation.
But you’ve heard the headlines: Muni, BART, and other transit agencies around the Bay Area face a fiscal crisis unlike any we’ve seen. The dramatic drop in fare revenues caused by the pandemic changed everything, and the emergency funding that’s kept transit afloat will soon end.
Without additional funding, transit service as we know it will be decimated:
• SFMTA/Muni will have to cut up to 20 routes entirely (https://www.sfmta.com/muni-and-street-safety-impacts-without-necessary-funding); double wait times on remaining routes; only run nighttime Owl service starting at 9PM; eliminate the F-train and cable cars; and even cut essential street safety maintenance work.
• BART will have to end service at 9pm seven days a week (https://www.bart.gov/about/financials/crisis) (previously midnight); run only 3-line service (previously 5-line); and run trains only every 30 minutes (previously 10-20 minutes). BART has said they might have to end service entirely after 1-2 years without new funding.
• Caltrain will have to close more than one third of stations (https://www.caltrain.com/news/caltrain-board-plans-potential-cuts); eliminate weekend service (previously every 30 minutes); reduce frequencies to once per hour (previously every 30 minutes or less); end service at 9PM; and cut segments of service entirely. This is after just investing billions of dollars to transition Caltrain to electric trains.
Beyond the profound impacts to everyone who relies on transit plus our regional economy, reducing public transit at this scale would send our traffic safety crisis into overdrive. Our streets would be flooded with tens of thousands more vehicles every day.
Advocates worked incredibly hard to get two measures on the ballot this November 3 that would provide the funding needed to save transit:
• Stronger Muni for All (https://www.strongermuniforall.com/) (Measure H) is a measure to fund Muni operations for 15 years through a parcel tax.
• Connect Bay Area (https://connectbayarea.com/) (Measure RTM) is a measure to fund transit agencies across five counties: San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. It’s a sales tax (1 cent in San Francisco) set to last fourteen years, and it would fund transit operations, rider-focused investments like free transfers, accessibility improvements, and transit priority infrastructure.
Measure H requires a majority vote in San Francisco to pass. Measure RTM requires a combined majority across all five counties. This means a strong showing of support in San Francisco could help if any other county has lower support. San Francisco needs to pass both measures to save Muni because the funds in the regional measure would only partially fill its budget gap.
Source (https://walksf.org/2026/09/02/a-walkable-sf-depends-on-transit-vote-yes-on-measures-h-rtm/)
Westside Family Democratic Club
Led by Westside Family
If BART runs out of money, there is no backup plan. Muni is a City department, so City Hall can always move money to it (which is the backstop Prop H (https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election/measures/prop-h/) is really about). BART is an independent district that lives on fares and its own dedicated sales tax (https://mtc.ca.gov/sites/default/files/meetings/attachments/6110/2a_Attachment_1_BART_Caltrain_0.pdf). It can raise fares, but it cannot raise taxes on its own, and no county budget stands behind it. BART says it won't even draw on the state's emergency loan if this measure fails (https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/FundingOverview_Factsheet_070626.pdf), because it would have no way to pay the loan back.
BART has already done the hard work. Since 2019 the region's big operators have documented more than $1B in savings (https://localnewsmatters.org/2026/05/24/mtc-review-bay-area-transit-agencies-cut-1b-costs/), and BART runs at $375 per train hour, cheaper than Washington's Metro or Atlanta's MARTA (https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/FundingOverview_Factsheet_070626.pdf). It is still $378M short next year (https://blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/third-party-review-confirms-top-transit-agencies-operating-deficits), a number an independent review validated.
Muni has done its part too. Since 2020 the SFMTA has cut $246M in costs (https://www.sfmta.com/press-releases/press-release-facing-fiscal-cliff-sfmta-board-approves-balanced-two-year-budget-preserve-muni-service-and-keep-san-francisco-moving), mostly by eliminating more than 500 vacant positions, and its balanced budget still needs a $200M state loan (https://www.sfmta.com/press-releases/press-release-facing-fiscal-cliff-sfmta-board-approves-balanced-two-year-budget-preserve-muni-service-and-keep-san-francisco-moving) to get through next year.
Here is what "no" looks like, in BART's own words. Starting January 2027: a 63% cut in train hours, three lines instead of five, a train every 30 minutes, closing at 9 p.m. seven days a week, and fares up 30% (https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/FundingOverview_Factsheet_070626.pdf). If that isn't enough, July 2027 brings up to 15 station closures, fares up a cumulative 50%, and 1,200 layoffs. The last item on BART's contingency list is "stop passenger service."
Nobody wants to pay more sales tax, and it's unfortunate that this one falls hardest on lower-income residents, who already spend a larger share of their income on necessities, and that San Francisco pays double the other counties' rate (https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election/measures/prop-rtm/legal-text/#prop-rtm-rates). But we don't get to choose between a great plan and an OK plan. The choice is between a 63% service cut with 30% higher fares, or a modest sales tax that keeps transit running and riders moving.
The tax comes with guardrails. San Francisco's money stays home: every dollar raised here goes to Muni, BART, Caltrain, the ferry, and rider discounts, and San Francisco is the only county whose share cannot be spent on road paving (https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election/measures/prop-rtm/legal-text/#prop-rtm-no-discretion). Agencies may not use the money to replace existing funding (https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB63/id/3273319), counties can petition to have up to 7% withheld (https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB63/id/3273319) from an operator with dirty or unsafe service, and the tax sunsets in 14 years (https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election/measures/prop-rtm/legal-text/#prop-rtm-duration).
The economy of the entire Bay Area depends on keeping transit running. Vote yes on the Regional Transit Measure.
Source (https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election#prop-rtm)