At the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in December, at the Legislation Committee on December 8 and the full Commission on December 20, Commissioners discussed proposed policies to increase voter confidence and improve agency accountability in the context of a regional transportation funding measure. MTC is looking to sponsor legislation in 2024 for a ballot measure in 2026 (or later).
In his introduction to the Commission, Executive Director Andrew Fremier noted that “everything is on the table in this discussion, in order to improve the transit system, including strengthening the role of the regional network management efforts, as well as potentially looking at the governance structures of some of the operations that transit operators do today.”
Staff recommended that the authorizing legislation strengthen MTC’s role in a transit network management, in order to accelerate the implementation of the region’s “Transformation Action Plan” initiatives for integrated fares, schedules and other system coordination to improve rider experience.
In addition, MTC staff asked for Commissioner comments about potential consolidations of agencies and/or functions. MTC staff did not make a recommendation on the subject of consolidation, and asked Commissioners for guidance.
Commissioners support coordination over consolidation
Overall, commissioners were strongly supportive of coordination over and above consolidation. For example, Commissioner Chavez emphasized the desired outcomes of a well-coordinated system. “We want coordinated schedules, we want coordinated fares. If we focus on outcomes, the structures will follow.” Commissioners including Spering, Dutra Vernaci, Papan, Fleming and others favored coordination over consolidation.
Multiple comments from elected officials and stakeholders on the Caltrain corridor favored improving coordination of rail and transit service, but expressed opposition to the concept included in MTC’s poll of “merging BART and Caltrain into one integrated rail system.”
Voters demand an accountable and well-coordinated system
MTC’s poll results show that voters demand an accountable and well-coordinated system. When asked about the types of provisions to associate with a regional measure, a whopping 80 percent of voters believe “requiring oversight and accountability to ensure effective and efficient management of public transit” should be a priority. Bay Area voters continue to strongly support “creating a seamless Bay Area transit network with coordinated fares, routes, schedules and signage” with 73 percent of all voters finding this important, including 83 percent of weekly transit riders. A substantial majority also favor establishing “one regional agency for the Bay Area responsible for setting transit fares, coordinating different service schedules and creating consistent transit maps and signage” at 61 percent of all voters and 71 percent of weekly transit riders.
A majority of voters also supported poll options to “combine 21 bus operators into one operator per county” (65%) and to “merge BART and Caltrain into one integrated rail system.” (55%).
A framework approach to authorizing legislation
MTC is proposing to take a framework approach with the legislation, similar to the 2019 legislation that authorized the upcoming 2024 affordable housing bond. This approach includes a set of purposes, a set of potential funding mechanisms, and a set of broad expenditure buckets. MTC is considering multiple funding options including a sales tax, payroll tax, and income tax; the decision would be made closer to the time that a measure would be placed on the ballot.
Using broad categories is similar to the approach taken with recent county-based measures such as San Mateo County Measure W, and is different from the historical approach taken with regional bridge toll measures, which contained a detailed, itemized list of projects that is difficult to change. MTC’s recent poll showed that 70% of voters prefer this broader approach “Requiring the transportation plan has clear goals, along with the flexibility to adjust as transportation needs change.
General support and next steps
Overall, Commissioners supported moving forward with the authorizing legislation, even though the polling is not currently strong enough to surpass the two-thirds threshold. The measure would go on the ballot several years in the future, no sooner than 2026. Commissioners talked about the need to make improvements sooner, to increase voter confidence.
The MTC expects to vote on its recommendation for the authorizing legislation on January 24, following a discussion of the recommendation at the legislation committee on January 12. Information about the recommendations will be posted at MTC’s agenda portal here.
This “mega-measure” nonsense is quite annoying. Vote NO.
MTC is asking residents to fill out a survey that never asks if people want to pay more taxes; instead, the higher tax is a given. Instead, it asks how people want to spend the money.
Over the last several elections, voters in Santa Clara County have passed multiple tax and fee increases including gas taxes, the Caltrain Measure RR tax, two bridge toll increases, three VTA sales taxes, Santa Clara County’s Measure A 1/8 cent sales tax, the state prop 30 ¼ cent sales tax and the 2010 Measure B Vehicle Registration Fee of $10. Additionally, we’re on the hook to pay back numerous state bond issues including high speed rail, the Proposition 1 water bond and the infrastructure bonds of 2006.
All this nickel and diming contributes into making the Bay Area a horribly expensive place to live; especially for people of modest means, who must pay the greatest percentage of their income in these regressive taxes and fees. Each increase by itself does not amount to much, but the cumulative effect is to add to the unaffordability of the region.
Before increasing taxes YET AGAIN, waste needs to be removed from transportation projects. For example, we need to eliminate the redundant and BART extension between the San Jose and Santa Clara Caltrain stations. The BART segment from these stations would duplicate both the existing Caltrain line and VTA’s 22 and 522 buses to a station that has approximately 1000 riders each weekday.
Why don’t the wealthy high rollers at MTC suggest taxing rich tech companies and leave the little guy alone for a change?