The launch of a Bay Area-wide initiative aimed at saving public transit from an expected fiscal cliff occurred in San Francisco Friday morning.
The kickoff rally featured a board coalition including state, local and department leaders across five Bay Area counties. They support the Connect Bay Area campaign, whose goal is to bring attention to the fiscal cliffs that threaten local transit agencies.
In addition to raising awareness, the campaign’s goal also is to get enough signatures to qualify a regional sales tax measure to fund public transit for this November’s ballot.
The sales tax would appear as a half-cent sales tax in Bay Area counties for 14 years, with the exception of San Francisco, which has proposed a one-cent transit tax to cover Muni deficits.
Lawmakers spoke to the significance of this moment, which was described as a crossroads for Bay Area transit.
“If we do nothing, these systems will begin to unravel. [It] will be a nightmare for the Bay Area,” California Sen. Scott Weiner said.
According to an independent review by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and estimated annual deficit of $800 million is projected starting in the next fiscal year.
From the Embarcadero Plaza, supporters are making their way to Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties on public transit.
Supporters of the funding proposal need to gather 186,000 signatures by June to get the measure on the ballot.
