The Fight for the Future of Public Transit
Last week, transit workers, riders, and community organizations across the Bay Area came together to defend public transit as a public good and against attempts by the American oligarchy to dismantle our public institutions. The message was consistent, whether at a rally against MUNI service cuts, celebrating Transit Worker Appreciation Day at San Francisco City Hall, or on the picket line with striking Valley Transit Authority workers: riders and workers will fight for the investment we need to make public transit work for everyone.
In 2017, Urban Habitat and our partners formed the Voices for Public Transportation (VPT) coalition to win a regional transportation funding measure. Our vision focused on three priorities: raising enough revenue to increase transit service and meet the needs of those who depend on it most, addressing climate change and reducing pollution by creating quality green union jobs, and funding these investments through progressive revenue measures instead of burdening working-class residents already struggling with an affordability crisis.
Earlier today, State Senators Weiner and Arreguín introduced enabling legislation (SB 63) to authorize a regional transportation funding measure. While this bill provides a much-needed start to the legislative process, it falls short of VPT’s priorities in two critical ways: it does not generate enough funding to maintain service levels once federal pandemic relief funds are spent down, and it relies on a regressive sales tax that consistently polls worse against more progressive sources.
We need to strengthen SB 63 in order to build a winning campaign for public transit funding. Polling is underway to identify the best options for progressive revenue sources that could generate the amount of funding needed to save our transit system.
All across the country people are standing up to defend our hard-won public services. Stay tuned for updates on this critical Bay Area battle for equity, access, and transit justice.