"We're going to go to the mat to get this funding," said Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to some 100 advocates, lawmakers, and union members at a rally on the Embarcadero Plaza Friday morning. "With a federal government increasingly showing hostility towards public transit, we need to step forward."
Wiener and Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) authored "The Connect Bay Area Act" last year to set the framework of a regional measure to fund transit operations. They are now leading the effort to gather the 186,000 signatures necessary to get it on the November ballot.
Senator Arreguín noted how the region depends on BART, which he had taken to the event, and how much the economy suffers when transit breaks down. "We can't let that happen every day."
If the measure fails, Bay Area transit agencies face funding shortfalls that could result in the elimination of entire rail lines, early shutdowns, and major bus route reductions. Connect Bay Area would provide stable, regional funding to prevent catastrophic cuts and protect access to jobs, schools, and healthcare.
The campaign must collect the signatures across five counties by June 2026.
From the Connect Bay Area campaign:
On Friday, January 23rd Connect Bay Area campaign leaders, labor and business supporters, transit riders, community advocates, elected officials, and volunteers will participate in a Five-county Day of Action launching the official signature-gathering campaign for Connect Bay Area, a regional transportation funding measure headed for the November 2026 ballot.
The Kickoff will start with a 10 am San Francisco rally at Embarcadero Plaza that will include Senator Scott Wiener, Senator Jesse Arreguin, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and representatives from the Bay Area Council, SEIU 1021 and advocacy organizations from across the region.
If passed by the voters, the regional measure is expected to raise about $1 billion annually for 14 years. Simultaneously, San Francisco is pursuing a parcel tax that would raise around $180 million annually for Muni to close that agency's remaining projected operating shortfall.
"The success of San Francisco's economy and the entire region depends on safe, reliable, affordable public transportation," said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Even for people who don't ride it, transit fuels the economy and reduces traffic, making it essential "no matter how you get around," he added.
Wiener, Arreguín, and other speakers signed their own names to the petition. Then advocates at the rally set out to gather more signatures.
For more information and to get involved, click here.
