San Francisco's Transit Advocate Army Celebrates Massive Victory

More than eighty Bay Area advocates descended on Mission Dolores Park on Saturday afternoon to enjoy sandwiches and cake, and to cheer as they celebrated last Tuesday’s Regional Transit Measure (RTM) victory. The sales-tax measure will raise $800 million every year to fund transit in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties.

“I feel such gratitude,” said Transbay Coalition’s Carter Lavin. “Transit is a powerful unifying point. Now we’re ready to demand more of Governor-Elect Becerra and the new state and federal legislators.”

Leftover transit vehicle models from the campaign. They’ll get used again. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

“It was so wonderful working with such great volunteers,” said Rebecca Mirvish, who spent months first gathering signatures and then working on the get-out-the-vote effort. “I was a little worried,” said volunteer April Nguyen. “But I’m happy about the landslide and funding for the next 14 years. Pro-RTM people needed to do this work.”

Nguyen wore a costume they called the “ghost of transit” to underscore what happens when people don’t fight for transit. The Key System, which used to connect points all over the East Bay to San Francisco via the Oakland Bay Bridge—was destroyed in the 1950s. “By 1958 it was all gone.”

April Nguyen in their “ghost of transit” costume, reminding people that transit systems really do get destroyed if the people don’t fight to protect them. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

“This was the most pivotal vote for transit since the creation of BART,” said incoming BART Director Sara Barz. “This is a mandate for more and better transit.”

Former SFMTA director Mike Chen, Jade Costello, and Sara Barz. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

“We now have over 1,000 people who can work together to make transit great,” said Seamless Bay Area and Transbay Coalition’s Adina Levin.

Measure RTM passed with a majority vote in each of the five participating counties—with over 710,000 “yes” votes so far. As Lavin pointed out, senators in Washington are elected with fewer votes. And Prop H, which provides further funding for San Francisco Muni, also passed with a nearly 80 percent “yes” vote. Given the support indicated and the mandate from all the counties, the advocates said they have no intention of stopping now.

Tools of victory. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

Indeed, the advocates wasted no time, and they’re already campaigning to make sure Governor-Elect Xavier Becerra builds the state’s high-speed rail system faster.

In addition, they’ve provided a list of goals, including:

Improving transit service frequency, routes, reliability and service hours by getting consistent, long-term, state and federal funding for transit operations

Getting “Transit Priority” policies passed in communities in all 9 Bay Area Counties to make buses and local transit faster and more reliable

Winning the next steps toward integrated, affordable fares with a “Bay Pass” for individuals

Helping Bay Area transit get better at technology so the next improvements to Clipper payment and planning trips are speedy and reliable and rider-friendly

Reforms that help projects like high-speed rail, electrifying Capitol Corridor, new subways in San Francisco and more can get built better, sooner, and at lower cost

Expanding transit advocate training and mentorship programs so more people can become effective transit organizers and win improvements across the Bay

But Saturday afternoon was also about unwinding and breathing a sigh of relief at the disaster averted. That meant cutting the transit cake (see below) and enjoying a beautiful San Francisco day in the park.