Reject bridge toll bailout for transit agencies
Bay Area transit agencies are pushing state legislators to raise tolls on Caltransmanaged San Francisco Bay bridges by $1.50 for five years. The latter limit is a reminder of the saying, “There's nothing more permanent than a temporary government program.”
The new toll would then be $9.50, collected in one direction. The increase will not apply to the independent Golden Gate Bridge.
The goal is to bail out those transit properties whose ridership plummeted post pandemic due to the new and likely permanent shift of whitecollar workers toiling remotely from home. The raise is on top of the $1.2 billion just included in the state budget for transit agencies to be distributed over the next three years.
The legislation, Senate Bill 532 introduced by San Francisco Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, should be defeated. It's time for Bay Area transit agencies to “right size” themselves to provide levels of service appropriate to the new work-from-home reality. Running half-empty buses and trains is anti-environmental. It does little to assist passengers, many of whom are pursuing a greener path by not commuting anywhere.
The proposed toll hike is propelled by two politically potent factors — aiding BART and transit unions, many of whose members would otherwise become redundant.
The bulk of the increased toll revenue will go to the Bay Area Rapid Transit District which has lost 60% of its ridership post pandemic, placing it in an existential crisis. That explains why the push for SB 532 is led by San Francisco and Oakland state legislators.
It's not just anti-tax forces or Republicans who oppose the toll increase. Several Bay Area Democratic Party members of Congress are voicing opposition to SB 532. Contra Costa County's Mark DeSaulnier and Palo Alto`s Anna Eshoo co-authored a letter to the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom expressing opposition. Signatories include Oakland's Barbara Lee, Eric Swalwell of Dublin, Walnut Grove's
John Garamendi and Napa's Mike Thompson.
I asked North Bay-North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman for his position.
“While I didn't get asked to sign on, I probably would have done it,” Huffman said. “I agree with everything DeSaulnier says and am sympathetic to what the letter says. I've spoken with DeSaulnier a couple times about our mutual concern that, in addition to BART, the wildly unaccountable Metropolitan Transportation Commission behemoth needs a lot more accountability and oversight.”
BART's lack of oversight is alone sufficient to merit a no vote. It's governed by a three-county board elected by the public (and at risk of being politically in debt to its employees' union). The refusal by the board, its general manager and SEIU Local 1021 to cooperate with the agency's independent inspector general disgracefully led to the IG resigning in frustration.
Even the Bay Area Council, the organization of major employers that's historically supported BART and transit expansions, is opposing SB 502.
“Before yet again asking motorists to dig deep and pay more tolls, let's have a complete and honest review of our region's transit system, and ensure that we are delivering on reliability, efficiency and connectivity among the 27 operating agencies,” said Council CEO Jim Wunderman.
This opposition to SB 532 may not be sufficient to prevent the bridge toll grab. A majority of state senators including Marin state Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Geyserville) has already approved it. Since the state Assembly is yet to decide, Marin's Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) retains the option of casting a no vote.
Transit employees shouldn't be left out in the cold. Some of the $1.2 billion transit money should be used to aid in their transition to the new reality. That's going to happen sooner or later. It's better to cut the losses now and jettison the fantasy that within a few years, San Francisco high-rises will again be filled with tech workers.