On Monday, March 18, Transit Worker Appreciation Day, SEIU 1021 BART Chapter President John Arantes spoke in support of SB 1031, new legislation that would fund Bay Area public transit in a sustainable way and prevent service cuts. “A thriving and equitable California relies on public transit,” Arantes said.

Arantes continued, “SEIU 1021 is here today to support SB 1031 to maintain our public transit systems and allow them to make continued improvements while adjusting to post-COVID ridership.” The bill is being brought forward by State Senators Aisha Wahab and Scott Wiener and is designed to bring in between $750 million and $2 billion a year to fund service and much-needed improvements across BART and other transit agencies.

If the bill passes through the state level, it will head to the ballot box as a ballot measure. The bill will not authorize any income tax, but sales taxes, payroll parcel taxes, and vehicle registration taxes are authorized. Another feature of the bill is improving interoperability between agencies: at the press conference, Senator Wiener pointed to schedule coordination between agencies as an example that would make transit easier and more seamless for riders. Without this bill, public transit in the Bay Area faces a fiscal cliff, with lowered ridership leading to reduced services, which will result in further lowered ridership, and so on. As John Arantes said, “A thriving and equitable California relies on public transit. We look forward to working with the legislature and MTC on an initiative to allow our transit systems to thrive.” so we can all enjoy the benefits of public transit to live, work, and play throughout the Bay Area.