Caltrain is the latest casualty of a Board that favors politics over transit
By now, it’s reasonable to have low expectations of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors when it comes to public transit. The examples are too clear, and the list too long: a Central Subway that will be finished years late, the lack of a true network of protected bike lanes, and a collection of buses that crawl along at just 8mph.
But those choices were limited to our 7x7, and we saw their impact only on our own clogged downtown stress and slow transit lines. Now, remarkably, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has moved beyond city boundaries and plunged the entire region’s transit future into uncertainty.
They took this step Tuesday by failing to allow Caltrain to place a 1/8 cent sales tax measure on the ballot. This would have let voters decide their support for Caltrain for themselves in November. Caltrain had been assured permission to place the measure on the ballot would be given from San Francisco’s Supervisors, just as it had expected support from other Bay Area counties and boards.
District 3 incumbent Supervisor Aaron Peskin failed to support it with the claim that “It’s taxation without representation.” That’s an odd statement to make given that Caltrain is currently governed by a joint board with equal representation from three counties. And the irony seems lost on Supervisor Peskin that his actions actually prevent voters from weighing in on the issue, the ultimate form of representation.
This political infighting at the cost of the public is sadly not new. It has echoes of the same power squabbles that led to the recent rejection of Cristine Rubke, an extremely qualified disability transit advocate to the SFMTA Board.
Where does this all leave us? It puts Caltrain’s new discount program for low-income riders at risk. It may push families to buy a car, an immense economic burden that many simply cannot afford. And ultimately, it forces the entire Bay Area to face a sobering reality: Caltrain may shut down by the fall.
As Caltrain’s Seamus Murphy states best, “The ball was in the San Francisco Board of Supervisor’s court, and they dropped it. For the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, keeping Caltrain operating is not a priority.”
San Francisco and the entire Bay Area can only thrive when we have reliable transit to serve all of our residents. We need to make this clear to our elected officials. You can take action now by signing this petition to support emergency action to save Caltrain.
But, don’t stop there — if you believe we need a pro-transit Supervisor in District 3, I’ll hope you’ll join our movement and support our campaign. Donate, volunteer, and spread the word. We can win in November. Transit depends on it.
Danny Sauter is a renter, non-profit director, and neighborhood organizer. He takes public transit, walks, or bikes every day. He is running for District 3 Supervisor in November 2020. www.dannyd3.com
