Facts about the Measure B tax
1. Who would build the BART project?
VTA, the same agency that already collects three different sales taxes. It is the same agency that built and operates the light rail system, which is the worst-performing light rail in the US.
2. Who would operate/maintain the BART project?
VTA would pay the BART District to operate and maintain the line. However, VTA would have no representation on the BART District Board, nor would VTA have any role in labor negotiations, procurements, or design standards.
3. Will it connect to the San Jose Airport?
No, VTA has planned the line so that it won’t connect to the airport terminals directly. One would have to transfer to a people mover at the Santa Clara station or at the light rail stop to get to the terminals. The Measure B tax doesn’t fund the people mover, and VTA has been delaying building it. See also Critics: BART route outdated
4. How much will the BART project cost?
VTA estimated the project to cost $4.7 billion in 2005. Since then, VTA has refused to provide an updated cost. VTA General Manager Michael Burns recently told KCBS that the project should cost about $6 billion today. The $6 billion cited by Burns is just for construction, it does not include financing cost, which is necessary to address the cash flow problem. Financing costs alone could add additional billions to the project cost.
5. Why is VTA withholding updated BART project cost estimates?
VTA is withholding the new cost estimates and delaying producing a financial plan, so they won’t have to show that building a BART train to Fremont will require additional taxes and delays to other county transit priorities such as East San Jose light rail, Airport people mover, and Caltrain electrification.
6. Could BART be built without Measure B?
If VTA chooses to build a line without expensive tunneling, existing taxes may be more than enough. For the last 8 years, VTA has refused to consider any scenario that would not include expensive tunneling.
7. Would Measure B be enough to cover the operations/maintenance of the BART line?
VTA claimed it would, but VTA misinterpreted key clauses in the contract with the BART District. When all of the elements of the contract are considered, Measure B alone would not be enough to pay BART for the ongoing cost.
8. Why is VTA misinterpreting the contract to justify Measure B?
VTA has gotten into a bad deal with BART in 2001. Even Measure B supporters agree: “I appreciate that the agreement with BART was no sweetheart deal for VTA, but I also hold no illusions about our ability to renegotiate it, so I’m operating under the assumption that we’re stuck with it until somebody tells me otherwise.” - Sam Liccardo, VTA Board Member and San Jose City Councilman
In addition to the cost of hiring operators, VTA is required to pay BART to upgrade stations and other facilities in San Francisco and the East Bay.
9. Why doesn’t VTA put a clause in Measure B to protect bus service?
Because VTA knows Measure B wouldn’t be enough for them to deliver this BART train to Fremont, VTA would have to dip into other funds to pay for the remaining shortfall.
During the last 8 years, VTA doubled the fares for seniors and the disabled as well as slashed bus service, which reduced mobility to those who need transit the most (read the testimonials here). That situation is likely to happen again if Measure B passes.
10. How much more in taxes would an average family pay VTA?
An average household of three is already paying $350 to VTA every year. Measure B would be a more than 10% increase on top of the other VTA sales taxes.
11. If Measure B goes into effect, does it mean that VTA can actually build it?
Measure B can go into effect even if VTA does not have enough funds to build the project.
12. Can we trust VTA’s ridership projection for the BART project?
VTA and BART have a history of overestimating riders to justify rail projects. See VTA Watch for details how how flawed their ridership projections are.
Failing to meet ridership projections will at the end hurt taxpayers and transit riders. Taxpayers would have to subsidize unfilled seats. Transit riders would see less service and higher fares on local transit as VTA would have to divert limited operating resources from buses to trains.
13. Isn’t Measure B supposed to improve public transportation? Why are transit advocates like BayRail Alliance, Modern Transit Society, and VTA Riders’ Union opposing this?
For the past 8 years, VTA has been spending millions to promote the BART project while raising fares and cutting bus service. Transit advocates understand that bus service is an important part of the public transit network, and it is the only mode for many youths, seniors, and the disabled to get to schools, hospitals, and jobs. Transit advocates believe that VTA should tell voters how much the project will cost and draft a plan that wouldn’t put existing service at risk.
see also Economic Hype
