Officials Call for Placement of Caltrain Measure on the November Ballot

South San Francisco, CA  July 19, 2020 Submitted by David Burruto, Chief of Staff, SMC Supervisor Pine

Joint Statement on the Caltrain Funding Ballot Measure Under Consideration by the San Francisco and Santa Clara Board of Supervisors

Joint statement issued by Congressmembers Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo, State Senator Jerry Hill, Assemblymembers Kevin Mullin and Marc Berman, San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, and Belmont Vice Mayor Charles Stone

For almost a year, negotiations have been aimed at helping riders by getting Caltrain firmly funded.

It has no source of its own money, the farebox only brings in 70% of its operating costs coupled with annual operating costs from the three-member counties, and year to year the riders are at risk of the line shutting down.

Now, at one minute to midnight, the train is really in danger of not showing up at the station.

While it’s wildly popular, Caltrain could shut down without its own funding.

To prevent this, the legislature passed a statute to allow the public to decide.

The statute requires that, if the ballot measure passes, the tax money go to Caltrain.

The proposals by San Francisco and Santa Clara County would violate the statute by making it possible that Caltrain might never see a dime.

All of us need to keep riders first and foremost in our minds. It’s really quite simple. A clean deal is what the riders and the public deserve.

Let the voters decide.