A white hand holds a SF Muni Clipper card

VOTER GUIDE

YES ON PROP L

Half-Cent Sales Tax Continuation for Transit

Prop L is not a new tax, but a continuation of an existing half-cent sales tax that is a critical funding source for our City’s transportation infrastructure. This nominal tax has helped create projects like the Presidio Parkway, the electrification of Caltrain, and the Van Ness improvement project. These funds also support ongoing smaller projects like pedestrian improvements and general maintenance. This funding source is vital for our City’s transportation infrastructure and it is imperative that it passes.

The Context

This is a 30-year continuation of a half-cent sales tax passed in 2003 (Prop K) that funds transportation projects. Transportation funding is in a dire state at the moment due to the impacts from COVID, both locally and regionally, as well as the failure of Prop A, the 2022 Muni bond.


The Money

This half-cent tax generates about $100 million annually for improvements like new buses, street paving, bike lanes, as well as larger capital improvement projects. Spending is guided by an Expenditure Plan that is overseen by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and governed by the Board of Supervisors, who also sit as the CTA Board. 

Additional Details

A note about the governing bodies of our transit infrastructure: Because San Francisco is uniquely a city and a county, we have both a Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) and a County Transportation Authority (CTA). The MTA is overseen by a board that is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors. The CTA is overseen by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The takeaway here is that the MTA is governed by the BoS and the Mayor, while the CTA is governed by just the BoS. Funding from both agencies are used together to pay for transportation projects.  

Support & Opposition

This proposition was put on the ballot by the CTA Board/Board of Supervisors.

Paid for by TogetherSF Action. Not authorized by any candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.

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