Responding to community demands for more transparency ahead of what promises to be a tight election, Palo Alto’s...
Waite: We don’t need another tax increase for public transit
Santa Clara County voters have been generous to VTA. Today’s sales tax rate includes four ballot measures — from 1976, 2000, 2008 and 2016 — totaling 1.625%, providing VTA nearly $900 million per year. Now, supporters of Connect Bay Area, a 14-year regional transit measure for the Bay Area, propose adding another 0.5%, giving VTA another $265 million annually at a time when the agency projecting a mere $15 million deficit despite farebox receipts covering less than 6% of operating costs. The magnitude of the tax increase is significantly out of line with VTA’s needs and voters should reject the...
