This fall, voters in Contra Costa County will weigh in on a handful of local ballot measures.
Orinda residents heading to the polls on Nov. 3 will decide on two: Measure RTM, aimed at giving a leg up to struggling Bay Area public transit; and Measure W, a parcel tax benefitting the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD).
In February, Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) board of directors initially approved what the agency calls an Alternative Service Plan, outlining possible service cuts, parking and fare increases and other changes slated to begin in January 2027.
If further reductions are necessary, station closures, more increases for parking and fares and more service cuts could loom in July 2027.
BART approved its balanced 2027 fiscal year budget in June. The budget assumes that the transit funding measure is approved and will provide BART with $74 million for the fiscal year. The agency is currently staring down a structural budget deficit of $375 million, amid a financial crisis stoked by fewer riders taking trips and the draining of pandemic emergency funds.
The BART board has planned for two different financial scenarios, one in which it receives sorely needed revenue, and the other, in which the agency gets no new revenue for 2027.
BART has acknowledged that, even if the proposed tax measure is approved, the revenue raised would only cover a portion of its deficit. That’s why there has been millions of dollars’ worth of department reductions and efficiencies, and cutting 63 full-time positions.
The budget also makes ends meet by borrowing to fill the gap until new revenue is generated, and millions in state emergency funds are expected to be stretched into this new fiscal year.
The approved 2027 budget is leaner, “with less spending and a smaller headcount,” said BART Board President Melissa Hernandez in June. She noted that the board pushed staff to cut costs in ways that would not be felt by riders and also wouldn’t negatively impact BART’s recent strides in reliability and satisfaction rates.
Measure RTM looks to support and preserve transit safety, cleanliness, affordability and reliability across five Bay Area counties and multiple agencies.
The measure would impose a 0.5% sales tax for Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a 1% sales tax for San Francisco County, for 14 years. The measure is projected to generate $980 million a year, and requires a simple majority to pass.
Meanwhile, Measure W would use a $168 parcel tax, for eight years, to infuse AUHSD with funding to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, keep class sizes manageable and continue its advanced academic programs in STEM and the arts.
The projected $6 million raised each year through the measure cannot be taken by the state. It would be subject to citizens’ oversight and independent audits, and senior exemptions would be available. The measure must get two-thirds voter approval to pass.
The four AUHSD schools are among the best in California, with their Advanced Placement courses landing them in the top four-percent of all high schools nationwide.
But the school district also grapples with some of the lowest levels of state funding in California, absorbing over four million in budget cuts over the past two years.
On its website, AUHSD said those cuts have “impacted student electives, library and counseling services, and enrichment programs. Without a new and sustainable source of additional funding, further reductions and budget cuts are likely.”
AUHSD Superintendent John Nickerson acknowledged the larger effort behind Measure W.
“The AUHSD Governing Board has been listening intently to the community since April, and Measure W, the measure on the ballot, reflects what they heard from the community,” he said. “Having high-quality public schools is a core value of our community, and the board is committed to preserving the opportunities they provide our students.”
