To: Board of Supervisors
From: Kristin Connelly, Clerk-Recorder
Report Title: Call a Special Election for the Regional Transit Measure and Consolidate with the November 3, 2026, General Election
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Resolution No. 2026-______ calling a special election on the “Connect Bay Area Transit Initiative,” a qualified voter initiative imposing a retail transactions and use tax and ordering consolidation of the special election with the November 3, 2026, Statewide General Election.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% General Fund to be partially reimbursed by the Public Transit Revenue Measure District. Government Code section 67740, subdivision (i), requires the Public Transit Revenue Measure District to reimburse the County, from funds made available pursuant to Government Code section 67750, only for incremental costs incurred by the County elections official in submitting the measure to the voters. The County may therefore be required to advance election costs, and the availability and timing of reimbursement may depend upon voter approval of the Measure and the resulting availability of measure proceeds. The Elections Division estimates the County’s incremental costs to be $1,600,000.
BACKGROUND:
Senate Bill 63, the Connect Bay Area Act, was signed into law on October 13, 2025, creating the Public Transit Revenue Measure District (“District”) under Title 7.85 of the Government Code, commencing with Government Code Section 67700. The District's jurisdiction includes Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties as well as the City and County of San Francisco, and provides that the District shall be governed by the same board that governs the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (“MTC”).
Senate Bill 63 authorized a retail transactions and use tax applicable to the entire District to be imposed by the Board of the District or by a qualified voter initiative, subject to voter approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election.
On January 16, 2026, proponents of the “Connect Bay Area Transit Initiative” submitted a notice of intention to circulate the Initiative Measure. On May 26, 2026, proponents submitted petitions containing signatures to the Registrar of Voters of each county in the District. The District Elections Official determined that the petition contained the required number of valid signatures.
On July 1, 2026, the District Elections Official prepared a "Certificate to Initiative Petition" finding the Initiative Measure to be sufficient. On July 24, 2026, the PTRMD Board accepted the certification and adopted District Resolution No. 2, requesting the Boards of Supervisors of all five counties to call a special election on the Initiative Measure to be consolidated with the November 3, 2026, statewide general election.
On July 16, 2026, the Governor signed Senate Bill 830 as an urgency statute. Senate Bill 830 amended Government Code section 67740 to prescribe the measure’s ballot designation and placement, requires counties to use the exact election materials provided by the District, establish procedures for selecting and translating ballot arguments, and clarify the reporting and election-cost reimbursement provisions
The Connect Bay Area Transit Initiative would impose a retail transactions and use tax for a duration of 14 years at the following rates:
• 0.5% in the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara
• 1% in the City and County of San Francisco
The measure is estimated to generate approximately $980 million annually to prevent transit service cuts, preserve essential routes, maintain safety and cleanliness standards, and support coordinated, reliable transit. Revenues would be allocated among BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain, San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, county small bus operators, and county transportation authorities for public transit expenses and roadway repayment projects on roads served by fixed-route transit.
Government Code Section 67740(a) provides that the Board of Supervisors of each county comprising the District “shall call a special election on the Initiative Measure” and that “the special election shall be consolidated with the November 3, 2026, statewide general election.” This is a mandatory duty triggered by the District's request.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to adopt the resolution could prevent the Initiative Measure from appearing on the ballot in Contra Costa County and violate Government Code Section 67740(a) (which directs the Board of Supervisors to call the special election and consolidate it with the November 3, 2026, statewide general election).