Dear friends,

California's transit agencies face a financial crisis that could lead to massive service cuts -- but legislators and the governor can prevent a tragedy if they step in with state funding.

Without an urgent infusion of state funding, some transit agencies in California’s largest cities may have to eliminate weekend service, or only run buses or trains on dramatically reduced schedules. Others will struggle to retain and recruit the bus drivers, train operators, and technicians who run and maintain our transit systems.

Transit is a lifeline for low-income Californians who rely on it -- but it's also a crucial tool in the fight against the pollution that causes climate change. Frequent and reliable transit also makes it possible to build denser, more affordable homes for all Californians, and helps us save money on transport costs.

The good news is, the state can save transit from existing funds. But time is running out -- the state budget has to be adopted by June 15. That's a week from today.

Will you help save public transportation in California? Send a message to Governor Newsom and your legislators asking them to provide the funding transit needs by June 15!
SEND A MESSAGE >>

The transit fiscal cliff was caused by a host of factors, but the pandemic played a major role by reducing the number of fare-paying passengers; the expiration of federal stimulus funding made the situation even worse. With "stay at home" orders in place, transit agencies lost the revenue that came from riders paying fares.

The federal government pitched in by providing stimulus funding to backfill that lost revenue, but that funding has expired. It's now up to the state government to provide the funding needed to prevent huge cuts to transit service.

The good news is, the state has revenues available to end the transit fiscal cliff from a combination of fees paid into the state climate fund ("cap and trade") and President Biden's infrastructure bill. That bill allows the state to direct funds to transit if it chooses to do so -- instead of highway expansion.

Taken together, our transit agencies only need $1.1 billion per year, over five years, to avoid the fiscal cliff. It's a tiny fraction of the state’s annual transportation spending, but it will pay huge dividends by securing reliable, safe transit for California's future.

California YIMBY has always been dedicated to making it easier to build housing near frequent transit service -- which is one of many reasons why we care deeply about the fate of transit. If that service goes away, or is no longer frequent, it's going to be harder to build the housing we need to address the shortage and tackle the affordability crisis.

Transit supporters in the legislature are working hard to secure the necessary funding. But they need your help.

So, if you're ready to help save public transit and support our work to tackle the housing shortage, send an email to the governor and your legislators urging them to fund transit today!

Thank you for your advocacy, energy, and passion that helps us make a California that's more affordable and equitable for everyone.

Gratefully,

Matthew Lewis
Communications Director
California YIMBY

California YIMBY is a movement dedicated to ending our state’s housing crisis and building a more inclusive, affordable, and accessible state for ALL Californians. If you were forwarded this email, you can join our movement here. DONATE NOW » Want to keep track of housing issues and the YIMBY movement? Sign up for the HomeWork, our newsletter here.

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