Measure RTM Campaign Launches: Volunteers Mobilize to Decide Bay Area Transit Funding

# What happened Supporters of Measure RTM, the Regional Transit Measure, kicked off a campaign push with a coordinated Day of Action on September 17. Rallies took place in each of the five counties that would be affected if the ballot measure passes: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco. Organizers and allied groups took their message to plazas, stations and public events to explain what the measure does and recruit volunteers.

# What Measure RTM would do Measure RTM proposes sales tax increases that vary by county and would run for 14 years. The measure is projected to raise about $1 billion each year while it's in effect. The proposed tax increases are:

• Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties: 0.5% (half-cent per dollar).

Revenue would be allocated across regional transit operators according to fixed percentages. The distribution listed in campaign materials includes: BART (31%), Muni/SFMTA (16%), VTA (25.1%), Caltrain (7%), AC Transit (5%), SamTrans (4.7%), Contra Costa Transportation Authority (2.5%), and smaller shares for county operators, ferry service and Golden Gate Transit.

# Why supporters say it's needed Backers point to a combined annual funding shortfall for Bay Area transit agencies of more than $800 million starting in 2027-28. The campaign's message frames the tax as a way to preserve service levels and maintain access to jobs, schools and other opportunities. At the San Francisco rally near the Powell Street Cable Car turnaround, Supervisor Myrna Melgar described transit's role in her upbringing and how it enabled access to education and work.

# Who showed up Rallies included advocacy groups such as TransformCA and Bike East Bay, labor leaders, and elected officials. State Senators Jesse Arreguín and Scott Wiener—authors of the legislation (SB 63) that allowed the regional tax framework—attended events in Oakland and San Francisco respectively. Alameda Labor Council leaders and local community organizers also participated.

# How to get involved The campaign is building a volunteer network for canvassing, phone banks and outreach through Election Day, November 3. Organizers direct volunteers to sign up through regional calendars and Seamless Bay Area's Regional Measure Hub. Specific outreach events listed for the weekend after the kickoff included a Cal football game tabling in Berkeley, a BART Anime Fest presence in Warm Springs, a canvass in West Portal and a phonebank in Mountain View.

# Stakes and next steps Campaign staff and partners say passing Measure RTM is critical to closing the projected funding gaps and avoiding service cuts. With under two months until the election, the effort focuses on turnout and direct voter contact across the five counties. The measure's text and the complete revenue distribution are available through campaign materials and local reporting.

# Quick reference

• Ballot date: November 3, 2026.
• Estimated revenue: roughly $1 billion per year for 14 years.
• Major beneficiaries by share: BART, Muni, VTA, Caltrain, AC Transit.