BART and public transit are essential services. Why isn’t California fully funding them

By Nayeli Tirado Vega| SF Chronicle | April 4, 2024

Regarding “Here’s how bad BART’s operating deficit will be and what it means for riders” (Bay Area, SFChronicle.com, April 1): The threat of losing public transportation due to a financial pitfall is concerning. As a new resident of the Bay Area and a junior at UC Berkeley, I know how important public transportation is, not just for students, but for everyone.

I travel to San Francisco from Berkeley frequently for work. Every time I drive, I’ve paid upward of $24 for roughly six hours of parking. I can’t afford to pay for parking regularly, so I rely on BART, which is more affordable and better for the environment.

However, most students and residents I know don’t own their own vehicles, making BART even more essential. I consider myself lucky to have alternative transportation options but imagine how fundamental public transit is for those less fortunate.

The real issue is the lack of funding for public services that low-income and marginalized people rely on. California could avoid budget deficits by reforming tax policy, like Proposition 13. Until we do, the rich will become richer at the expense of everyday people.