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Measure BB, the Alameda County transportation tax package, was approved by nearly 70% of voters Tuesday, ending several years of controversy over the length of the tax and its need.

“Passing Measure BB is a tremendous accomplishment, one that will be seen as a game changer for Alameda County and the Bay Area for decades to come,” said Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who is chairman of the County Transportation Commission.

“Voters said yes to improving our roads, yes to better BART and buses, yes to supporting the mobility of students and seniors, yes to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system, and yes to creating 150,000 good quality local jobs,” Haggerty added. “Thank you Alameda County and to the many supporters who worked so hard on behalf of our transportation future.”

Haggerty said Measure BB will generate nearly $8 billion over 30 years for essential transportation improvements in every city in Alameda County, will yield $20 billion in economic activity in the Bay Area and generate nearly 150,000 local jobs.

Measure BB will:

Expand BART, bus and commuter rail for reliable, safe and fast services;

Keep fares affordable for seniors, youth and people with disabilities;

Provide traffic relief, including funds to every city in the County to repave streets, fill potholes and upgrade local transportation infrastructure;

Improve air quality and provide clean transportation by reducing pollution using innovative technology and expanding bike and pedestrian paths, and BART, bus and commuter rail expansion and operations; and

Create good jobs within Alameda County by requiring local contracting that supports residents and businesses in Alameda County.

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1 Comment

  1. Progressive taxes like sales tax always hurt seniors and low-income people the most. But liberals are controlled by the transportation unions – don’t car so long as a push-button BART driver makes $100K a year and the person sitting of their buttocks in the station makes $80K a year. Since there are more on the take in California than producers, prettymuch every tax gets voted in no matter what.

  2. Yeah, good ol’ $148,000 a year Scott Haggerty is happy that he can drink from the taxpayers’ trough for the rest of his career/life.

    So now all of us in Alameda County can now enjoy the highest sales tax rate in the state, and for what? To subsidize BART and road construction for Central Valley and Contra Costa County commuters, who are probably laughing right now at how STUPID residents of Alameda County are (Hey, thank you very much for paying for roadway improvements we will primarily use, but don’t have to pay a dime for! This is great!).

    What a joke.

  3. Safeguarding, improving, and increasing our infrastructure benefits everyone. The more people use public transportation, the fewer people will be on the roads wasting petroleum (which could be used for things other than trips in cars that have a single occupant, their driver) and polluting our environment. The more Americans are weaned off petroleum, the more the Middle East will decrease in strategic importance for the US as a whole (thereby possibly saving the lives of American soldiers who might go there otherwise in order to keep Saudi and Kuwaiti leaders in their undemocratic despotic powers and US addicted to our oil addition).

  5. I find it so interesting when the government leaders persuade naive masses to shot them self with MORE taxes. It amazes me how people are so clueless.
    Wake up people they are milking you to death money wise.

    Yes a very good reason NOT to Shop in Alameda County.

    Thanks for listening, Oh yes, Julia from Alamo, in Contra Costa County

  6. Most people cannot use public transportation – if you want to save petroleum, quit driving 90% empty busses around our cities. If you want to put OPEC out of business, tap into our own resources. I’ll bet Edward would be very happy for all of us to use public transportation and spend three times as long getting to and from work. I’ll bet he has a car.
    Chemist

  7. SHOCKING that it won by such a high percentage of the vote. How can so many people be bull-dozed like that. Wait until they see that this measure increases the sales tax rate – a fact that wasn’t obvious in the ads!
    I doubt the additional sales tax that my company will pay will be seen in improved bike paths and/or roads in ALAMEDA. It’s just another means to subsidize BART even while they continue to raise prices, and, oh yes – charge for parking.

  8. Edward, we already have the Middle East on the run. Why do you think the Saudis are lowering their price on the barrel of oil? Fracking! The Saudis need to protect the only source of income they have. By lowering their oil prices, they are hoping to deter the USA from becoming energy independent. The more we frack, the lower the price of oil. Which means a lot more money in our pockets. Unless of course, lefty’s like you keep raising taxes. Please, start reading and listening to something other than NPR.

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