San Francisco — State legislation extending and stabilizing California's cap-and-invest greenhouse gas reduction fund has passed and been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, San Francisco County Transportation Authority Chair Mirna Melgar told the board Sept. 30. Melgar said the fund supports transit capital and operating needs statewide and could enable state investment in Bay Area high-speed rail and related “bookend” projects in the coming year.
The board's executive director, Executive Director Ting, added that SB 63, authored by state senators Scott Wiener and Bob Wieckowski (transcript referenced “Wiener and Aragon”), has passed the Legislature and now awaits the governor's signature. Ting said the final bill includes an expenditure plan for five participating counties and the use of a half-cent in other counties and a one-cent measure in San Francisco for major transit operators facing shortfalls, along with accountability, governance and cost-efficiency provisions. Ting said staff will provide a more complete update next month on the bill’s final amendments and how the measure was shaped.
Why it matters: The cap-and-invest fund provides recurring resources for transit capital and operations across California; passage of SB 63 would clear the way for a regional revenue measure on the November 2026 ballot that could supply additional operating support for Muni and other operators. The transportation authority board and regional partners including MTC participated in negotiations, Melgar said.
Discussion vs. decision: The board received the reports as information; no board vote or direction to place a local measure on the ballot was taken at this meeting. Melgar and Ting asked the public to await staff briefings next month for detail on how the final SB 63 language will affect local revenue options.
Context and next steps: Ting said staff will present a fuller brief on SB 63 amendments at an upcoming meeting. Melgar and Ting also referenced the state’s continued investments in California High-Speed Rail and intercity rail programs funded through the cap-and-invest framework. No formal board action occurred on the measure during the Sept. 30 meeting.