The BART Board of Directors has approved a balanced $1.2 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year 2027, which begins July 1, despite facing a projected $375 million structural deficit as pandemic-era emergency funding comes to an end.
The budget includes approximately $18.2 million in ongoing reductions, including the elimination of 63 operating positions and other departmental cost-saving measures. BART officials said the cuts are intended to avoid service reductions and minimize impacts on riders.
The transit agency is assuming a regional transportation funding measure will be approved by voters in November, generating an estimated $74 million in new revenue. The budget also relies on $88.5 million in borrowing to help bridge the funding gap.
BART reported stronger-than-expected ridership growth over the past year, with average weekday ridership projected to exceed 200,000 trips for the first time since the pandemic. The agency said increased fare revenue, cost reductions, and improved investment returns helped reduce the amount of borrowing needed to balance the budget.
The budget does not include fare increases and maintains current discounts for seniors, youth, low-income riders, and people with disabilities. If new funding becomes available, BART plans to maintain current service levels while making targeted schedule improvements beginning in August 2026.
BART,
.
You’re doing too little, too late!!!
So excited to vote no on this, BART cutting $18.2 million while running a deficit of $375 million is comical. They need to bring back Deborah Allen to run the whole show because this is decades of mismanagement coming home to roost.
The Mamba,
.
Yes, Debora Allen spent 8-years trying to get the rest of the BART Boardmembers to pay attention to spending, staying focused on BARTs core mission of moving the public from one location to another in a clean, efficient, and reliablemanner, and to stay away from the constant mission creep into social issues.
Yes we need bart but it is a No here as they need to have complete Oversite of the books and operations Period!
Red,
.
It’s not just that, but BART isn’t the only transit agency to be funded by the Measure on the November ballot, its also going to fund bus and ferry transit agencies all over Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.
Good it’s about time the free ride ended for them. Stay withing your budget or sell off it’s really that easy. No more state funding at all.
100% Voting NO, riders should pay what it costs to run the operation. Give a discount to elderly, students and those with disabilities. No one supplements my expense if I decide to drive.
I do wish BART the best!
I started riding it again two years ago and I have brought back about 10 other fellow coworkers to the trains too! Bart deserves credit for finally cracking down on the fare evaders, street people and inner city kids that seemed to rule the ride steal and harass. Thank goodness are gone and that’s why it’s decent people are coming back!
(See, the progressive liberals on Bart’s board wanted those groups to be able to ride free in the past due tosome kind of fairness and equity belief. But we know how that turned out. Drove away all the good people and caused Bart economic damage)
How can you have a supposed $1.2B “balanced” budget that has a $375M deficit? Trying some smoke & mirrors is BARTs hobby as usual – the 63 positions cut supposedly are vacant positions that were never going to be filled anyway …. bets?
You’re absolutely right about smoke and mirrors. Pretending that they are trying, in order to fool the people into voting “yes” on tax. And going to back to spending like drunken sailors as soon as the tax has passed.
It’s not like the non-riders aren’t already heavily subsidizing BART – part of the gas tax goes to it. There is a parcel tax on homeowners. Not even to mention the insane bridge tolls.
And yet BART is still underwater because their labor costs are simply unsustainable. My bet is that even if this tax has passed, BART will be back in a couple years whining about inflation and yet another “structural deficit” and asking for more money.
Since the BART board doesn’t have the spine, most of its members beholden to the same unions that brought BART to the breaking point, the taxpayers have to say the final “no”.
About time.
mr right,
.
Here you are, once again showing us exactly who you are, trying to generate anger with your comment to elicit an anger filled response. Are you sure your not just the Claycord poster known as Paul? Your using the exact same language for the exact same reasons as Paul did.
No Sir i am not and those accusations are crazy i genuinely like to be open minded and use my free speech sorry it bothers you guys the way i think but again its all free speech if i say gavin newsom is the best governor so be it its my choice i just share my thoughts i appreciate feed back if i’m wrong
mr right,
.
It’s not what you’ve chosen to say, it’s how you’ve chosen to say it, just as Paul used to do, but we all know that you’re smart enough to know exactly what you’re doing and why youre doing it. It’s also not really about free speech either, as the Mayor of Claycord can choose to eliminate posts made, as this is a private platform. Free speech is not the same posting something here as it is saying something or holding a sign on the steps of city hall.
Black knight your absolutely right i would understand if they ban me for inappropriate language but i’ve believe ive done no wrong im just giving my opinion just like everyone else here
The way to fix an organization is never to give it a blank check.
BART,
.
How many of those positions were vacant?