Elected officials in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have produced a counter proposal after killing a proposed sales tax last week.
"A new proposal to save the 160-year-old Caltrain rail line was released by elected officials in San Francisco and Santa Clara County on Tuesday as supervisors there attempt to use the potential death of the transit agency as leverage in a power struggle with San Mateo County," reports Aldo Toledo.
According to Toledo, "the Caltrain governing board could be significantly changed under a new proposal signed by Mayors Sam Liccardo and London Breed, as well some members of both boards of supervisors." Changes in governance were key to a controversial vote by San Francisco Supervisors last week to kill a proposed sales tax to fund an expansion of service on the commuter rail system. Now the sales tax measure is being touted as a funding measure to help Caltrain weather the fiscal crisis created by the pandemic.
The article includes more details about the governance structure of Caltrain, and how the new proposal would change the equation.
Between the vote and the new proposal, San Francisco County Supervisor Aaron Peskin created a stir on social media by claiming that San Mateo County officials are exaggerating the existential threat to Caltrain.
I know the San Mateo PR machine would like advocates to think that Caltrain is all but dead but it’s literally just factually untrue.
We’ll continue to pay our fair share to supporting its essential functions, though our top priority has to be Muni.— Aaron Peskin (@AaronPeskin) July 16, 2020
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FULL STORY: New Caltrain lifeline proposal could include changes to the agency’s governing structure
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