Reso. No. _____
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RESOLUTION NO. ______
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,
CALIFORNIA, FOR THE STATE TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRANSIT SUPPORT
WHEREAS, the residents and economy of the City of Richmond depend on public transit, particularly AC Transit, BART, Westcat, and Capitol Corridor; and WHEREAS, our communities are at risk of losing public transit service and suffering fare increases, because of the expiration of federal operations funds for transit systems; and WHEREAS, transit service is fundamental to access for affordable housing, and cuts to service combined with increased fare costs impede development of new affordable housing; and WHEREAS, cutting service threatens our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing traffic congestion and costs for cash-strapped households; and WHEREAS, California, as a state, has been underfunding transit operations relative to many other states for decades. In 2019, transit agencies in the Bay Area received, on average, less than 16 percent of their operating funding from the state, compared to 21 percent state funding in Chicago, 30 percent in New York City, 44 percent in Boston, and 50 percent in Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, BART is facing a budget shortfall of $385M and AC Transit is facing a shortfall of $60 million annually, and will face drastic service cuts and layoffs by 2027; and WHEREAS, a bill to authorize a multi-county transit ballot measure, SB 63 (Wiener, Arreguin), has been introduced in the state Legislature this year; and WHEREAS, to generate the needed funding on the timeline needed to avert service cuts, that bill must be signed this year, and a measure brought to the voters no later than November 2026.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Richmond supports the vision shared by rider, climate and labor groups of a measure that (1) provides enough funding to preserve and increase transit service levels across the region and distributes the funds equitably, (2) is funded primarily with progressive sources, rather than a sales tax, to ensure that the burden of paying for improved transportation options does not fall most heavily on those with the least resources, and (3) prioritizes funding for transit operations, and does not increase carbon emissions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Richmond urges State Senator Jesse Arreguin and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks to champion a bill that achieves that vision in the Legislature this year; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Richmond urges State Senator Jesse Arreguin, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Governor Newsom to support budget actions that significantly increase the state’s support for transit operating needs on a sustainable basis.
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***THE CLERK’S OFFICE WILL COMPLETE THE INFORMATION BELOW****
I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held on Mmmm dd, yyyy, by the following vote:
AYES: AYES:
NOES:
Reso. No. _____
DocID #44118v1
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to form:
City Attorney
State of California }
County of Contra Costa : ss.
City of Richmond }
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. _____, finally passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on Mmmm dd, yyyy.
_______________________________________
Pamela Christian, Clerk of the City of Richmond