​SMART Sales Tax Measure Could Come Before Voters Again

NORTH BAY, CA — The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors gave and received comments Wednesday on the failure of Measure I, an extension of a quarter-cent sales tax for its operation of the passenger train in Sonoma and Marin counties.

The measure in March needed two-thirds approval from voters but fell far short. Fifty-five percent of Marin County voters and 52 percent of Sonoma County voters approved it.

Passage of the measure, which would have expired in 2050, would have allowed SMART to refinance its current debt and provide an additional $12 million annually for operations, according to SMART.

"It is clear that we have work to do so we can convince the voters on why they should support our next sales tax election," SMART'S General Manager Farhad Mansourian said in his report on Measure I to the board.

"We will continue to be sales tax based in the future," Mansourian said. "Taxes support every other transit system in the United States and every other public infrastructure; none of us can continue without some form of tax subsidy.

"We will need to return to voters to ensure the train service continues in the future," he said.
Mansourian recommended SMART seek input from business, environmental, civic and service organizations and a seven-member Citizens Oversight Committee on the lessons learned by the defeat of Measure I.

Board member David Rabbitt, a Sonoma County supervisor, said even though the measure failed to get two-thirds approval, a majority of the voters approved it.

"The two-thirds threshold is an extremely high bar. We need to double our efforts, step back, look at the big picture, be more transparent and convince the public we are a well-run organization," Rabbitt said.

Board member Shirlee Zane, also a Sonoma County supervisor, called for "an independent audit from the top down." She called for appointing sub-committees within the 12-member board to conduct workshops, for listening to SMART's critics, for rebuilding ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic ends and for making the train affordable to everybody.

Board member Judy Arnold, a Marin County supervisor, called for a "sea change" in how SMART does business and for building better relationships with bicyclists, pedestrians and disabled riders.

Members of the public spoke by phone or other devices. One speaker said SMART should not extend the current 43-mile rail line between Santa Rosa and Larkspur to Cloverdale as intended but should rely instead on Sonoma County Transit to take riders between Healdsburg and Cloverdale.

"You had 70 percent approval when SMART was just a concept. It's possible to get two-thirds approval. You should be able to do it again," another speaker said.

Yet another said SMART passed in 2008 because it was a vision, but it was way beyond what SMART could actually deliver. He advised SMART to "go out and listen to people."

"It's too easy to be a punching bag. Onward, we have to win next time," he said.

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