By Brittney Sherman
At a VTA board meeting on Thursday May 1st, confusion and disagreement stalled any decision on whether to support a regional or county-specific approach to a proposed transit tax under Senate Bill 63. The bill, introduced by state Senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin, would allow transit agencies or voters to propose a sales tax for the November 2026 ballot to fund Bay Area transit systems. While the bill currently lists four transit agencies as potential beneficiaries, VTA is not among them.
The board heard a presentation on the bill but was caught off guard when VTA management unexpectedly asked for a formal stance via letter to the bill’s authors during the meeting—despite the item being presented as informational only. San Jose Mayor and VTA Vice Chair Matt Mahan advised against rushing a decision, cautioning the board not to give up negotiating power too soon. Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas expressed concern over the lack of transparency and short notice.
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