A Divided City Council Backed A New Bay Area Transit Tax Despite Worries On Oversight In Redwood City

Supporters framed the sales tax as a lifeline for Caltrain and SamTrans, while one councilmember warned residents.

By Albert Gregory, Patch Staff

Sep 30, 2026 11:00 AM PDT

A SamTrans representative told the council that 94 percent of SamTrans riders were low income and 68 percent were extremely low income. (Renee Schiavone/Patch)

REDWOOD CITY, CA — Redwood City's City Council voted 4–1 to endorse the proposed Connect Bay Area regional transit sales tax for the November 2026 ballot, casting the measure as a crucial backstop for Caltrain, SamTrans and other agencies still struggling with post-pandemic deficits.

Assistant City Manager Derek Wolfgram said the measure would send return-to-source funding back to San Mateo County, with 24 percent of the county's share earmarked for Caltrain, 27 percent for BART, 7 percent for Muni and 37 percent for the SamTrans local investment plan.

A SamTrans representative told the council that 94 percent of SamTrans riders were low income and 68 percent were extremely low income.

Councilmember Isabella Chu argued that transit could not be treated like a profit-making business.

"Transit isn't a business; it's a service," Chu said. "We don't expect highways or freeways to turn a profit, nor are they self-sustaining. Those are also subsidized."

Chu warned that failure of the measure would push more commuters back into cars.

"If we don't have good transit, particularly Caltrain, the traffic will be unbelievable. It will hurt everybody, drivers and transit riders alike, if this measure doesn't pass," she said.

Councilmember Marcella Padilla cast the lone no vote, citing concerns about the cumulative tax burden and fiscal controls.

"This is a very big ask of the taxpayers," Padilla said. "Before we go and ask working families, hardworking people to pay for something, we should have [the agencies] explore the lots and lots of real assets and property that they have and could develop."

Councilmember Chris Sturken countered that many residents had no realistic alternative to buses and trains.

He said he thought of working families in Redwood City who did not own cars, adding that transit is not an option for them; it's a necessity.

The council's endorsement adds Redwood City's name to the list of cities publicly supporting the regional measure, though voters across the Bay Area will make the final decision in 2026.