Strong Election for Public Transit

Ballot measures pass, reaffirm Americans want & will pay for public transit

Silver Spring, MD - It was a strong election night for public transit in the U.S. State ballot initiatives calling for more and supporting public transit passed, reaffirming that Americans support and will pay for more public transportation.

“The people of these communities have spoken at the ballot box, and they want more public transit and are willing to pay more taxes to make that happen,” said International President John Costa. “This is the result of riders, workers, and transit advocates mobilizing to fight for more, better, and safer public transit."

From Nashville, TN, to Seattle, WA, to Maricopa County, AZ, Denver, CO, and Steubenville, OH, our members teamed up with transit advocates to mobilize by leafleting, mail, and through other actions to encourage riders and the public to vote for transit ballot initiatives.

The following ballot initiatives passed:

In Seattle, WA, voters gave a green light to Proposition 1, a property tax measure that will spend $1.55 billion over the next eight years on transit, streets, sidewalks, bridges, and bikeways. The levy passed with 67% of the vote count. Our Local 587-Seattle, WA, members will also have more job opportunities.

In Nashville, TN, the Transit Improvement Referendum overwhelmingly passed to fund Nashville’s “Choose How You Move” $3.1 billion transit plan. The half-cent sales tax increase will expand transit service and job opportunities for our Local 1235-Nashville, TN, members.

In Maricopa County, AZ, Proposition 479 to continue a half-cent sales tax for bus routes, local highways, and roads easily passed. The tax extension is expected to bring in about $15 billion — roughly half of Maricopa County's $28 billion transportation improvement plan. It amounts to 1 cent for every two dollars spent. A substantial portion would go to highway projects, with a little more than a quarter going to bus transit. It will also lead to more jobs for our Local 1433-Phoenix, AZ, members.

In Washington State, voters defeated the repeal of the Washington Climate Commitment Act, a groundbreaking cap and invest program forcing companies to cut carbon emissions while raising billions of dollars for programs that include public transit, habitat restoration, and preparing for climate change.

In Denver CO, Ballot Measure 7A was passed by voters, allowing the Regional Transit District (RTD) to remain exempt from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) to retain and spend all revenue without further voter approval. These funds will be used to improve service and benefit our Local 1001-Denver, CO, members.

In Jefferson County, OH, voters elected to pass a Renewal Levy benefiting the Steel Valley Regional Transit Authority. The $1.5 million tax levy will fund public transit and create jobs for our Local 285-Steubenville, OH.

“These victories should send a strong message to legislators at the federal, state, and county levels that investing in public transit is the right thing for their communities,” said Costa. “It invigorates local economies, creates jobs, provides mobility for all, helps fight pollution, and improves the health of communities overall. The voters understand the importance of a robust public transit system and are willing to help pay for it.”