FUD Wrote:
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> Did the Caltrain sales tax pass last year? If so,
> there's no immediate fiscal need for a BART
> takeover. The fiscal purpose otherwise would be to
> get Caltrain off the county transit agencies
> budgets (because BART has a sales tax). It's
> annoying for the transit agencies to have to fund
> real commuters when they'd rather run buses, and
> an existential issue for Caltrain when fares drop,
> as they did during the pandemic.

Not only do I not believe in consolidation like this one. But, you point out another problem is the disconnect between, focus, functionality, governance, finance, and funding, as has been the case for many years on the Penninsula.

Metrolink and the now "locally" controlled Corridor Agencie have similar issues, as the "step children" of their respective member/funding agencies.

So I have often pointed out the merits of creating, truly independent dedicated share funding policies or mechanisms, and more effective finance and governance structures, to improve things like operations and project delivery.

No matter what I have to say about the CAHSRA fiasco and the "runaway money train", or how it is pissing our scarce rail passenger dollars away, or it's total lack of effective oversight, they have the money to "piss away"....

Now, imagine that "all" investments in any rail passenger project competed for scarce rail passenger dollars on merit? Things like cost effectiveness, maximuum user benefit, or needed projects to maintain safe and efficient operations of our current investments.

Also, now imagine that these Intercity Corridor and Commuter agencies that already have a history that demonstrate more effective, competent, misson focused, outcomes, would be able to compete and deliver projects from a "single" state rail passenger fund (a tax share, voter bonds, Santa Clauses, the tooth fairy, it doesn't matter where...)....

In a funding and governance structure like that, how do you think the gold plated investment in Pacheco would "compete", with say LA Union Station run through, or the Del Mar bluffs bypass....?

Imagine giving Staci that money and having a fully integrated first world commute and intercity high speed service going through the new Dumbarton tubes to SFO and the City...

Imagine that alternative to having BART raiding Caltrain Federal funds, or MTA starving Commute agencies like Metrolink? Which is why I tend to like more effective local control, and less "maga mergers" that just seem to rob Peter, to pay Paul....