Tell State Reps: Put Fair Tax in Transit Measure
Call your State Senator.
Bay Area transit agencies need an infusion of cash to continue functioning. SB 63 is a bill in the legislature that would put a regional tax measure on the ballot to fund public transit. But SB 63 would raise the money through a sales tax. Voters know that's regressive, i.e. takes a greater percentage of income from low-income than high-income earners. It is also hard on small businesses.
Transit and justice advocates want a Gross Receipts Tax charging each business a small percentage on revenue above $5 billion. Only about the top 2% of businesses would pay anything.
Please let Senator Wiener and and your Assemblymember know you support amending SB 63 to generate revenue through a Gross Receipts Tax, not a sales tax.
Their contact info is at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
Ask State Senator (Scott Wiener) and your Assemblymember to amend SB 63:
[For Sen. Wiener:]San Francisco can’t function without public transit, and we need the government to step in and fund it, but big businesses, who just got huge tax cuts, should be the ones paying for it. I would like Senator Wiener to amend SB63 so that it uses a Gross Receipts Tax to save our transit. [optional: say why this is important to you.]”
[For your Assemblymember:]San Francisco can’t function without public transit, and we need the government to step in and fund it, but big businesses, who just got huge tax cuts, should be the ones paying for it. I would like Assemblymember [ Haney/Stefani ] to amend SB63 so that it uses a Gross Receipts Tax to save our transit. [optional: say why this is important to you.]”
Background
References (links to articles)
OpEd on the situation in SF Chronicle (archive, no paywall) https://archive.ph/7ujFP
FAQ about the Gross Receipts Tax proposal and why it’s better. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IEeuZrG4gLoh6hB3fkm6R2dWCJdK2IyY/view