Updated on 10/23/14: The San Francisco Chronicle recommends Alameda County residents vote YES on Measure BB (link to editorial).
Greenbelt Alliance supports Measure BB—the proposed reauthorization, increase, and extension of Alameda County’s ½ cent transportation sales tax.
If it passes on November 4, Measure BB would provide an unprecedented infusion of resources for transit, street repair, walking and biking infrastructure, and transit-oriented development. These investments are critical to the creation of walkable, transit-friendly neighborhoods with new homes and successful businesses within our cities and towns. Done right, upgrades to Alameda County’s transportation infrastructure and the neighborhoods it serves can improve the quality of life for residents of all income levels, reinvigorate our economy, reduce carbon emissions, and guide growth in ways that protect our region’s threatened open spaces.
As a member of a broad coalition of environmental and social equity organizations, Greenbelt Alliance worked with the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) to craft the contents of this measure. Although there are elements of the final measure that could have been better, we believe that Measure BB points Alameda County firmly in the right direction.
In 2012, a nearly-identical ballot measure failed to secure the necessary two-thirds voter majority by just a few hundred votes. This fall, we look forward to educating more voters to ensure Measure BB’s successful adoption. We’re also excited to work with ACTC to help them continue their leadership in providing transportation funding to those places that are doing the most for sustainable and equitable development.
We urge you to vote yes on Alameda County’s Measure BB this November.
To learn more about Measure BB, visit yesonbb.org
