BART’s San Jose plan scaled back
Written on March 1, 2009
Cutbacks in state funding and a dour sales tax outlook pushed Valley Transportation Authority officials Friday to back a delay in extending BART to downtown San Jose.
The recession and state cuts also bring the likelihood of fare hikes, service cuts and layoffs by the summer.
The news comes despite the one-eighth cent increase in sales tax approved by voters in November.
A new sales tax projection done for the VTA shows that revenue is likely to be flat fr the next 25 years after inflation is factored in.
Now it appears that an extension of BART from Fremont to Berryessa could be finished by 2018 and won't come to downtown until 2025 quick guaranteed personal loans.
Part of that is because a sales tax that was approved in 2000 and went into effect in 2006 is now projected to bring in $7 billion, about $4 billion short of what was expected.
The VTA is also facing tough choices when it approves a new two-year budget this spring. The recently approved state budget cuts $536 million out of statewide transit funds.