FY2027 BUDGET
TRANSIT FUNDING BRIEF · CITY COUNCIL
ITEM 4B
MOVE
RIVERGATE
the
PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING CASE
RIVERGATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY COUNCIL SESSION JULY 2026

WHAT'S
AT STAKE.

AGENDA
COUNCIL BRIEF
02 / 10
01
The Context
PG 03
02
The Public Need
PG 04
03
The Evidence
PG 05
04
The Funding Plan
PG 06
05
Voice of the Riders
PG 07
06
Risk Controls
PG 08
07
Do Nothing vs. Approve
PG 09
08
The Decision
PG 10
— THE BIG IDEA —
03 / 10
ONE SENTENCE
★ ★ ★  THE ASK  ★ ★ ★

A ten-year transit
tax keeps Rivergate moving
without raising fares.

— WHY THIS VOTE —
RIVERGATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY

THREE
PRESSURES.

Three forces are converging on Rivergate Transit this year: more riders, an aging fleet, and a funding cliff.
01
— RIDERSHIP —

Ridership is
up 34%.

Bus and rail boardings grew from 8.2M to 11M annual trips since 2022, outpacing every peer system in the region.

02
— FLEET —

Half the fleet
is 15+ years old.

62 of 118 buses are past the federal useful-life standard, driving a 40% rise in mid-route breakdowns.

03
— FUNDING —

The general fund
can't carry this.

The current subsidy expires in FY2028, leaving a $38M annual gap unless a dedicated funding source is approved.

— BY THE NUMBERS —
05 / 10
SECTION 02 / DATA
38M

annual funding gap
without new revenue.

An independent audit by Halsey Fiscal Partners confirms it: without a dedicated funding source, Rivergate Transit must cut 30% of routes by FY2028, eliminating service to 9 of 22 low-income neighborhoods.

SOURCE — HALSEY FISCAL PARTNERS AUDIT, MARCH 2026
★ RIDERSHIP UP ★ FLEET AGING ★ GAP GROWING ★ RIDERSHIP UP ★ FLEET AGING ★ GAP GROWING

THE FUNDING
PLAN.

A ten-year, quarter-cent sales tax measure raises $42M annually — funding operations, fleet renewal, and safety upgrades with independent oversight built in.
01

Quarter-cent sales tax

A ten-year measure raises approximately $42M per year and sunsets automatically without a renewal vote.

02

Fleet renewal

Replace 62 buses past useful life with low-emission vehicles over five years, cutting breakdowns an estimated 70%.

03

Route preservation

Protect all 22 existing routes, including the 9 serving low-income neighborhoods at risk of elimination.

04

Frequency upgrade

Add 15-minute peak service on the four highest-ridership corridors by 2028.

05

Independent oversight

A seven-member citizen oversight committee reviews spending annually and reports publicly.

06

Fare freeze

Base fares stay flat through 2030, protecting affordability for the 61% of riders earning under $40K.

07

Safety upgrades

Real-time GPS, driver-side cameras, and lit shelters at all 140 stops within three years.

08

Sunset clause

The tax expires automatically in year ten unless voters approve renewal — no permanent authority granted.

"
Without this measure, I lose the only
route that gets me to dialysis three
times a week. This isn't a line item — it's my life.
R
Renata Ibarra
— ROUTE 12 RIDER, WESTSIDE —
★ Voice of the Riders ★

RISK
CONTROLS.

— how the money is protected —
PHASE 01

Independent audit

Halsey Fiscal Partners certifies revenue collection and publishes findings each spring.

PHASE 02

Oversight committee

Seven citizen members, no elected officials, approve every expenditure over $250K.

PHASE 03

Spending lock

Funds are legally restricted to transit use only — they cannot be redirected to the general fund.

PHASE 04

Sunset & renewal

The tax expires in year ten by law; continuation requires a fresh public vote.

— OVERSIGHT SEATS —
7
— SPENDING CAP W/O REVIEW —
$250K
— AUTOMATIC SUNSET —
10 YRS

DO NOTHING
VS. APPROVE.

The choice before the council: let the subsidy lapse in FY2028, or fund the plan with independent guardrails built in.
— IF WE DO NOTHING —

Cuts land in 2028.

  • 30% of routes eliminated, including 9 low-income corridors.
  • Fleet breakdowns keep rising past 70 buses per year.
  • No independent oversight — cuts decided administratively.
  • Fares likely rise anyway to cover the shortfall.
— IF WE APPROVE —

Service holds, oversight added.

  • All 22 routes preserved, 4 corridors upgraded to 15-min service.
  • 62 buses replaced with low-emission vehicles by 2031.
  • 7-member citizen oversight committee, public reporting.
  • Fares frozen through 2030; automatic 10-year sunset.
— END OF BRIEF —
★ THANK YOU ★
10 / 10
the ask is simple —

FUND THE FIX

VOTE YES
rivergate transit authority
PREPARED BY RIVERGATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY
★ ITEM 4B ★ JULY 2026 COUNCIL SESSION
YES
— ITEM 4B —