SMART’s Future: An Investment in the North Bay’s Economy and Environment

This month, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District Board of Directors took an important and appropriate step by voting to place the renewal of SMART’s existing sales tax on the June ballot. In the coming weeks, both the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Marin County Board of Supervisors are expected to take similar action to ensure voters have the opportunity to decide.

There has been recent public discussion including the circulation of a newly published book critical of SMART raising familiar yet antiquated questions about the system’s history and performance. Healthy debate is part of any major public investment. But ultimately, the most important point is this: the decision about SMART’s future will be made by voters, through a transparent and democratic process.

At its core, this is not about personalities or political rhetoric. It is about whether the North Bay will continue investing in a transportation system that has become an essential part of our regional infrastructure or whether we will step backward.

SMART is working and evolving. Ridership has steadily rebounded and grown. The rail line and its parallel multi-use pathway have strengthened connections between communities, expanded commuting options, and provided safe, sustainable mobility for thousands of residents. As congestion persists along Highway 101, SMART offers a cleaner, greener transportation alternative reducing vehicle miles traveled, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and providing a sustainable option that benefits both commuters and the environment.

Importantly, the measure expected on the June ballot is a renewal tax, it would continue the existing sales tax, not increase it. Renewal ensures operational stability, protects prior public investment, and allows SMART to plan responsibly for the future. Without it, the system faces a funding cliff that would threaten service levels and long-term viability.

From a business and economic perspective, reliable regional transportation supports workforce mobility, reduces congestion-related costs, and enhances the North Bay’s competitiveness. Employers benefit when workers have dependable ways to access jobs. Communities benefit when growth is aligned with sustainable infrastructure.

At the North Bay Leadership Council, we believe in long-term, solutions-oriented policy that strengthens our regional economy while advancing environmental sustainability.  That is why we have made a clear choice about the kind of transportation system and the kind of region we want and support SMART.