Measure RR

Measure RR
Name	Measure RR
Type	Ballot measure
Location	San Francisco, California
Year	2022

Measure RR

Measure RR was a 2022 ballot measure in San Francisco addressing the governance and funding structure of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the city's mass transit system, including the historic San Francisco Municipal Railway and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. The measure restructured authority over transit planning, fare policy, and dedicated funding sources, intersecting with high-profile actors such as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco, and transit advocacy groups including the Transportation Authority (San Francisco) and the San Francisco Transit Riders Union. The campaign engaged legal, fiscal, and civic institutions like the San Francisco City Attorney and the California Secretary of State.

Background and Ballot Measure Details

Measure RR originated amid debates following declines in ridership on the Muni system, fiscal pressures tied to the COVID-19 pandemic in California, and policy disputes involving the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco. The ballot language proposed to amend city charter provisions that affected the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board composition, allocation of parcel tax or sales tax revenue, and powers of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and related agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Proponents framed the measure as aligning oversight with recommendations from consulting studies led by firms similar to McKinsey & Company and KPMG, while opponents invoked precedents from charter amendments in Los Angeles and New York City.

Campaigns and Political Support

The campaign landscape featured coalitions of labor unions like the Amalgamated Transit Union, advocacy organizations such as the Transportation Choices Coalition, neighborhood groups including the Mission Economic Development Agency, and political figures from the San Francisco Democratic Party and the Progressive Democrats of America chapter in San Francisco. Opposition included business associations akin to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, landlord organizations comparable to the Apartment Association of Greater San Francisco, and elected officials on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors aligned with progressive platforms. Major endorsements referenced institutional actors: the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco issued statements, the San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle editorial boards ran analyses, and national groups such as the American Public Transportation Association commented on governance implications.

Financial Implications and Funding

Measure RR proposed reallocations of local revenue streams that implicated budgetary bodies like the San Francisco Budget and Legislative Analyst and fiscal oversight institutions modeled after the Government Accountability Office. Its fiscal notes referenced impacts on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency operating budget, potential adjustments to the San Francisco County Transportation Authority capital program, and consequences for bond ratings monitored by agencies similar to Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings. Advocacy literature compared Measure RR's funding model to mechanisms used by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to secure dedicated taxes and bond issuance capacity.

Legal Challenges and Implementation

Following certification by the San Francisco Department of Elections, Measure RR faced litigation involving the San Francisco City Attorney and plaintiffs including transit rider coalitions and taxpayer organizations similar to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Legal disputes invoked California jurisprudence from precedents in the California Supreme Court and administrative rulings from the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Courts of Appeal. Implementation required coordination among municipal entities such as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, municipal departments like the San Francisco Controller's Office, and state agencies including the California State Controller's Office, with timelines influenced by litigation outcomes and injunctions issued by the San Francisco Superior Court.

Public Opinion and Voting Results

Public polling by firms comparable to Berkeley IGS and media coverage in outlets such as the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner tracked voter attitudes influenced by incidents like the drop in ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and debates over homeless encampments in areas adjacent to transit hubs near landmarks like Union Square (San Francisco). Voting results, certified by the California Secretary of State, reflected turnout patterns consistent with recent San Francisco local elections overseen by the San Francisco Department of Elections and were parsed by civic researchers at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University.

Impact and Outcomes

After passing, Measure RR led to reorganizations within the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board and adjustments to revenue allocations that affected capital projects like fleet upgrades and infrastructure work near corridors managed by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and regional planning at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The change influenced relations among stakeholder organizations including the Amalgamated Transit Union, advocacy groups like the Transportation Choices Coalition, and nonprofit service providers such as the SF Foundation. Analysts at policy institutes akin to the Randy Shandera Institute and university centers tracked effects on ridership recovery, fiscal sustainability, and governance reforms in municipal transit, comparing outcomes to reforms in other jurisdictions such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

Category:San Francisco ballot measures