Over 60 attendees came together Feb. 4–5 at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator for Building the Power to Fund Public Transit. We left with a shared commitment: to build a statewide campaign to secure stable operating funding for public transit in California over the next five years.

Transit systems across California are facing major operating deficits — and there is currently no statewide plan to stabilize funding, let alone improve or expand service.

Attendees came from every region — including transit advocates, community organizations, riders, operators, and builders — bringing deep experience to what served as a campaign kickoff.

Convening Highlights

Attendees aligned around big goals and values, then powermapped, strategized, and began planning what that campaign could look like. The 2-day agenda included informative panel discussions and interactive breakout sessions.

Day 1: Vision & Goals
Activities focused on grounding ourselves in a shared vision. Our starting point: what would be worth fighting for? What would California transit, reimagined, look like?

Common themes emerged quickly — safe, reliable, fast, and affordable service for the people who rely on it across the state, along with fair wages, stability, and dignified working conditions for the workers who build and operate our transit systems. We briefed each other on work already in progress, including the following highlights:

• Regional panel: Representatives from 9 regions reported on the state of transit and upcoming priorities for 2026 and beyond. Despite regional differences, there was a shared need for funding — with ¾ of regions in or near a fiscal crisis and half running or planning ballot measures in 2026 or 2028. This highlighted the need to support local campaigns and scale successful approaches statewide. The Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability shared an impressive community-led effort to place a sales tax measure on the ballot — powered by deep relationships in the communities the transit would serve.
  
  
• Interactive sessions: Attendees chose between three breakout discussions covering key elements of a successful transit campaign — policy, ballot measures, and elevating transit in the Governor’s race — giving participants the chance to explore what needs to happen in each area.

Day 2: Building Power
We focused on how we can win, grounding ourselves in successful labor and community campaigns, including from outside transit. The conversation focused on the kind of coalition it will take to win — and what becomes possible when labor, riders, and communities act together. Day 2 highlights included: 

• Labor panel: Representatives from AC Transit, BART SEIU 1021, and UTLA shared lessons on building 1:1 relationships with communities, moving beyond transactional approaches, and making hope a discipline. Jack Watkins from ATU 192/PTA spoke about the People’s Transit Alliance, which unifies transit riders + bus operators. He explained that transit riders easily understand and support the working conditions that AC Transit operators are asking for. Says Jack, ‘Bus drivers are footnotes in thousands of peoples’ lives, building relationships over consistent short interactions.’ As a driver, he has built trust with regular riders whose names he doesn’t even know just from seeing them in the neighborhood.
  
  
• Campaign planning breakouts: Attendees across labor/community alliances, policy, powermapping, communications, and regional ballot measures discussed the resources and strategies needed to move the campaign forward.

We left aligned around a campaign rooted in a transit rider, labor, and community alliance, with an initial strategy sketch for how to get there.

Funding & Hosting

Funding for the event was provided by TransitCenter, Local 1021 SEIU, Local 3916 AFSME, and MoveCA, and was hosted by a committee of organizations including Public Advocates, ClimatePlan, Act-LA, Organize Sacramento, Transform, MoveCA, and San Diego 350.

Emerging Timeline of Success

Winning stable statewide funding for public transit will take multiple years. Here’s an outline of anticipated milestones and outcomes:

• 2026: Regional ballot measures (Fresno & Bay Area), statewide free transit pass program
• 2027: Transportation Development Act reform, congestion pricing authorization
• 2028–29: Gas tax replacement funding, additional regional ballot measures
• 2030+: Protect wins

Together, these steps outline a multi-year path toward stable, long-term operating funding.

Next Steps & Get Involved

The convening identified five key areas: policy, labor/community powerbuilding, communications, ballot measures, and powermapping. This work is just getting started. If you’d like to be part of building the campaign, reach out to Laurel Paget-Seekins at Public Advocates.