A coalition of Sacramento residents and transportation advocates calling itself Safer Sac Streets has launched a campaign to place a new transportation funding measure before city voters this November. They propose a half-cent local sales tax to pay for street repairs, traffic safety projects, and expanded transit service.
The proposal, known as the “Safe Streets and Affordable Transit Measure,” (pdf) was filed with the city clerk in February. If approved by voters, the measure would increase Sacramento’s sales tax by 0.5% and generate roughly $70–$75 million per year for transportation improvements within the city.
Backers say the proposal is designed to tackle two persistent challenges in Sacramento: aging streets and a transit system that advocates say needs more reliable local funding.
“Sacramento invests far less in transportation than other major California cities,” the campaign argues on its website, framing the measure as a way to improve safety while expanding transit options and keeping fares affordable for vulnerable riders.
Safer Sac Streets is made up of local transportation advocacy groups, labor unions, elected officials, and others concerned with making the city a safer place to be and easier place to move around.
The Spending Plan
Under the measure’s proposed spending formula, revenue would be divided into several categories with the vast majority going towards bicycle improvements, better sidewalks and crossings, and increased and better transit service.
The largest share would go to street maintenance and safety improvements. According to the proposal, about 48% of the funding would pay for projects such as pothole repair, street resurfacing, sidewalk upgrades, bike lane improvements, and intersection safety fixes.
Another 48% would fund transit operations and improvements, including more frequent bus and light rail service, faster travel times, and safety upgrades for riders. The measure also includes provisions aimed at maintaining reduced transit fares for seniors, students, veterans, and riders with disabilities.
The remaining funding would go toward related infrastructure and oversight. Three percent would support infrastructure tied to housing near transit lines, while 1% would pay for annual audits and an independent oversight committee intended to ensure the money is spent as promised.
The initiative also emphasizes “fix-it-first” maintenance—prioritizing repair of existing streets before expanding road capacity—and funding projects intended to reduce severe crashes.
Measure Is Needed Because Streets Are Deadly
Sacramento is a dangerous place to move around. Based on injuries and fatalities per capita, Sacramento ranks 15th of the 15 largest CA cities for safety. More than 300 people have been killed on Sacramento city streets since 2017, when the city adopted its Vision Zero policy aimed at eliminating traffic deaths by 2027. 32 of those people were killed in 2025.
Supporters have branded the measure as “half for safer streets, half for safer, faster transit.”
Campaign organizers argue that more funding could accelerate safety improvements on dangerous corridors and help the city meet the goals of its Vision Zero program, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths.
Because the measure is a citizen initiative rather than a council-placed tax measure, it would require only a simple majority of voters to pass. But first, supporters must gather roughly 30,000 valid signatures to qualify it for the November ballot.
Better Odds Than Recent County-wide Efforts
Local transportation sales taxes are a common funding source in California, and Sacramento County already has one in place.
County voters approved a 1988 half-cent transportation sales tax known as Measure A, which funds roadway projects, transit operations, and related transportation programs throughout the county. However, efforts to renew the county-wide sales tax measure failed in 2016 and 2022. Both times the measures had clear majorities, 58% in 2022 and 66% six years earlier, but failed to meet the ⅔ voter threshold.
Supporters believe this measure has an excellent chance of passing. The new initiative would apply only within the city of Sacramento, has a lower threshold to pass, and would specifically target safety and transit improvements within city limits.
While there is no official opposition to the measure yet, some advocates for progressive transportation have been quoted in local news stories raising alarms about increasing the sales tax. Unlike income taxes, sales taxes apply broadly to everyday purchases, meaning families with tighter budgets often spend a greater percentage of their income on taxable goods. Sacramento’s sales tax is below the state average, but adding on this half cent would put the city above it.
