Voters have so far approved 19 out of the 26 transit ballot measures in the 2024 general election, with the results for one measure still outstanding according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). $24.9 billion has been approved so far by voters, bringing the total funding for public transit improvements in 2024 to over $25 billion.
Ballot measures ranged from increases in sales tax and extending current transit taxes to establishing new business taxes on rideshare companies and expanding levies for property taxes.
- In Arizona, there were two ballot measures, Proposition 479 in Maricopa County and Proposition 488 in the city of Flagstaff passed with over 56 percent approval. Proposition 479 will extend the county’s half-cent sales tax to help fund maintaining and operating public transit and light rail for the next 20 years, starting Jan. 1, 2026. Proposition 488 Voters will extend and increase the current transit tax by about $0.20 per $100.
- In Richland County, S.C., voters approved a Sales and Use Tax Referendum Question 1 by more than 60 percent, which asked residents to renew a one penny sales tax to fund transportation projects. The renewed tax will collect $4.5 billion over the next 25 years, with 22 percent ($990 million) of the revenue funding transit.
- In Napa, the 30-year Measure U passed resulting in $300,000 in funding for transit. It also includes funding for low-income public transit subsidies.
Virgina, Washington state, Tennessee, Ohio, North Dakota and Colorado also all had transit ballot measures pass. More information on transit ballot measures can be found on APTA’s website.