The SMART Tax Renewal Initiative Petition Has Been Submitted

Supporters of the SMART Train submitted 71,851 signatures for a petition to place a funding renewal measure on the June 2026 ballot, exceeding the required 48,809 signatures for success. This citizen-led initiative aims to allow the measure to pass with a simple majority vote, as opposed to the higher threshold required for a direct ballot measure. The funds from the renewed tax are needed to avoid a potential service shutdown by 2029.

A coalition of SMART supporters, including the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition and local leaders, launched “The SMART Initiative” campaign in 2025 to extend the current quarter-cent sales tax, which provides about half of the agency’s revenue and is set to expire in 2029.

Goal: The primary goal of the petition is to place a measure on the June 2026 ballot to extend the existing quarter-cent sales tax for an additional 30 years without raising taxes.

Signatures Needed: To qualify as a voter-led initiative, which requires only a simple majority vote to pass, the campaign needed to gather signatures from at least 10% of registered voters across Sonoma and Marin counties (48,809 signatures).

Status: On November 25, 2025, supporters submitted approximately 71,851 raw signatures to election officials, well over the required minimum, ensuring the measure is likely to appear on the ballot for voters to decide.

Context of the Petition
The petition effort is a strategic move following a failed attempt in 2020, when a similar tax renewal measure did not receive the two-thirds majority vote required for measures placed on the ballot by the SMART Board. By using a citizen-led initiative, supporters hope to pass the measure with a simple majority.

Supporters argue the renewal is critical to continue current operations, fund ongoing construction projects (such as extensions to Healdsburg and Cloverdale), and preserve the region’s investment in public transit and the multi-use pathway. Opponents argue that the agency is attempting to avoid the higher two-thirds voter threshold and question the system’s effectiveness in reducing traffic congestion. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association intends to place a measure on the ballot that requires a 2/3 public vote to approve any new tax measure.