Marin voters renew half-cent sales tax for transportation

Voters in Marin County appear to have passed Measure AA, a renewal of a half-cent sales tax to pay for transportation improvements for the next 30 years staring in April 2019.

The measure needs two-thirds approval and had 73.55 percent approval with 98 of 200 precincts reporting tonight.

Transportation Authority of Marin Executive Director Dianne Steinhauser said the revenue from Measure AA would provide $49 million a year compared to the $27 million TAM now receives annually under Measure A that passed in 2004 and expires in 2025.

Steinhauser said the 2004 Measure A did not include revenue for school bus services, ride-sharing, rising sea level effects on infrastructure, electric charging stations and finishing the Novato Narrows on U.S. Highway 101.

Steinhauser said:

“There’s a lot of new things to do with Measure AA that the public is demanding. Our needs have changed. We wanted a reset.”

If Measure AA fails, there would still be six more years of the 2004 Measure A left, she said.

Money allocated for local road and street maintenance would increase 22 percent if final election results confirm Measure AA renewal passed.