Washington, D.C. (November 9, 2023) – Voters around the country on Tuesday approved 4 out of 5 state and local measures supporting public transportation on the ballot, continuing a strong record of success. Tuesday night’s results add to 5 other public transit measures already passed by voters this year, bringing this year’s total to 9 out of 10 wins for public transit, a 90 percent-win rate.

Similar to other off-year elections, this year saw a small number of measures on the ballot, but a continued high level of approval from voters eager to express their support for more transit. This continues a years-long trend: over 85% of ballot measures to fund public transit have passed in the last 5 years.

“Once again, voters across the country have unequivocally expressed their desire for more investment in public transportation for their communities,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “These ballot initiative wins are a testament to the importance of local, state, and federal partnerships in upgrading our public transit and passenger rail systems, which will enhance mobility options, spur economic growth, promote environmental sustainability, and address climate change on a national scale. We’re looking forward to the 2024 elections, where many communities will take advantage of voter enthusiasm in a presidential election year to place measures for public transit on the ballot.”

“We urge the House of Representatives to similarly honor the commitment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and fully fund public transportation investments in the FY 2024 THUD appropriations bill.”

The measures winning victory on Tuesday included:

• Kansas City, MO: The measure renewed a three-eighths of a cent city sales tax for operation and improvement of the public bus system over a period of 10 years. The funding will exclusively be used for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority’s (KCATA) bus system, and would avoid a 30% cut to the KCATA budget and reduced routes within the city.
• Fort Collins, CO: The measure collects funding through a half-cent sales tax, allocating 25% of the revenue specifically to the city’s transit system through 2050. This funding supports various public transit programs and services, including infrastructure improvements, equipment purchases, and the expansion and enhancement of transit services.
• Boulder County, CO: The measure collects funding by extending the existing property tax mill levy of 1.85 mills for ten years to ​​facilitate broader access to transportation. Funds will cover the costs of providing a regional transportation district Eco Pass to all district residents while also authorizing an Eco Pass program for non-resident employees of employers in the District without increasing district taxes for residents.
• Perrysburg, OH: Voters renewed a 0.8-mill public transportation levy, estimated to generate $539,000 annually for five years, with a $22 yearly cost for the owner of a $100,000 home. The levy aims to sustain Perrysburg Transit — a decade-old service entering its third contract and operated by MTM Transit – ensuring continued accessible and reliable transportation services for Perrysburg residents.

APTA’s Center for Transportation Excellence tracks all of the measures at its website and through its Twitter account.

Media contact: Ian Moor at ian@cfte.org.