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What You Already Pay In Local Sales Taxes To the
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

(as of November 30, 2005)

Historically, over 80% of the overall funding for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) funding comes from local (Santa Clara County) sales taxes.  A summary of those taxes is below:

• 1976 - a permanent 1/2-cent sales tax to run 250 buses in Santa Clara County.  It is VTA's primary source of operating buses and light rail today.
• 1978 - a permanent 1/4-cent sales tax charged by the state of California for building transportation projects with 100% of the revenue goes back to the county.  Approved by voters throughout the state in 1972 and is known as Transportation Development Act (TDA) funding.
• 1996 - a 1/2-cent sales tax approved by voters (whose campaign slogan was "A + B = Traffic Relief") to build transportation projects in Santa Clara County that provided extra buses, as well as provide for a commuter rail link between Union City and San Jose Diridon station. To be replaced on April 1, 2006 by the Measure A tax passed by voters in November 2000 (whose campaign slogan was "Traffic Relief NOW").

Primary Source: VTA 2003 Fiscal Year Budget

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