From: pakfuj@gladd.org   
      
   XPost: ba.transportation, sac.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: alt.politics.homosexuality   
      
   BART’s tentative new labor pact will guarantee “no strikes” for   
   the next five years, but how the aging and budget-strapped   
   system will pay for 10.8 percent in raises and other goodies   
   remains to be seen.   
      
   According to a staff report presented at Thursday’s board   
   meeting, the new union deals will cost about $77 million over   
   the life of the new contract.   
      
   At same time, it was announced that BART faces a $400 million   
   deficit over the next 10 years unless voters in San Francisco,   
   Alameda and Contra Costa Counties approve a $3.5 billion fix-up   
   bond.   
      
   But even if voters approve the bond, it won’t cover the labor   
   deals — leaving BART to come up with the extra millions at time   
   when ridership has maxed out and sales tax revenues that help   
   fund day-to-day operations are slowing, the same report   
   concluded.   
      
   Still, in announcing the new deals, BART General Manager Grace   
   Crunicanv said they would not result in any new fare hikes   
   outside those pegged to inflation.   
      
   So where will the money come from?   
      
   “That’s what we are waiting to find out,” said BART director   
   Joel Keller, who represents eastern Contra Costa County.   
      
   http://blog.sfgate.com/matierandross/2016/04/18/bart-400-million-   
   deficit-bond/   
      
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