Sorry, don't raise my taxes. Don't raise San Mateo's either.

Let the people who use this service pay what it costs.

When will these agencies learn that the government handouts aren't going to always be there?

You better learn how to live on what you bring in on your own.

Here's an idea to help out a bit - make sure people actually paid to ride. While I always pay, I know a lot of people that don't, and hear people on the train talking about it all the time. They used to have conductors walking around checking people's tickets - in the past three years I've only been asked to show my ticket once.

Since I don't drive, I don't want my taxes subsidizing people with cars.

No to new taxes!

Please don't eliminate Caltrain and put all those Caltrain riders on the hiways.

As I noted in response to yesterday's Caltrain story...

Caltrain could increase their ridership significantly by adding just one southbound train that leaves San Francisco later than midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. I, like many Peninsula residents, would like to be able to take Caltrain up to the City on Friday or Saturday evening - but this is often not possible because the midnight return train is just too early.

JUST SAY NO TO CORPORATE WELFARE

If people want it, they'll pay to ride it. Don't tax me for it.

Didn't Santa Clara county voters just raise sales taxes to pay for BART?

Why do we have to raise sales taxes again? The 2000 measure A sales tax was supposed to pay for these Caltrain-related projects:

# Improving Caltrain by double-tracking to Gilroy and electrifying from Palo Alto to Gilroy.

# Increasing the level of Caltrain service.

2000 Measure A sales tax we pay in Santa Clara County is also supposed to pay for "Funding operating and maintenance costs for increased bus, rail and paratransit services."

The problem is that the VTA Board diverted all the Measuse A money to BART and to get what we're already paying for vis-a-vis Caltrain the electeds are going to try to get us to raise taxes again. Vote "NO."

If I agree to this Caltrain tax, can they hire more jobless ex-politicians like Bevan Dufty!

How about taking the funds from HSR and putting it to good use on Bart as well as Caltrian.

@kman,

Would voters in the Central Valley vote to let the Metro Areas (SF, LA, Sac, & SD) spend money that we all have to pay back? Probably not without lots of lawsuits or a new ballot measure at least. If HSR goes bye bye, it will be like BART went away in the 60's only to return to great commotion 50 yrs later. No where except through HSR does the money exist to make Caltrain sustainable. As sales tax revenue from existing taxes increases, Caltrain can get it share, but only as voted by the boards of VTA, Samtrans, and SFMTA (Muni).

A dedicated revenue source for baseline funding would also create more accountability at Caltrain (which is managed by Samtrans and about to change operators.

What's keeping Caltrain from doing what a private enterprise with a huge operating deficit but loyal customers would do? That is, progressively raise prices until the operating expenses are covered (losing some riders at the margin each time they increase), or cut expenses (lightly used trains, lightly used stations, etc) until the existing revenue is sufficient?

If someone had the most recently numbers for a) daily fares purchased between SF and the peninsula and b) the forecast budget shortfall for 2012, we could calculate what a starting fare increase would be to start closing the gap.

Even with a $5 hike to the one way fare, it's still cheaper for me to take the train to SF than to drive my car. My MPG could be better. But then you have to park in SF!