Public transportation

Volunteers have already gathered roughly 7,000 signatures to qualify a ballot measure aimed at protecting and expanding Santa Cruz Metro service, write elected officials Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Manu Koenig and Melinda Orbach. Pushing back against recent claims that the campaign is falling short, the three argue the volunteer-driven effort remains on pace to qualify for either a special election or the March 2028 ballot. They say the signature drive reflects growing public support for transit as ridership surges across Santa Cruz County. Without new funding, however, they warn that Metro could face severe service cuts that would undermine affordability, mobility and the county’s future.