A YES vote would deliver:

• Four new bus routes bringing service to NE Tacoma, the Port of Tacoma, East Tacoma, and Puyallup for the first time

• Elimination of hourly bus service on weekdays — replaced with more frequent, convenient schedules riders can count on

• Three STREAM lines running every 15 minutes throughout most of the day — up from one line running limited weekday hours today

• 21 routes with frequent weekend service (up from 4 currently)

• 23 routes with later evening service, most until 10 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays

• Expanded paratransit service hours and coverage for riders with disabilities

• Better connections to Sounder commuter rail and the regional light rail network

• Free fares for seniors

There will be no service expansion. Pierce Transit would remain under-invested and undersized — constrained to the same funding level it has operated on since 2002, while Pierce County continues to grow. Plans for new routes, more frequent service, and later hours would be shelved indefinitely.

Beyond the lost opportunity, Pierce Transit would face a financial cliff in the early 2030s. Without new revenue, the agency would need to begin evaluating service reductions in order to maintain a balanced budget — meaning fewer routes, less frequency, and shorter hours for the riders who depend on the system most. Pierce County would continue falling further behind neighboring regions that have invested more in transit.

The agency's detailed service plan, ridership data, and long-range goals are available at PierceTransit.org.

Learn more about Pierce Transit’s plan to expand transit here.

Pierce Transit is governed by a Board of Commissioners made up of directly elected officials representing cities within the Pierce Transit service area, including Tacoma, Lakewood, Gig Harbor, Fircrest, University Place, Fife, Milton, Edgewood, Puyallup, Parkland, Spanaway, Dupont,  and surrounding communities. Board meetings are open to the public.

In addition to the Board, Pierce Transit has a Community Transportation Advisory Group (CTAG) — an appointed community body made up of regular riders, voters, and taxpayers that provides oversight and transparency on behalf of the public. CTAG is a direct line between the community and the agency.

Pierce Transit is subject to regular independent financial audits. The measure includes accountability provisions to ensure funds are spent transparently and as voters intended. Pierce Transit has a strong track record of responsible stewardship of public dollars.

Yes. Revenue from this measure is legally restricted to funding local bus service within the Pierce Transit service area. It cannot be used for regional or statewide transportation projects, and it stays in Pierce County.

Yes — significantly. Local sales tax revenue is the foundation that state and federal grant programs require before they'll invest. Every dollar raised locally through this measure positions Pierce Transit to secure millions more in matching state and federal grants that would otherwise be unavailable. This multiplier effect means the community gets far more transit investment than the local tax alone would provide.

Pierce Transit currently has the lowest local sales tax rate among comparable Washington State transit agencies. At 0.6%, it is funded at roughly half the rate of peers like Community Transit in Snohomish County (1.2%) and Intercity Transit in Thurston County (1.2%), and below agencies in Clark County (0.9%) and Spokane (0.8%). This measure would bring Pierce Transit closer to the regional norm, making us more economically competitive with our peers across the state.

The measure increases the local sales tax by 0.3% — three cents for every $10 of taxable purchases. The estimated additional cost is roughly $60 to $90 per year, or $5 to $7.50 per month.

This measure will not tax groceries, gas, prescription drugs, or any healthcare-related expenses. It will apply to most other retail purchases made within the Pierce Transit district boundaries.

No. This is a sales tax measure only. It does not affect property taxes, vehicle registration fees, or any other taxes.

Pierce Transit does not collect car tabs.

Anyone who makes taxable purchases within the Pierce Transit service area pays this tax — including visitors and people passing through. This means a portion of the revenue comes from people who do not live here!

You can find it starting on Page 4 of this Resolution.