*The “I” in the piece refers to Nova Jayaraj
There’s not much to dislike about living in Los Gatos: we’re part of a wonderful community with beautiful mountain scenery and the charm of local businesses adorning our picturesque downtown. But there is one issue that all residents deal with: traffic.
A frequent subject at Town meetings is how residents must fight through backups to drop off their kids at school, inch through rush hour to get to work or deal with waves of cars cutting through neighborhoods on their way to the beach. It’s a community-wide frustration—and I’ve felt it personally. I don’t drive yet, but I have still been stuck in the no-man’s-land of peak Los Gatos traffic while cycling. However, what is already a daily headache could soon become much worse.
For many young people like me, public transportation is more than a convenience; it is my pathway to independence. In my family of five, having a car to myself is an unattainable luxury, so I bike most places or snag rides when I can. But for longer trips, like visiting friends in Palo Alto or spending weekends exploring the diversity of San Francisco, I rely on public transportation. Not all of us have licenses or access to cars, and for many people, transit is the only reliable method to get around.
Due to low ridership post-pandemic, dropping sales tax revenue and increasing construction costs, Bay Area public transportation operators have announced a total of over $800 million in debt—one of the biggest transit financial crises ever. For the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), this comes as a projected $15 million deficit by 2027.
These budget woes will create a significant decrease in transit service. Major Bay Area transit agencies expect to end evening and weekend service while slashing entire lines. San Francisco’s Muni could see wait times double, while AC Transit in the East Bay would shrink to half its pre-pandemic size. VTA could face major service reductions as early as 2027, including staff layoffs, reduced service frequency and the potential elimination of routes—further limiting reliable transit options for riders across the region.
I am not alone in being affected by transit cuts. These reductions would disproportionately impact younger and older individuals, as well as financially struggling families who cannot, for various reasons, drive themselves. As a result, transit cuts raise serious equity concerns: when public transportation becomes less available, opportunities decrease for those who rely on it, placing them at an even greater disadvantage.
However, the effects are not limited to transit users—cutting public transportation ultimately impacts all residents to some degree. Reduced service means people getting back into cars, adding to the ever-increasing press of traffic.
This means workers who rely on public transportation can no longer get to their jobs, and customers may not be able to visit the local businesses or restaurants that give our town its small-town charm.
To counteract this, we’re working on a grassroots effort to save Bay Area public transit.
‘The Future of our community is something we all share responsibility for’
We’re working on a grassroots effort to save Bay Area public transit. The Connect Bay Area Transit Initiative is made up of local businesses, multigenerational transit activists and Bay Area residents who are collecting signatures to put a transit measure on the ballot in 2026.
If passed, this measure would use a small 0.5% sales tax in Santa Clara and neighboring counties to raise more than $1 billion for Bay Area transit agencies, over a quarter of which would be allocated to the VTA. This minor tax would not only eliminate VTA’s debt, but would also provide funds for expansion. Ideas include cutting prices for rides, increasing bus frequency, and even doubling VTA service with the Visionary Network Plan.
Residents may question why this matters in Los Gatos, the small southern outpost of the VTA bus system. Often, VTA attention to the town seems superficial or even inconsequential. But past VTA cuts have had huge impacts on Los Gatos. After cancelling routes 48 and 49 several years ago, the VTA redrew Route 27 in 2023 to only run on Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, meaning that bus stops became less accessible and car traffic mounted. If existing programs, such as Route 27 or the Highway 17 bus from San Jose, were cut, similar impacts could occur.
Additionally, the VTA has proven hugely cooperative with the Town on projects such as the Bus Pass Pilot Program, a program the CSTC discussed and referred to the Town Council in 2025. In this instance, the VTA even offered special discounted group passes to Los Gatos High School. This program could prove a significant advantage for residents who are struggling financially, giving families a way to get to work while knowing their kids can safely get to school. But the VTA’s fiscal situation puts programs like this in jeopardy.
A transit sales tax shows hope for the future of town transit patterns. With this measure, we see real chances for better, cleaner and more convenient transportation in Los Gatos and beyond. Without it, we permit the slow death of public transit in our community.
We, among other youth, will be hosting signing events around the Bay Area for the Connect Bay Area Transit Petition to get this transit tax on the ballot in November. Locally, students will host an event at the Campbell’s farmer’s market on March 15th from 10am–12pm. If you’re 18, consider coming to sign the petition. If you’re under 18, start the conversation at home and encourage the adults in your life to learn more, or consider volunteering at a signing event by messaging @lgsaratoga_youth_advocacy on Instagram. The future of our community is something we all share responsibility for.
Nova Jayaraj and Eli Asheghian are longtime, concerned Los Gatos residents. While they serve on the Youth Commission, they are not writing on behalf of that body.
