Azul is a reporter for KQED focusing on transportation and features. He joined KQED in 2021 as an alumnus of KALW's Audio Academy radio journalism training program.
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"slug": "rtm-measure-proposition-h-sales-tax-parcel-taxes-san-francisco-bay-area-election-results",
"title": "Bay Area Voters Approved More Transit Funding Through Taxes. Here's How You'll Pay for It",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expect the price of your favorite burrito or a pair of jeans to increase a few cents beginning next year — after voters in five Bay Area counties \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory?fbclid=IwVERDUAVYwCBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABH6POSbF7z7xUbWbwvU25nLxuUGuEGu11BH4CmIMPad3LaI-P5630rKqrOX44_aem_WvPT4ZMcs3xC6x7Ekyf91A\">approved\u003c/a> a sales tax measure to rescue the region’s transit agencies from historic budget deficits and significant service cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Nov. 4 midterm elections, voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties approved the Regional Transit Measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in the other four counties is set to last 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the RTM vote wasn’t the only transit measure on the ballot this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in San Francisco also approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a>, a 15-year parcel tax that bills property owners based on the size and type of their parcel — to fund Muni transit operations and administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading to find out exactly how much residents and consumers in these counties will now have to pay, where the money’s going and when you’ll start to see these taxes show up on your receipts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does the RTM sales tax kick in? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An additional 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties is scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before this election, Alameda had the highest \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">county-wide sales tax\u003c/a> of the five, at 10.25%. Contra Costa had the lowest, at 8.75%. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties had sales taxes of 9.375% and 9.75%, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tax in all four of these counties will go up by half a percent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104558\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An AC Transit bus arrives at the Temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, California, on Dec. 12, 2018. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s sales tax, previously at 8.625%, will rise to 9.625%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, the \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/public-transit-revenue-measure-district\">Public Transit Revenue Measure District\u003c/a>, a committee made up of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee Board of Directors, must certify the election results and adopt an ordinance imposing the tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This action is slated for early December, according to Rebecca Long, director of legislation and public affairs at MTC. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the RTM tax apply to? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">sales tax\u003c/a> will apply to items that are already covered by California sales tax — including hot food, clothes and furniture. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long said the RTM tax will be added to the total sales tax on a receipt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, a $50 purchase in San Francisco generates $4.31 in sales tax. With the RTM sales tax, that same purchase will be taxed an additional 50 cents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When will the money begin flowing to transit agencies, and what will they use it for? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The five-county sales tax is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually, and Long expects the first allocations from the tax to reach agencies by July 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The funds will support BART, Muni, AC Transit and Caltrain — as well as smaller ones like SF Bay Ferry and some East Bay bus operators. These agencies are restricted to using the money to pay for transit operations, which include operators’ salaries and fleet maintenance. This money will make up for operating revenues lost due to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11824758/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-public-transit-and-what-that-means-for-you\">pandemic-era drops in ridership\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One exception to know for the South Bay: Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the ballot measure, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is allowed to use funds generated in Santa Clara County not \u003cem>solely\u003c/em> for operations, but more broadly for “public transit expenses.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12076190\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076190\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of Caltrain’s electric trains, which may offer BART users a way to go around the Bay in the event of a Transbay Tube shutdown.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Caltrain)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VTA officials have said the tax revenue will be used for “transit stability and service, capital projects and improvements to rider experience such as safety, affordability and wayfinding,” according to Stacey Hendler Ross, VTA spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ross said the VTA Board of Directors has committed to not using revenue from the RTM tax to fund its $12.7 billion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066245/where-the-journey-begins-south-bay-bart-extension-work-pushes-ahead\">BART Silicon Valley extension\u003c/a>, a 6-mile continuation of the BART system connecting Santa Clara to North San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SB 63 also allocates a smaller portion of the funds to county transportation boards for public transit expenses and repaving roads served by buses, and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for fare discount, accessibility and wayfinding programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For San Francisco property owners: When does Proposition H kick in, and how much will you be charged? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first parcel tax will appear on San Francisco property tax bills for the 2027-28 fiscal year, which are mailed in fall 2027, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most single-family residential property owners will be charged $129 in the first year, and the amount will rise each year with inflation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Proposition H, single-family residential parcels larger than 3,000 square feet face additional fees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tax also sets base rates for multifamily residential, non-residential, mixed-use, and unimproved (no buildings) parcels that get more expensive based on square footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are any properties exempt from the Proposition H tax? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes: Seniors, owners of single-room occupancy (SRO) units and properties that already qualify for an exemption from property taxes may qualify for a discount or be entirely exempt from the tax. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But — you’ll need to apply for an exemption. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2027, for the upcoming tax year. A portal to apply for an exemption will go live \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">here\u003c/a> on Dec. 1, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can renters be taxed as well?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, in certain situations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landlords are allowed to pass 50% of the tax, up to $65 per unit per year, onto renters of rent-controlled units. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How will Muni use Proposition H funds? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beginning in July 2027, the Bay Area’s most-used public transit agency faces a budget deficit of about $350 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni plans to use money from the two taxes combined with cost-cutting measures to maintain current levels of service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RTM is projected to generate around $170 million annually for Muni. Proposition H is expected to put forth another $177 million annually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency has said it plans to cut costs through hiring freezes, management consolidation and service adjustments, and it aims to increase revenue through fare compliance and higher parking rates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens after both these taxes expire? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RTM sales tax is set to expire on April 1, 2041, and the Proposition H parcel tax is set to expire on June 30, 2042. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carter Lavin, co-founder of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.transbaycoalition.org/campaigns/\">Transbay Coalition\u003c/a>, said he and other advocates who pushed for the two taxes plan to call for state and federal funding in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our federal government, state government, and local governments all have huge opportunities to make transit in the Bay Area truly world-class,” Lavin said. “And we will continue to organize and fight for that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Expect the price of your favorite burrito or a pair of jeans to increase a few cents beginning next year — after voters in five Bay Area counties \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory?fbclid=IwVERDUAVYwCBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABH6POSbF7z7xUbWbwvU25nLxuUGuEGu11BH4CmIMPad3LaI-P5630rKqrOX44_aem_WvPT4ZMcs3xC6x7Ekyf91A\">approved\u003c/a> a sales tax measure to rescue the region’s transit agencies from historic budget deficits and significant service cuts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Expect the price of your favorite burrito or a pair of jeans to increase a few cents beginning next year — after voters in five Bay Area counties \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory?fbclid=IwVERDUAVYwCBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABH6POSbF7z7xUbWbwvU25nLxuUGuEGu11BH4CmIMPad3LaI-P5630rKqrOX44_aem_WvPT4ZMcs3xC6x7Ekyf91A\">approved\u003c/a> a sales tax measure to rescue the region’s transit agencies from historic budget deficits and significant service cuts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Nov. 4 midterm elections, voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties approved the Regional Transit Measure. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the Nov. 4 midterm elections, voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties approved the Regional Transit Measure. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in the other four counties is set to last 14 years. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in the other four counties is set to last 14 years. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the RTM vote wasn’t the only transit measure on the ballot this month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the RTM vote wasn’t the only transit measure on the ballot this month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters in San Francisco also approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a>, a 15-year parcel tax that bills property owners based on the size and type of their parcel — to fund Muni transit operations and administration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Voters in San Francisco also approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a>, a 15-year parcel tax that bills property owners based on the size and type of their parcel — to fund Muni transit operations and administration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep reading to find out exactly how much residents and consumers in these counties will now have to pay, where the money’s going and when you’ll start to see these taxes show up on your receipts.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Keep reading to find out exactly how much residents and consumers in these counties will now have to pay, where the money’s going and when you’ll start to see these taxes show up on your receipts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "When does the RTM sales tax kick in? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does the RTM sales tax kick in? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does the RTM sales tax kick in? \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An additional 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties is scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>An additional 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties is scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before this election, Alameda had the highest \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">county-wide sales tax\u003c/a> of the five, at 10.25%. Contra Costa had the lowest, at 8.75%. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties had sales taxes of 9.375% and 9.75%, respectively. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Before this election, Alameda had the highest \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">county-wide sales tax\u003c/a> of the five, at 10.25%. Contra Costa had the lowest, at 8.75%. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties had sales taxes of 9.375% and 9.75%, respectively. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The tax in all four of these counties will go up by half a percent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The tax in all four of these counties will go up by half a percent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104558\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An AC Transit bus arrives at the Temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, California, on Dec. 12, 2018. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104558\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An AC Transit bus arrives at the Temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, California, on Dec. 12, 2018. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s sales tax, previously at 8.625%, will rise to 9.625%. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s sales tax, previously at 8.625%, will rise to 9.625%. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, the \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/public-transit-revenue-measure-district\">Public Transit Revenue Measure District\u003c/a>, a committee made up of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee Board of Directors, must certify the election results and adopt an ordinance imposing the tax.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First, the \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/public-transit-revenue-measure-district\">Public Transit Revenue Measure District\u003c/a>, a committee made up of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee Board of Directors, must certify the election results and adopt an ordinance imposing the tax.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This action is slated for early December, according to Rebecca Long, director of legislation and public affairs at MTC. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This action is slated for early December, according to Rebecca Long, director of legislation and public affairs at MTC. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What does the RTM tax apply to? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the RTM tax apply to? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the RTM tax apply to? \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">sales tax\u003c/a> will apply to items that are already covered by California sales tax — including hot food, clothes and furniture. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The new \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">sales tax\u003c/a> will apply to items that are already covered by California sales tax — including hot food, clothes and furniture. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Long said the RTM tax will be added to the total sales tax on a receipt. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Long said the RTM tax will be added to the total sales tax on a receipt. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Currently, a $50 purchase in San Francisco generates $4.31 in sales tax. With the RTM sales tax, that same purchase will be taxed an additional 50 cents. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Currently, a $50 purchase in San Francisco generates $4.31 in sales tax. With the RTM sales tax, that same purchase will be taxed an additional 50 cents. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "When will the money begin flowing to transit agencies, and what will they use it for? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When will the money begin flowing to transit agencies, and what will they use it for? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When will the money begin flowing to transit agencies, and what will they use it for? \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The five-county sales tax is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually, and Long expects the first allocations from the tax to reach agencies by July 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The funds will support BART, Muni, AC Transit and Caltrain — as well as smaller ones like SF Bay Ferry and some East Bay bus operators. These agencies are restricted to using the money to pay for transit operations, which include operators’ salaries and fleet maintenance. This money will make up for operating revenues lost due to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11824758/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-public-transit-and-what-that-means-for-you\">pandemic-era drops in ridership\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One exception to know for the South Bay: Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the ballot measure, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is allowed to use funds generated in Santa Clara County not \u003cem>solely\u003c/em> for operations, but more broadly for “public transit expenses.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>VTA officials have said the tax revenue will be used for “transit stability and service, capital projects and improvements to rider experience such as safety, affordability and wayfinding,” according to Stacey Hendler Ross, VTA spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ross said the VTA Board of Directors has committed to not using revenue from the RTM tax to fund its $12.7 billion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066245/where-the-journey-begins-south-bay-bart-extension-work-pushes-ahead\">BART Silicon Valley extension\u003c/a>, a 6-mile continuation of the BART system connecting Santa Clara to North San Jose.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SB 63 also allocates a smaller portion of the funds to county transportation boards for public transit expenses and repaving roads served by buses, and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for fare discount, accessibility and wayfinding programs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "For San Francisco property owners: When does Proposition H kick in, and how much will you be charged? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The first parcel tax will appear on San Francisco property tax bills for the 2027-28 fiscal year, which are mailed in fall 2027, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most single-family residential property owners will be charged $129 in the first year, and the amount will rise each year with inflation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under Proposition H, single-family residential parcels larger than 3,000 square feet face additional fees.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The tax also sets base rates for multifamily residential, non-residential, mixed-use, and unimproved (no buildings) parcels that get more expensive based on square footage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Are any properties exempt from the Proposition H tax? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes: Seniors, owners of single-room occupancy (SRO) units and properties that already qualify for an exemption from property taxes may qualify for a discount or be entirely exempt from the tax. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But — you’ll need to apply for an exemption. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2027, for the upcoming tax year. A portal to apply for an exemption will go live \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">here\u003c/a> on Dec. 1, 2026.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "Can renters be taxed as well?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes, in certain situations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Landlords are allowed to pass 50% of the tax, up to $65 per unit per year, onto renters of rent-controlled units. \u003c/p>\n",
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"blockName": "core/heading",
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"text": "How will Muni use Proposition H funds? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How will Muni use Proposition H funds? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Beginning in July 2027, the Bay Area’s most-used public transit agency faces a budget deficit of about $350 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Muni plans to use money from the two taxes combined with cost-cutting measures to maintain current levels of service.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>RTM is projected to generate around $170 million annually for Muni. Proposition H is expected to put forth another $177 million annually. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency has said it plans to cut costs through hiring freezes, management consolidation and service adjustments, and it aims to increase revenue through fare compliance and higher parking rates.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The RTM sales tax is set to expire on April 1, 2041, and the Proposition H parcel tax is set to expire on June 30, 2042. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Carter Lavin, co-founder of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.transbaycoalition.org/campaigns/\">Transbay Coalition\u003c/a>, said he and other advocates who pushed for the two taxes plan to call for state and federal funding in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our federal government, state government, and local governments all have huge opportunities to make transit in the Bay Area truly world-class,” Lavin said. “And we will continue to organize and fight for that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Several Bay Area counties approved a tax to prevent transit service cuts, but it means prices for many items are going up. Here's how you'll be affected.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expect the price of your favorite burrito or a pair of jeans to increase a few cents beginning next year — after voters in five Bay Area counties \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory?fbclid=IwVERDUAVYwCBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABH6POSbF7z7xUbWbwvU25nLxuUGuEGu11BH4CmIMPad3LaI-P5630rKqrOX44_aem_WvPT4ZMcs3xC6x7Ekyf91A\">approved\u003c/a> a sales tax measure to rescue the region’s transit agencies from historic budget deficits and significant service cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Nov. 4 midterm elections, voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties approved the Regional Transit Measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in the other four counties is set to last 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the RTM vote wasn’t the only transit measure on the ballot this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in San Francisco also approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a>, a 15-year parcel tax that bills property owners based on the size and type of their parcel — to fund Muni transit operations and administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading to find out exactly how much residents and consumers in these counties will now have to pay, where the money’s going and when you’ll start to see these taxes show up on your receipts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does the RTM sales tax kick in? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An additional 1% sales tax in San Francisco and 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties is scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before this election, Alameda had the highest \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">county-wide sales tax\u003c/a> of the five, at 10.25%. Contra Costa had the lowest, at 8.75%. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties had sales taxes of 9.375% and 9.75%, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tax in all four of these counties will go up by half a percent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104558\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACTransitGetty2-5c1d86c2-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An AC Transit bus arrives at the Temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, California, on Dec. 12, 2018. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s sales tax, previously at 8.625%, will rise to 9.625%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, the \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/public-transit-revenue-measure-district\">Public Transit Revenue Measure District\u003c/a>, a committee made up of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee Board of Directors, must certify the election results and adopt an ordinance imposing the tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This action is slated for early December, according to Rebecca Long, director of legislation and public affairs at MTC. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the RTM tax apply to? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new \u003ca href=\"https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx\">sales tax\u003c/a> will apply to items that are already covered by California sales tax — including hot food, clothes and furniture. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long said the RTM tax will be added to the total sales tax on a receipt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, a $50 purchase in San Francisco generates $4.31 in sales tax. With the RTM sales tax, that same purchase will be taxed an additional 50 cents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When will the money begin flowing to transit agencies, and what will they use it for? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The five-county sales tax is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually, and Long expects the first allocations from the tax to reach agencies by July 1, 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The funds will support BART, Muni, AC Transit and Caltrain — as well as smaller ones like SF Bay Ferry and some East Bay bus operators. These agencies are restricted to using the money to pay for transit operations, which include operators’ salaries and fleet maintenance. This money will make up for operating revenues lost due to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11824758/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-public-transit-and-what-that-means-for-you\">pandemic-era drops in ridership\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One exception to know for the South Bay: Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the ballot measure, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is allowed to use funds generated in Santa Clara County not \u003cem>solely\u003c/em> for operations, but more broadly for “public transit expenses.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12076190\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076190\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/3W0A6625-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of Caltrain’s electric trains, which may offer BART users a way to go around the Bay in the event of a Transbay Tube shutdown.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Caltrain)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VTA officials have said the tax revenue will be used for “transit stability and service, capital projects and improvements to rider experience such as safety, affordability and wayfinding,” according to Stacey Hendler Ross, VTA spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ross said the VTA Board of Directors has committed to not using revenue from the RTM tax to fund its $12.7 billion \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066245/where-the-journey-begins-south-bay-bart-extension-work-pushes-ahead\">BART Silicon Valley extension\u003c/a>, a 6-mile continuation of the BART system connecting Santa Clara to North San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SB 63 also allocates a smaller portion of the funds to county transportation boards for public transit expenses and repaving roads served by buses, and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for fare discount, accessibility and wayfinding programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For San Francisco property owners: When does Proposition H kick in, and how much will you be charged? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first parcel tax will appear on San Francisco property tax bills for the 2027-28 fiscal year, which are mailed in fall 2027, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most single-family residential property owners will be charged $129 in the first year, and the amount will rise each year with inflation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Proposition H, single-family residential parcels larger than 3,000 square feet face additional fees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tax also sets base rates for multifamily residential, non-residential, mixed-use, and unimproved (no buildings) parcels that get more expensive based on square footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are any properties exempt from the Proposition H tax? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes: Seniors, owners of single-room occupancy (SRO) units and properties that already qualify for an exemption from property taxes may qualify for a discount or be entirely exempt from the tax. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But — you’ll need to apply for an exemption. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2027, for the upcoming tax year. A portal to apply for an exemption will go live \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/parcel\">here\u003c/a> on Dec. 1, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can renters be taxed as well?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, in certain situations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landlords are allowed to pass 50% of the tax, up to $65 per unit per year, onto renters of rent-controlled units. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How will Muni use Proposition H funds? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beginning in July 2027, the Bay Area’s most-used public transit agency faces a budget deficit of about $350 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni plans to use money from the two taxes combined with cost-cutting measures to maintain current levels of service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260911-FareRequired-NG-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni bus marquee says “Fare Required” in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RTM is projected to generate around $170 million annually for Muni. Proposition H is expected to put forth another $177 million annually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency has said it plans to cut costs through hiring freezes, management consolidation and service adjustments, and it aims to increase revenue through fare compliance and higher parking rates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens after both these taxes expire? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RTM sales tax is set to expire on April 1, 2041, and the Proposition H parcel tax is set to expire on June 30, 2042. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carter Lavin, co-founder of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.transbaycoalition.org/campaigns/\">Transbay Coalition\u003c/a>, said he and other advocates who pushed for the two taxes plan to call for state and federal funding in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our federal government, state government, and local governments all have huge opportunities to make transit in the Bay Area truly world-class,” Lavin said. “And we will continue to organize and fight for that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "valkyries-parade-helps-muni-and-bart-break-records-too",
"title": "Valkyries Parade Helps Muni and BART Break Records, Too",
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"headTitle": "Valkyries Parade Helps Muni and BART Break Records, Too | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least two Bay Area public transit agencies broke post-pandemic ridership records on Wednesday, as thousands of cheering fans rode buses and trains to San Francisco’s waterfront for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107889/valkyries-parade-draws-thousands-to-san-franciscos-embarcadero-for-wnba-championship-celebration\">Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship parade\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Valkyries fever is very real,” said Parisa Safarzadeh, the director of communications for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, the city’s public transit service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni logged just over 600,000 trips on Wednesday, Safarzadeh said, besting the previous post-pandemic single-day ridership record set last month by more than 10,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Given ridership is usually lower in November than it is in October, seeing such a big day in November is pretty noteworthy to us,” Safarzadeh said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART also set a single-day post-pandemic ridership record on Wednesday. The agency said in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SFBART?lang=en\">post\u003c/a> on the social media platform X that it provided over 260,000 trips, with big upticks at Embarcadero and Montgomery stations, near the start of the parade’s route. BART’s previous single-day record was Oct. 6 with over 254,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bay Area sports fans have driven these ridership bumps in recent history. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority broke an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091975/vtas-record-breaking-world-cup-ridership-nets-just-around-1-per-trip\">all-time special event ridership record\u003c/a> when World Cup matches came to Levi’s Stadium.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2026/news20261102\">press release\u003c/a> that 6 out of ten of its highest ridership days have been championship parades. The agency has even attributed bumps in ridership to star baseball players, like the Los Angeles Dodgers’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081663/the-ohtani-effect-and-more-whats-behind-bay-area-transits-comeback\">Shohei Ohtani\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>This week’s packed trains and buses came less than a day after voters in several Bay Area counties carried to victory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory\">two tax measures\u003c/a> that avert significant service cuts at BART, Muni and several other Bay Area transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While public transit ridership has been steadily improving across the region since the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies are still not carrying the same number of riders as before shelter-in-place orders and remote work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, BART has notched monthly year-over-year weekday ridership increases of over 10%, but overall weekday ridership remains slightly above half of what it was before the pandemic. The agency has said remote work has brought “unprecedented ridership changes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/blog/muni-bounds-back-september-hitting-post-pandemic-ridership-record\">ridership\u003c/a> has rebounded more significantly. The agency said overall ridership in September was about 84% of pre-pandemic levels, and weekend ridership reached 99% of pre-pandemic levels. Safarzadeh said the agency has seen its 16 highest ridership days since August.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said Muni ridership on the Valkyries’ parade day was more than double what it was in 2022, when the Golden State Warriors held their NBA championship parade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least two Bay Area public transit agencies broke post-pandemic ridership records on Wednesday, as thousands of cheering fans rode buses and trains to San Francisco’s waterfront for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107889/valkyries-parade-draws-thousands-to-san-franciscos-embarcadero-for-wnba-championship-celebration\">Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship parade\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Valkyries fever is very real,” said Parisa Safarzadeh, the director of communications for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, the city’s public transit service. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Given ridership is usually lower in November than it is in October, seeing such a big day in November is pretty noteworthy to us,” Safarzadeh said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART also set a single-day post-pandemic ridership record on Wednesday. The agency said in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SFBART?lang=en\">post\u003c/a> on the social media platform X that it provided over 260,000 trips, with big upticks at Embarcadero and Montgomery stations, near the start of the parade’s route. BART’s previous single-day record was Oct. 6 with over 254,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>BART also set a single-day post-pandemic ridership record on Wednesday. The agency said in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SFBART?lang=en\">post\u003c/a> on the social media platform X that it provided over 260,000 trips, with big upticks at Embarcadero and Montgomery stations, near the start of the parade’s route. BART’s previous single-day record was Oct. 6 with over 254,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>Bay Area sports fans have driven these ridership bumps in recent history. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority broke an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091975/vtas-record-breaking-world-cup-ridership-nets-just-around-1-per-trip\">all-time special event ridership record\u003c/a> when World Cup matches came to Levi’s Stadium.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2026/news20261102\">press release\u003c/a> that 6 out of ten of its highest ridership days have been championship parades. The agency has even attributed bumps in ridership to star baseball players, like the Los Angeles Dodgers’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081663/the-ohtani-effect-and-more-whats-behind-bay-area-transits-comeback\">Shohei Ohtani\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>This week’s packed trains and buses came less than a day after voters in several Bay Area counties carried to victory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory\">two tax measures\u003c/a> that avert significant service cuts at BART, Muni and several other Bay Area transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>BART said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2026/news20261102\">press release\u003c/a> that 6 out of ten of its highest ridership days have been championship parades. The agency has even attributed bumps in ridership to star baseball players, like the Los Angeles Dodgers’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081663/the-ohtani-effect-and-more-whats-behind-bay-area-transits-comeback\">Shohei Ohtani\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>This week’s packed trains and buses came less than a day after voters in several Bay Area counties carried to victory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory\">two tax measures\u003c/a> that avert significant service cuts at BART, Muni and several other Bay Area transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While public transit ridership has been steadily improving across the region since the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies are still not carrying the same number of riders as before shelter-in-place orders and remote work. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, BART has notched monthly year-over-year weekday ridership increases of over 10%, but overall weekday ridership remains slightly above half of what it was before the pandemic. The agency has said remote work has brought “unprecedented ridership changes.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year, BART has notched monthly year-over-year weekday ridership increases of over 10%, but overall weekday ridership remains slightly above half of what it was before the pandemic. The agency has said remote work has brought “unprecedented ridership changes.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Muni’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/blog/muni-bounds-back-september-hitting-post-pandemic-ridership-record\">ridership\u003c/a> has rebounded more significantly. The agency said overall ridership in September was about 84% of pre-pandemic levels, and weekend ridership reached 99% of pre-pandemic levels. Safarzadeh said the agency has seen its 16 highest ridership days since August.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Muni’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/blog/muni-bounds-back-september-hitting-post-pandemic-ridership-record\">ridership\u003c/a> has rebounded more significantly. The agency said overall ridership in September was about 84% of pre-pandemic levels, and weekend ridership reached 99% of pre-pandemic levels. Safarzadeh said the agency has seen its 16 highest ridership days since August.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said Muni ridership on the Valkyries’ parade day was more than double what it was in 2022, when the Golden State Warriors held their NBA championship parade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Several of the region’s public transit agencies have seen post-pandemic records broken during major sporting events.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least two Bay Area public transit agencies broke post-pandemic ridership records on Wednesday, as thousands of cheering fans rode buses and trains to San Francisco’s waterfront for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107889/valkyries-parade-draws-thousands-to-san-franciscos-embarcadero-for-wnba-championship-celebration\">Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship parade\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Valkyries fever is very real,” said Parisa Safarzadeh, the director of communications for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, the city’s public transit service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni logged just over 600,000 trips on Wednesday, Safarzadeh said, besting the previous post-pandemic single-day ridership record set last month by more than 10,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Given ridership is usually lower in November than it is in October, seeing such a big day in November is pretty noteworthy to us,” Safarzadeh said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART also set a single-day post-pandemic ridership record on Wednesday. The agency said in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SFBART?lang=en\">post\u003c/a> on the social media platform X that it provided over 260,000 trips, with big upticks at Embarcadero and Montgomery stations, near the start of the parade’s route. BART’s previous single-day record was Oct. 6 with over 254,000 trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bay Area sports fans have driven these ridership bumps in recent history. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority broke an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091975/vtas-record-breaking-world-cup-ridership-nets-just-around-1-per-trip\">all-time special event ridership record\u003c/a> when World Cup matches came to Levi’s Stadium.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2026/news20261102\">press release\u003c/a> that 6 out of ten of its highest ridership days have been championship parades. The agency has even attributed bumps in ridership to star baseball players, like the Los Angeles Dodgers’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081663/the-ohtani-effect-and-more-whats-behind-bay-area-transits-comeback\">Shohei Ohtani\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>This week’s packed trains and buses came less than a day after voters in several Bay Area counties carried to victory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107133/death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory\">two tax measures\u003c/a> that avert significant service cuts at BART, Muni and several other Bay Area transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While public transit ridership has been steadily improving across the region since the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies are still not carrying the same number of riders as before shelter-in-place orders and remote work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, BART has notched monthly year-over-year weekday ridership increases of over 10%, but overall weekday ridership remains slightly above half of what it was before the pandemic. The agency has said remote work has brought “unprecedented ridership changes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muni’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/blog/muni-bounds-back-september-hitting-post-pandemic-ridership-record\">ridership\u003c/a> has rebounded more significantly. The agency said overall ridership in September was about 84% of pre-pandemic levels, and weekend ridership reached 99% of pre-pandemic levels. Safarzadeh said the agency has seen its 16 highest ridership days since August.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said Muni ridership on the Valkyries’ parade day was more than double what it was in 2022, when the Golden State Warriors held their NBA championship parade.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "valkyries-parade-draws-thousands-to-san-franciscos-embarcadero-for-wnba-championship-celebration",
"title": "Valkyries Parade Draws Thousands to San Francisco’s Embarcadero for WNBA Championship Celebration",
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"headTitle": "Valkyries Parade Draws Thousands to San Francisco’s Embarcadero for WNBA Championship Celebration | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karsyn Arribas (left) and Michelle Tokarski cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108312\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108313\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108313\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frances Choun (left) and Alice Tripplet cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the Valkyrie hypes up fans at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-12 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108366\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108366\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, embraces Oakland mayor, Barbara Lee, at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even a group of dogs out for a walk got in on the action with matching Valks shirts and winged helmets, lounging in a grassy patch near the end of the parade route. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parade was kicked off with plenty of pomp, as local celebrities and organizations like rapper LaRussell and the motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes helped amp up the crowds. Valkyries and Warriors owner Joe Lacob cruised down the route in a low rider among a fleet of classic cars, as did Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, fresh off an election victory, and wearing a bright purple wig, alongside artist Kehlani. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Daniel Lurie strode by, while Rep. Nancy Pelosi waved from a passing cable car, as fans hung over barricades and screamed with joy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bus stuffed with players drove through as crowds chanted “MVP” for Gabby Williams, and players tossed out necklaces, t-shirts and towels after crossing under a massive purple and black balloon arch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valkyries players bounded along the barricades to greet fans, including Kaitlyn Chen, who tossed out full cans of beer, while Justė Jocytė popped champagne and sprayed down groups of parade-goers. Veronica Burton took selfies with fans while wearing a “Women Run This Game” shirt and sunglasses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some fans dressed in home-crafted customized dresses and garments, including one woman donning a violet ball gown with pictures of the players affixed to the front. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s broad powerful draw brought people from all over, including Kimberly Traverso, who along with her wife is a season ticket holder and drove four hours in traffic from Ione in Amador County to be in San Francisco this morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The atmosphere and energy of Ballhalla, the nickname given to Chase Center when it hosts Valkyries games, “means everything” to the couple because of its inclusiveness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Golden State Valkyries pose with their WNBA championship trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-13 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor, Barbara Lee, watches the celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just the best place to be. We’re season ticket holders and we love driving the two and a half, three hours to get there just to be a part of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traverso was hoping the giant prop of Burton’s “iconic” hair bun, which she fashioned from foam and stuffing, would be noticed by the player herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You don’t want to see that bun coming downhill,” Traverso said. “I hope Burton sees it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Center Kiah Stokes also set an all-time WNBA Finals record with 19 total blocks during the series, while also clinching her fourth career WNBA championship title.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Tiffany Hayes had a fairytale comeback story. The Valkyries shooting guard played 10 seasons with the Dream, retired in 2023, but returned to play with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 and signed with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. This year, Hayes won the WNBA championship against the team where she started and built her basketball career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps no one on the team has had a better year than Coach Natalie Nakase, who also became the first Asian American head coach to win a WNBA championship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nakase’s fans were legion Wednesday, and she took plenty of time to walk along the route signing autographs, taking photos and chatting with supporters while wearing reflective wraparound sunglasses, gold bead necklaces and a shirt featuring a cartoon of herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-14 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Kaitlyn Chen sprays champagne into the crowd during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dykes on Bikes motorcycle contingent led the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-15 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have never felt so welcome as a fan. I think they’ve got the standard for really having sports explode,” Rojcewicz said. “I hope they hold that. They love the crowd, it’s all about love and joy and teamwork. So the sky’s the limit, because I think people are craving it. We want it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Tiffany Hayes had a fairytale comeback story. The Valkyries shooting guard played 10 seasons with the Dream, retired in 2023, but returned to play with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 and signed with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. This year, Hayes won the WNBA championship against the team where she started and built her basketball career. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have never felt so welcome as a fan. I think they’ve got the standard for really having sports explode,” Rojcewicz said. “I hope they hold that. They love the crowd, it’s all about love and joy and teamwork. So the sky’s the limit, because I think people are craving it. We want it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Bay Area’s WNBA team, only in its second year, is the fastest expansion team to win a WNBA championship title.",
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"title": "Valkyries Parade Draws Thousands to San Francisco’s Embarcadero for WNBA Championship Celebration | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karsyn Arribas (left) and Michelle Tokarski cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108312\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108313\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108313\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frances Choun (left) and Alice Tripplet cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the Valkyrie hypes up fans at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-12 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108366\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108366\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, embraces Oakland mayor, Barbara Lee, at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even a group of dogs out for a walk got in on the action with matching Valks shirts and winged helmets, lounging in a grassy patch near the end of the parade route. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parade was kicked off with plenty of pomp, as local celebrities and organizations like rapper LaRussell and the motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes helped amp up the crowds. Valkyries and Warriors owner Joe Lacob cruised down the route in a low rider among a fleet of classic cars, as did Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, fresh off an election victory, and wearing a bright purple wig, alongside artist Kehlani. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Daniel Lurie strode by, while Rep. Nancy Pelosi waved from a passing cable car, as fans hung over barricades and screamed with joy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bus stuffed with players drove through as crowds chanted “MVP” for Gabby Williams, and players tossed out necklaces, t-shirts and towels after crossing under a massive purple and black balloon arch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valkyries players bounded along the barricades to greet fans, including Kaitlyn Chen, who tossed out full cans of beer, while Justė Jocytė popped champagne and sprayed down groups of parade-goers. Veronica Burton took selfies with fans while wearing a “Women Run This Game” shirt and sunglasses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some fans dressed in home-crafted customized dresses and garments, including one woman donning a violet ball gown with pictures of the players affixed to the front. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s broad powerful draw brought people from all over, including Kimberly Traverso, who along with her wife is a season ticket holder and drove four hours in traffic from Ione in Amador County to be in San Francisco this morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The atmosphere and energy of Ballhalla, the nickname given to Chase Center when it hosts Valkyries games, “means everything” to the couple because of its inclusiveness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Golden State Valkyries pose with their WNBA championship trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-13 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor, Barbara Lee, watches the celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just the best place to be. We’re season ticket holders and we love driving the two and a half, three hours to get there just to be a part of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traverso was hoping the giant prop of Burton’s “iconic” hair bun, which she fashioned from foam and stuffing, would be noticed by the player herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You don’t want to see that bun coming downhill,” Traverso said. “I hope Burton sees it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Center Kiah Stokes also set an all-time WNBA Finals record with 19 total blocks during the series, while also clinching her fourth career WNBA championship title.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Tiffany Hayes had a fairytale comeback story. The Valkyries shooting guard played 10 seasons with the Dream, retired in 2023, but returned to play with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 and signed with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. This year, Hayes won the WNBA championship against the team where she started and built her basketball career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps no one on the team has had a better year than Coach Natalie Nakase, who also became the first Asian American head coach to win a WNBA championship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nakase’s fans were legion Wednesday, and she took plenty of time to walk along the route signing autographs, taking photos and chatting with supporters while wearing reflective wraparound sunglasses, gold bead necklaces and a shirt featuring a cartoon of herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-14 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Kaitlyn Chen sprays champagne into the crowd during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dykes on Bikes motorcycle contingent led the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-15 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have never felt so welcome as a fan. I think they’ve got the standard for really having sports explode,” Rojcewicz said. “I hope they hold that. They love the crowd, it’s all about love and joy and teamwork. So the sky’s the limit, because I think people are craving it. We want it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "death-spiral-averted-bay-area-transit-taxes-rtm-and-prop-h-declare-victory",
"title": "Death Spiral Averted: Bay Area Transit Taxes RTM and Proposition H Declare Victory",
"publishDate": 1793779306,
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"headTitle": "Death Spiral Averted: Bay Area Transit Taxes RTM and Proposition H Declare Victory | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters of Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/public-transit\">public transit\u003c/a> cheered election returns on Tuesday that showed two tax measures designed to head off drastic cuts in bus and train service passing easily. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initial results from five Bay Area counties showed Measure RTM, a 14-year regional sales tax, well on the way to passage with a 61.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Cretan, spokesman for the Connect Bay Area coalition that campaigned for the tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, called the apparent margin of victory “incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a huge win for public transit,” Cretan said. “ I think these results show that people believe in the importance of our buses and trains running to get people to work, to get seniors to appointments and to get kids to school. All of that matters for the Bay Area to really thrive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s Proposition H, a separate parcel tax measure targeted at funding only the city’s Muni transit service — also appeared certain to pass with a 72.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure RTM imposes a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and a 1% sales tax in San Francisco to generate about $1 billion a year to maintain current levels of service at BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and other transit agencies. The sales taxes will also pay for fare discounts, accessibility and wayfinding programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a> is a San Francisco-specific measure that will tax property owners at different rates based on property type and size in order to generate an estimated $184 million annually for the city’s Muni transit service for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie hailed the result as a sign of the city’s long-term commitment to better public transportation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Tonight, San Franciscans stood together to build a stronger Muni for all,” Lurie told an election night crowd. “But let me be clear — this is not about spending more money to get the same results. With this infusion of funding comes the responsibility to deliver a better transit system — more reliable, more efficient, safer, and worthy of the people who depend on it every single day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART General Manager Bob Powers said at an election night party in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood that transit agencies had won voters over by demonstrating they can respond to riders’ needs and deliver improved service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The last 30 months or so, every decision I’ve made is to try to improve the rider experience, and some of them were difficult decisions,” Powers said. He mentioned BART’s new fare gates and the agency’s improved on-time performance as two major customer-focused improvements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR, the San Francisco-based research and policy think tank, appeared stunned as the regional measure built a big early lead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I kind of can’t believe it,” Tolkoff said, adding that the result came as a relief. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s been, you know, preparing yourself for possibly a different outcome,” she said. The imminent fiscal crisis for transit operators “was going to affect people in just a few months if this didn’t pass. It’s amazing that we can see that what we have is worth protecting and building on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The campaign opposed to RTM — the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit — did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lead-up to Election Day, the committee argued that transit agencies exaggerated potential service cuts to scare voters into approving the tax and said the regional measure lacked accountability guarantees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caleb Huffman, who works for the regional transit measure campaign, looks at results on the measure from Santa Clara County that were above the campaign’s expectations, at the Yes on RTM watch party hosted by SPUR at The Cordial in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee framed opposing the tax as a crucial chance to send a message to the region’s transit agencies that they need to institute major financial reforms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ They’re promising oversight that is not really there. They’re saying they need money that they don’t really need right now,” said Gregg Dieguez, president of the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit before Tuesday’s vote. “They need real reform, and the reforms they’re promising are toothless and minuscule.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents of Proposition H said the passage of the tax was also a missed opportunity to rein in a fiscally irresponsible transit agency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Mayor Lurie ran on accountability, and this measure has zero accountability. Voters are getting fooled. SFMTA will use Prop. H money to treat the agency like a venture capital business, hire fast, grow fast but with zero goals,” said Marie Hurabiell, executive director of ConnectedSF. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hurabiell claimed the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency could have made budget cuts without impacting service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coalition that backed the measures included business groups, labor unions and environmental and transit justice advocates. Those supporters joined with the transit agencies themselves to warn that failure to pass the taxes would result in major service cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the proposed cuts included: BART closing up to 15 stations and ending service at 9 p.m., Caltrain closing one-third of its stations and eliminating weekend service and AC Transit reducing service by 16% and laying off up to 300 employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If both measures had failed, Muni warned it could cut up to 20 bus routes, double the wait times on other routes, reduce late night service to 9 p.m. and eliminate cable car and historic streetcar service.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The major public transit agencies are suffering a deep and lingering fiscal hangover from the collapse of ridership and fare revenue triggered nearly seven years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public transit operators used billions of dollars of emergency federal aid, as well as state assistance, to maintain service levels at slightly below pre-pandemic levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The business community has invested significant resources to ensure that [RTM] is successful because they know our economy depends on our ability to get people to and from work,” said Emily Loper, senior vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, which represents some of the largest employers in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the RTM ballot measure, transit agencies must now undergo a financial efficiency review to identify cost-saving measures. Money from the taxes will begin flowing to the agencies next year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supporters of Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/public-transit\">public transit\u003c/a> cheered election returns on Tuesday that showed two tax measures designed to head off drastic cuts in bus and train service passing easily. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supporters of Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/public-transit\">public transit\u003c/a> cheered election returns on Tuesday that showed two tax measures designed to head off drastic cuts in bus and train service passing easily. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Initial results from five Bay Area counties showed Measure RTM, a 14-year regional sales tax, well on the way to passage with a 61.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Initial results from five Bay Area counties showed Measure RTM, a 14-year regional sales tax, well on the way to passage with a 61.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jeff Cretan, spokesman for the Connect Bay Area coalition that campaigned for the tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, called the apparent margin of victory “incredible.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jeff Cretan, spokesman for the Connect Bay Area coalition that campaigned for the tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, called the apparent margin of victory “incredible.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a huge win for public transit,” Cretan said. “ I think these results show that people believe in the importance of our buses and trains running to get people to work, to get seniors to appointments and to get kids to school. All of that matters for the Bay Area to really thrive.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is a huge win for public transit,” Cretan said. “ I think these results show that people believe in the importance of our buses and trains running to get people to work, to get seniors to appointments and to get kids to school. All of that matters for the Bay Area to really thrive.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Proposition H, a separate parcel tax measure targeted at funding only the city’s Muni transit service — also appeared certain to pass with a 72.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Proposition H, a separate parcel tax measure targeted at funding only the city’s Muni transit service — also appeared certain to pass with a 72.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure RTM imposes a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and a 1% sales tax in San Francisco to generate about $1 billion a year to maintain current levels of service at BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and other transit agencies. The sales taxes will also pay for fare discounts, accessibility and wayfinding programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Measure RTM imposes a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and a 1% sales tax in San Francisco to generate about $1 billion a year to maintain current levels of service at BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and other transit agencies. The sales taxes will also pay for fare discounts, accessibility and wayfinding programs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a> is a San Francisco-specific measure that will tax property owners at different rates based on property type and size in order to generate an estimated $184 million annually for the city’s Muni transit service for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a> is a San Francisco-specific measure that will tax property owners at different rates based on property type and size in order to generate an estimated $184 million annually for the city’s Muni transit service for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie hailed the result as a sign of the city’s long-term commitment to better public transportation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tonight, San Franciscans stood together to build a stronger Muni for all,” Lurie told an election night crowd. “But let me be clear — this is not about spending more money to get the same results. With this infusion of funding comes the responsibility to deliver a better transit system — more reliable, more efficient, safer, and worthy of the people who depend on it every single day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Tonight, San Franciscans stood together to build a stronger Muni for all,” Lurie told an election night crowd. “But let me be clear — this is not about spending more money to get the same results. With this infusion of funding comes the responsibility to deliver a better transit system — more reliable, more efficient, safer, and worthy of the people who depend on it every single day.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>BART General Manager Bob Powers said at an election night party in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood that transit agencies had won voters over by demonstrating they can respond to riders’ needs and deliver improved service. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>BART General Manager Bob Powers said at an election night party in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood that transit agencies had won voters over by demonstrating they can respond to riders’ needs and deliver improved service. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The last 30 months or so, every decision I’ve made is to try to improve the rider experience, and some of them were difficult decisions,” Powers said. He mentioned BART’s new fare gates and the agency’s improved on-time performance as two major customer-focused improvements.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The last 30 months or so, every decision I’ve made is to try to improve the rider experience, and some of them were difficult decisions,” Powers said. He mentioned BART’s new fare gates and the agency’s improved on-time performance as two major customer-focused improvements.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR, the San Francisco-based research and policy think tank, appeared stunned as the regional measure built a big early lead. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR, the San Francisco-based research and policy think tank, appeared stunned as the regional measure built a big early lead. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I kind of can’t believe it,” Tolkoff said, adding that the result came as a relief. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I kind of can’t believe it,” Tolkoff said, adding that the result came as a relief. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s been, you know, preparing yourself for possibly a different outcome,” she said. The imminent fiscal crisis for transit operators “was going to affect people in just a few months if this didn’t pass. It’s amazing that we can see that what we have is worth protecting and building on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s been, you know, preparing yourself for possibly a different outcome,” she said. The imminent fiscal crisis for transit operators “was going to affect people in just a few months if this didn’t pass. It’s amazing that we can see that what we have is worth protecting and building on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The campaign opposed to RTM — the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit — did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The campaign opposed to RTM — the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit — did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the lead-up to Election Day, the committee argued that transit agencies exaggerated potential service cuts to scare voters into approving the tax and said the regional measure lacked accountability guarantees.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the lead-up to Election Day, the committee argued that transit agencies exaggerated potential service cuts to scare voters into approving the tax and said the regional measure lacked accountability guarantees.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caleb Huffman, who works for the regional transit measure campaign, looks at results on the measure from Santa Clara County that were above the campaign’s expectations, at the Yes on RTM watch party hosted by SPUR at The Cordial in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caleb Huffman, who works for the regional transit measure campaign, looks at results on the measure from Santa Clara County that were above the campaign’s expectations, at the Yes on RTM watch party hosted by SPUR at The Cordial in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The committee framed opposing the tax as a crucial chance to send a message to the region’s transit agencies that they need to institute major financial reforms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The committee framed opposing the tax as a crucial chance to send a message to the region’s transit agencies that they need to institute major financial reforms. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ They’re promising oversight that is not really there. They’re saying they need money that they don’t really need right now,” said Gregg Dieguez, president of the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit before Tuesday’s vote. “They need real reform, and the reforms they’re promising are toothless and minuscule.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ They’re promising oversight that is not really there. They’re saying they need money that they don’t really need right now,” said Gregg Dieguez, president of the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit before Tuesday’s vote. “They need real reform, and the reforms they’re promising are toothless and minuscule.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents of Proposition H said the passage of the tax was also a missed opportunity to rein in a fiscally irresponsible transit agency.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Mayor Lurie ran on accountability, and this measure has zero accountability. Voters are getting fooled. SFMTA will use Prop. H money to treat the agency like a venture capital business, hire fast, grow fast but with zero goals,” said Marie Hurabiell, executive director of ConnectedSF. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Mayor Lurie ran on accountability, and this measure has zero accountability. Voters are getting fooled. SFMTA will use Prop. H money to treat the agency like a venture capital business, hire fast, grow fast but with zero goals,” said Marie Hurabiell, executive director of ConnectedSF. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hurabiell claimed the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency could have made budget cuts without impacting service. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The coalition that backed the measures included business groups, labor unions and environmental and transit justice advocates. Those supporters joined with the transit agencies themselves to warn that failure to pass the taxes would result in major service cuts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the proposed cuts included: BART closing up to 15 stations and ending service at 9 p.m., Caltrain closing one-third of its stations and eliminating weekend service and AC Transit reducing service by 16% and laying off up to 300 employees.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some of the proposed cuts included: BART closing up to 15 stations and ending service at 9 p.m., Caltrain closing one-third of its stations and eliminating weekend service and AC Transit reducing service by 16% and laying off up to 300 employees.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If both measures had failed, Muni warned it could cut up to 20 bus routes, double the wait times on other routes, reduce late night service to 9 p.m. and eliminate cable car and historic streetcar service.. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The major public transit agencies are suffering a deep and lingering fiscal hangover from the collapse of ridership and fare revenue triggered nearly seven years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The business community has invested significant resources to ensure that [RTM] is successful because they know our economy depends on our ability to get people to and from work,” said Emily Loper, senior vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, which represents some of the largest employers in the region.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The business community has invested significant resources to ensure that [RTM] is successful because they know our economy depends on our ability to get people to and from work,” said Emily Loper, senior vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, which represents some of the largest employers in the region.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the RTM ballot measure, transit agencies must now undergo a financial efficiency review to identify cost-saving measures. Money from the taxes will begin flowing to the agencies next year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the RTM ballot measure, transit agencies must now undergo a financial efficiency review to identify cost-saving measures. Money from the taxes will begin flowing to the agencies next year.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Public transportation advocates celebrate measures that avert major service cuts for the region’s transit agencies.",
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"title": "Death Spiral Averted: Bay Area Transit Taxes RTM and Proposition H Declare Victory | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters of Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/public-transit\">public transit\u003c/a> cheered election returns on Tuesday that showed two tax measures designed to head off drastic cuts in bus and train service passing easily. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initial results from five Bay Area counties showed Measure RTM, a 14-year regional sales tax, well on the way to passage with a 61.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Cretan, spokesman for the Connect Bay Area coalition that campaigned for the tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, called the apparent margin of victory “incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a huge win for public transit,” Cretan said. “ I think these results show that people believe in the importance of our buses and trains running to get people to work, to get seniors to appointments and to get kids to school. All of that matters for the Bay Area to really thrive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco’s Proposition H, a separate parcel tax measure targeted at funding only the city’s Muni transit service — also appeared certain to pass with a 72.5% yes vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108165\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWATCHPARTY-NG-8_QED-KQED-d43f465a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter claps as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at his election night watch party at Anina in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure RTM imposes a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and a 1% sales tax in San Francisco to generate about $1 billion a year to maintain current levels of service at BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and other transit agencies. The sales taxes will also pay for fare discounts, accessibility and wayfinding programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-h\">Proposition H\u003c/a> is a San Francisco-specific measure that will tax property owners at different rates based on property type and size in order to generate an estimated $184 million annually for the city’s Muni transit service for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie hailed the result as a sign of the city’s long-term commitment to better public transportation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Tonight, San Franciscans stood together to build a stronger Muni for all,” Lurie told an election night crowd. “But let me be clear — this is not about spending more money to get the same results. With this infusion of funding comes the responsibility to deliver a better transit system — more reliable, more efficient, safer, and worthy of the people who depend on it every single day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BART General Manager Bob Powers said at an election night party in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood that transit agencies had won voters over by demonstrating they can respond to riders’ needs and deliver improved service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The last 30 months or so, every decision I’ve made is to try to improve the rider experience, and some of them were difficult decisions,” Powers said. He mentioned BART’s new fare gates and the agency’s improved on-time performance as two major customer-focused improvements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laura Tolkoff, transportation policy director at SPUR, the San Francisco-based research and policy think tank, appeared stunned as the regional measure built a big early lead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I kind of can’t believe it,” Tolkoff said, adding that the result came as a relief. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s been, you know, preparing yourself for possibly a different outcome,” she said. The imminent fiscal crisis for transit operators “was going to affect people in just a few months if this didn’t pass. It’s amazing that we can see that what we have is worth protecting and building on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The campaign opposed to RTM — the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit — did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lead-up to Election Day, the committee argued that transit agencies exaggerated potential service cuts to scare voters into approving the tax and said the regional measure lacked accountability guarantees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261103-RTMWatchParty-NG-1_qed-6852a2a6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caleb Huffman, who works for the regional transit measure campaign, looks at results on the measure from Santa Clara County that were above the campaign’s expectations, at the Yes on RTM watch party hosted by SPUR at The Cordial in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee framed opposing the tax as a crucial chance to send a message to the region’s transit agencies that they need to institute major financial reforms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ They’re promising oversight that is not really there. They’re saying they need money that they don’t really need right now,” said Gregg Dieguez, president of the Committee for Affordable Bay Area Transit before Tuesday’s vote. “They need real reform, and the reforms they’re promising are toothless and minuscule.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents of Proposition H said the passage of the tax was also a missed opportunity to rein in a fiscally irresponsible transit agency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Mayor Lurie ran on accountability, and this measure has zero accountability. Voters are getting fooled. SFMTA will use Prop. H money to treat the agency like a venture capital business, hire fast, grow fast but with zero goals,” said Marie Hurabiell, executive director of ConnectedSF. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hurabiell claimed the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency could have made budget cuts without impacting service. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coalition that backed the measures included business groups, labor unions and environmental and transit justice advocates. Those supporters joined with the transit agencies themselves to warn that failure to pass the taxes would result in major service cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the proposed cuts included: BART closing up to 15 stations and ending service at 9 p.m., Caltrain closing one-third of its stations and eliminating weekend service and AC Transit reducing service by 16% and laying off up to 300 employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107918\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261102-FilePhotos-20-BL_qed-8b810831-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Muni Metro line in San Francisco on Nov. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If both measures had failed, Muni warned it could cut up to 20 bus routes, double the wait times on other routes, reduce late night service to 9 p.m. and eliminate cable car and historic streetcar service.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The major public transit agencies are suffering a deep and lingering fiscal hangover from the collapse of ridership and fare revenue triggered nearly seven years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public transit operators used billions of dollars of emergency federal aid, as well as state assistance, to maintain service levels at slightly below pre-pandemic levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The business community has invested significant resources to ensure that [RTM] is successful because they know our economy depends on our ability to get people to and from work,” said Emily Loper, senior vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, which represents some of the largest employers in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under SB 63, the state law that authorized the RTM ballot measure, transit agencies must now undergo a financial efficiency review to identify cost-saving measures. Money from the taxes will begin flowing to the agencies next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"headTitle": "At these Pre-Election Parties, It’s BYOB: Bring Your Own Ballot | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To steel herself for the monumental task of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">voting\u003c/a> in California, Lauren Schwartz broke out bowls of chili and voter guides, and invited her friends to her San Francisco home for her annual pre-election party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s BYOB. Bring-your-own-ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> ”We have an insane number of propositions, and it’s too much for one person to go through,” Schwartz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in the Golden State this election are considering 14 statewide ballot measures — tied with Colorado for the second-most out of any state in the country, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures#Trends\">Ballotpedia\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lauren Schwartz speaks in support of San Francisco Proposition D during a proposition party at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartz isn’t the only one who feels overwhelmed by the ballot: According to a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/?_gl=1*2vift5*_gcl_au*MTU3MjQxNDAxOS4xNzkzMDQ5NDU1\">poll\u003c/a> by the Public Policy Institute of California, nearly 80% of likely California voters surveyed thought the ballot had too many propositions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For over 20 years, Schwartz, a 61-year-old mother of two who lives in the city’s Monterey Heights neighborhood, has hosted ballot parties to help her and her friends dissect their ballots. The party is so popular that Schwartz has to keep a strict guest list. Only so many people can fit into her living room, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Everybody that hears about it wishes they could come. People have FOMO about this party,” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a Sunday evening in mid-October, around 11 people —mostly other parents she met at her kids’ former middle school — tucked into Schwartz’s living room, seated in a circle on every available chair and couch in the house. Over a potluck dinner of chili, cornbread and salad, they dove into their election materials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One attendee, glass of wine in hand, asked, “ Why is San Francisco being charged more than the other counties?” referring to this election’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">Regional Transit Measure\u003c/a>, a regional sales tax to support local transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because there are more rich people here?” another guest said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because we have more public transit here?” someone else said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartz said her parties can last hours. Each guest volunteered to explain the pros and cons of a certain measure — which Schwartz assigned them to research ahead of the party. Guests had a variety of perspectives, both for, against and somewhere in between on San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-g\">Proposition G\u003c/a> — whether to reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway to cars. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cara Pellegrini said she has been coming to Schwartz’s parties for over five years, and that they have become part of her voting process. This is the second ballot party she’s attended this election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is one step in many in how we think about some of these issues. The more different perspectives I hear, I think it’s really useful,” Pellegrini said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Schwartz has thrown ballot parties on her own, this year she sought help from the San Francisco-based company Sway, a nonpartisan online voting group platform. It helped distribute her group’s recommendations to a wider audience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ I’ve had several friends say, ‘I wanna come,’ and I’m like, ‘No, no, no. We don’t have the room. You can sign up for Sway,’” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>“A Major Hit”\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sway is a \u003ca href=\"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title8/c001/sc15/\">public benefit corporation\u003c/a>, a for-profit company registered in Delaware, that works to benefit both its shareholders and a stated public good. The website allows its users to create and join “voting groups” based on shared values. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Particularly in places like California, where there’s so much ballot complexity, getting together in a group and talking through each one of these propositions and the implications is really important,” said Claire Shorall, CEO and co-founder of Sway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107271\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107271\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dave Sheer speaks about San Francisco Proposition C during a proposition party in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee writes notes during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107277\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees watch a video in which former Congresswoman Katie Porter advocates for voters to vote no on Proposition 40 at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107284\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cheryl Wilson looks at her ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The platform aims to increase the political influence of its users, so that any one voting group can amass the same power as special interest groups or lobbyists. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One voting group, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/allies-against-aipac?ref=k3cgttyn\">Allies Against AIPAC\u003c/a>,” has over 10,000 registered voters, and it focuses on recommending a nationwide slate of candidates who don’t accept money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Another group called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/no-mrna?ref=k3cgttyn\">Pull mRNA Shots Off the Market\u003c/a>” has 44 members and supports candidates who want to discontinue access to mRNA vaccines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a voting group is able to reach 25 users, an organizer can apply for a $500 credit card from Sway to go toward buying food, supplies or a venue to host a ballot party. (Schwartz’s group, simply called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/sfpropositionparty?ref=k3cgttyn\">SF Proposition Party\u003c/a>,” has 26 members but did not apply for the offer.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The company formed in February 2025 — this is its first general election — and is funded by venture capital firms Neo, Long Journey Ventures and “a few angel investors,” according to a company FAQ page. The company does not currently make a profit, Shorall said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the ballot parties have been a “major hit:” Out of the nearly 7,000 voting groups on Sway, over 2,700 have applied to host one — although just over 250 nationwide hit the participant threshold necessary to receive the $500 credit card. The most Sway-sponsored ballot parties this election were in Texas, with 48; California was second with 36, according to the company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>On the Fence\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters feeling unprepared or uninformed about ballot issues is a problem that can contribute to low voter turnout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/race-and-voting-in-california/\">disparities in voting\u003c/a> among different demographic groups, said Josh Clark, a senior social scientist at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute. He’s a qualitative researcher who studies why different demographic or socioeconomic groups vote more or less than others and which types of interventions are effective in improving turnout. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ People often who are on the fence about voting or who vote only inconsistently express a lack of confidence in their own knowledge or their own preparedness to vote,” Clark said, adding that voter focus groups in California often express feeling unprepared when it comes to the state’s ballot initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107278\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michelle Mabry looks at her unfinished ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kimberly Walker-Moree wears a voting pin at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those disparities are worse in midterm elections, Clark said. Just shy of \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">42%\u003c/a> of eligible voters in California actually voted in the 2022 midterm general election, as opposed to nearly \u003ca href=\"https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2024-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">60%\u003c/a> in the 2024 presidential general election, according to the California Secretary of State. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clark said he’s been aware of ballot parties since 2016, when there were 17 statewide ballot propositions on California’s November ballot. These gatherings can help combat a reluctance to vote, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ If you’re someone who is connected to a network or community of people where voting is the norm, then you can find voter guides, you can join ballot parties, and those are great,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the question on Clark’s mind that Sway and similar civically minded tech organizations should ask is: “How do you reach people who aren’t looking to be reached?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ My concern would be that this attracts someone who is already interested in learning about political issues and voting, and therefore, you aren’t going to reach a lot of people who are counting themselves out or feeling put off by the tenor of politics in the country,” he said. “Especially if those spaces are based on preexisting social networks.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shorall said she’s received multiple emails from ballot party organizers who said someone voted for the first time as a result of one of the events.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It is incumbent on us to create opportunities where people get to hear from folks that they already trust, and as much as possible, we tried to lower the barrier to entry,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unpacking the Election At Church\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tiffany Cowan of Alameda was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a post about someone who used Sway to host a ballot party. She said it was an “amazing idea,” and brought it to the pastor of her church, New Life Community Church in Oakland, who agreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> ”Voting is a very high priority within our community,” Cowan said, adding that the church is made up predominantly of people of color. “ We wanted to create a space where people can be informed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Organizer Tiffany Cowan speaks about how different advocacy groups are advising voters to vote on propositions during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One week before the election, over 60 people — a mix of church members, neighbors and families — attended the church’s first-ever ballot party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michelle Mabry said she came because it was close to her house and was looking for support with her ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s a very long ballot, and so I kind of need some direction,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In particular, Mabry wanted more information about controversial measures like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Proposition 40\u003c/a>, the proposed one-time wealth tax targeted at the state’s billionaires. After the party, she said the discussions answered some of her questions, but she said she still had some “homework” to do before she felt ready to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brian Harrison, a lifelong Oakland resident, said the state’s numerous propositions also motivated him to attend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ That is my biggest concern because they’re confusing. You’re hearing two different sides, and I don’t think I’m hearing a straight answer each time,” he said. “Hopefully, I get the answers I need to make the right decision.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> ”We have an insane number of propositions, and it’s too much for one person to go through,” Schwartz said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters in the Golden State this election are considering 14 statewide ballot measures — tied with Colorado for the second-most out of any state in the country, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures#Trends\">Ballotpedia\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Voters in the Golden State this election are considering 14 statewide ballot measures — tied with Colorado for the second-most out of any state in the country, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures#Trends\">Ballotpedia\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lauren Schwartz speaks in support of San Francisco Proposition D during a proposition party at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Schwartz isn’t the only one who feels overwhelmed by the ballot: According to a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/?_gl=1*2vift5*_gcl_au*MTU3MjQxNDAxOS4xNzkzMDQ5NDU1\">poll\u003c/a> by the Public Policy Institute of California, nearly 80% of likely California voters surveyed thought the ballot had too many propositions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For over 20 years, Schwartz, a 61-year-old mother of two who lives in the city’s Monterey Heights neighborhood, has hosted ballot parties to help her and her friends dissect their ballots. The party is so popular that Schwartz has to keep a strict guest list. Only so many people can fit into her living room, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For over 20 years, Schwartz, a 61-year-old mother of two who lives in the city’s Monterey Heights neighborhood, has hosted ballot parties to help her and her friends dissect their ballots. The party is so popular that Schwartz has to keep a strict guest list. Only so many people can fit into her living room, she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everybody that hears about it wishes they could come. People have FOMO about this party,” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a Sunday evening in mid-October, around 11 people —mostly other parents she met at her kids’ former middle school — tucked into Schwartz’s living room, seated in a circle on every available chair and couch in the house. Over a potluck dinner of chili, cornbread and salad, they dove into their election materials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One attendee, glass of wine in hand, asked, “ Why is San Francisco being charged more than the other counties?” referring to this election’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">Regional Transit Measure\u003c/a>, a regional sales tax to support local transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because there are more rich people here?” another guest said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because we have more public transit here?” someone else said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Schwartz said her parties can last hours. Each guest volunteered to explain the pros and cons of a certain measure — which Schwartz assigned them to research ahead of the party. Guests had a variety of perspectives, both for, against and somewhere in between on San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-g\">Proposition G\u003c/a> — whether to reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway to cars. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Schwartz said her parties can last hours. Each guest volunteered to explain the pros and cons of a certain measure — which Schwartz assigned them to research ahead of the party. Guests had a variety of perspectives, both for, against and somewhere in between on San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-g\">Proposition G\u003c/a> — whether to reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway to cars. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cara Pellegrini said she has been coming to Schwartz’s parties for over five years, and that they have become part of her voting process. This is the second ballot party she’s attended this election. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cara Pellegrini said she has been coming to Schwartz’s parties for over five years, and that they have become part of her voting process. This is the second ballot party she’s attended this election. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This is one step in many in how we think about some of these issues. The more different perspectives I hear, I think it’s really useful,” Pellegrini said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Schwartz has thrown ballot parties on her own, this year she sought help from the San Francisco-based company Sway, a nonpartisan online voting group platform. It helped distribute her group’s recommendations to a wider audience. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Schwartz has thrown ballot parties on her own, this year she sought help from the San Francisco-based company Sway, a nonpartisan online voting group platform. It helped distribute her group’s recommendations to a wider audience. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I’ve had several friends say, ‘I wanna come,’ and I’m like, ‘No, no, no. We don’t have the room. You can sign up for Sway,’” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I’ve had several friends say, ‘I wanna come,’ and I’m like, ‘No, no, no. We don’t have the room. You can sign up for Sway,’” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sway is a \u003ca href=\"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title8/c001/sc15/\">public benefit corporation\u003c/a>, a for-profit company registered in Delaware, that works to benefit both its shareholders and a stated public good. The website allows its users to create and join “voting groups” based on shared values. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Particularly in places like California, where there’s so much ballot complexity, getting together in a group and talking through each one of these propositions and the implications is really important,” said Claire Shorall, CEO and co-founder of Sway.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107271\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dave Sheer speaks about San Francisco Proposition C during a proposition party in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107271\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dave Sheer speaks about San Francisco Proposition C during a proposition party in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107279\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee writes notes during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107277\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees watch a video in which former Congresswoman Katie Porter advocates for voters to vote no on Proposition 40 at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107277\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees watch a video in which former Congresswoman Katie Porter advocates for voters to vote no on Proposition 40 at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107284\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cheryl Wilson looks at her ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The platform aims to increase the political influence of its users, so that any one voting group can amass the same power as special interest groups or lobbyists. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The platform aims to increase the political influence of its users, so that any one voting group can amass the same power as special interest groups or lobbyists. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One voting group, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/allies-against-aipac?ref=k3cgttyn\">Allies Against AIPAC\u003c/a>,” has over 10,000 registered voters, and it focuses on recommending a nationwide slate of candidates who don’t accept money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Another group called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/no-mrna?ref=k3cgttyn\">Pull mRNA Shots Off the Market\u003c/a>” has 44 members and supports candidates who want to discontinue access to mRNA vaccines. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One voting group, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/allies-against-aipac?ref=k3cgttyn\">Allies Against AIPAC\u003c/a>,” has over 10,000 registered voters, and it focuses on recommending a nationwide slate of candidates who don’t accept money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Another group called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/no-mrna?ref=k3cgttyn\">Pull mRNA Shots Off the Market\u003c/a>” has 44 members and supports candidates who want to discontinue access to mRNA vaccines. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If a voting group is able to reach 25 users, an organizer can apply for a $500 credit card from Sway to go toward buying food, supplies or a venue to host a ballot party. (Schwartz’s group, simply called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/sfpropositionparty?ref=k3cgttyn\">SF Proposition Party\u003c/a>,” has 26 members but did not apply for the offer.) \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If a voting group is able to reach 25 users, an organizer can apply for a $500 credit card from Sway to go toward buying food, supplies or a venue to host a ballot party. (Schwartz’s group, simply called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/sfpropositionparty?ref=k3cgttyn\">SF Proposition Party\u003c/a>,” has 26 members but did not apply for the offer.) \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company formed in February 2025 — this is its first general election — and is funded by venture capital firms Neo, Long Journey Ventures and “a few angel investors,” according to a company FAQ page. The company does not currently make a profit, Shorall said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company formed in February 2025 — this is its first general election — and is funded by venture capital firms Neo, Long Journey Ventures and “a few angel investors,” according to a company FAQ page. The company does not currently make a profit, Shorall said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the ballot parties have been a “major hit:” Out of the nearly 7,000 voting groups on Sway, over 2,700 have applied to host one — although just over 250 nationwide hit the participant threshold necessary to receive the $500 credit card. The most Sway-sponsored ballot parties this election were in Texas, with 48; California was second with 36, according to the company. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She said the ballot parties have been a “major hit:” Out of the nearly 7,000 voting groups on Sway, over 2,700 have applied to host one — although just over 250 nationwide hit the participant threshold necessary to receive the $500 credit card. The most Sway-sponsored ballot parties this election were in Texas, with 48; California was second with 36, according to the company. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California voters feeling unprepared or uninformed about ballot issues is a problem that can contribute to low voter turnout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/race-and-voting-in-california/\">disparities in voting\u003c/a> among different demographic groups, said Josh Clark, a senior social scientist at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute. He’s a qualitative researcher who studies why different demographic or socioeconomic groups vote more or less than others and which types of interventions are effective in improving turnout. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ People often who are on the fence about voting or who vote only inconsistently express a lack of confidence in their own knowledge or their own preparedness to vote,” Clark said, adding that voter focus groups in California often express feeling unprepared when it comes to the state’s ballot initiatives. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107278\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michelle Mabry looks at her unfinished ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107278\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michelle Mabry looks at her unfinished ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107275\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kimberly Walker-Moree wears a voting pin at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those disparities are worse in midterm elections, Clark said. Just shy of \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">42%\u003c/a> of eligible voters in California actually voted in the 2022 midterm general election, as opposed to nearly \u003ca href=\"https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2024-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">60%\u003c/a> in the 2024 presidential general election, according to the California Secretary of State. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those disparities are worse in midterm elections, Clark said. Just shy of \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">42%\u003c/a> of eligible voters in California actually voted in the 2022 midterm general election, as opposed to nearly \u003ca href=\"https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2024-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">60%\u003c/a> in the 2024 presidential general election, according to the California Secretary of State. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Clark said he’s been aware of ballot parties since 2016, when there were 17 statewide ballot propositions on California’s November ballot. These gatherings can help combat a reluctance to vote, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Clark said he’s been aware of ballot parties since 2016, when there were 17 statewide ballot propositions on California’s November ballot. These gatherings can help combat a reluctance to vote, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If you’re someone who is connected to a network or community of people where voting is the norm, then you can find voter guides, you can join ballot parties, and those are great,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ If you’re someone who is connected to a network or community of people where voting is the norm, then you can find voter guides, you can join ballot parties, and those are great,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the question on Clark’s mind that Sway and similar civically minded tech organizations should ask is: “How do you reach people who aren’t looking to be reached?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ My concern would be that this attracts someone who is already interested in learning about political issues and voting, and therefore, you aren’t going to reach a lot of people who are counting themselves out or feeling put off by the tenor of politics in the country,” he said. “Especially if those spaces are based on preexisting social networks.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ My concern would be that this attracts someone who is already interested in learning about political issues and voting, and therefore, you aren’t going to reach a lot of people who are counting themselves out or feeling put off by the tenor of politics in the country,” he said. “Especially if those spaces are based on preexisting social networks.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shorall said she’s received multiple emails from ballot party organizers who said someone voted for the first time as a result of one of the events.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Shorall said she’s received multiple emails from ballot party organizers who said someone voted for the first time as a result of one of the events.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It is incumbent on us to create opportunities where people get to hear from folks that they already trust, and as much as possible, we tried to lower the barrier to entry,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ It is incumbent on us to create opportunities where people get to hear from folks that they already trust, and as much as possible, we tried to lower the barrier to entry,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Unpacking the Election At Church",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tiffany Cowan of Alameda was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a post about someone who used Sway to host a ballot party. She said it was an “amazing idea,” and brought it to the pastor of her church, New Life Community Church in Oakland, who agreed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tiffany Cowan of Alameda was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a post about someone who used Sway to host a ballot party. She said it was an “amazing idea,” and brought it to the pastor of her church, New Life Community Church in Oakland, who agreed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> ”Voting is a very high priority within our community,” Cowan said, adding that the church is made up predominantly of people of color. “ We wanted to create a space where people can be informed.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> ”Voting is a very high priority within our community,” Cowan said, adding that the church is made up predominantly of people of color. “ We wanted to create a space where people can be informed.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Organizer Tiffany Cowan speaks about how different advocacy groups are advising voters to vote on propositions during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107276\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Organizer Tiffany Cowan speaks about how different advocacy groups are advising voters to vote on propositions during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One week before the election, over 60 people — a mix of church members, neighbors and families — attended the church’s first-ever ballot party. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Michelle Mabry said she came because it was close to her house and was looking for support with her ballot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s a very long ballot, and so I kind of need some direction,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In particular, Mabry wanted more information about controversial measures like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Proposition 40\u003c/a>, the proposed one-time wealth tax targeted at the state’s billionaires. After the party, she said the discussions answered some of her questions, but she said she still had some “homework” to do before she felt ready to vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In particular, Mabry wanted more information about controversial measures like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Proposition 40\u003c/a>, the proposed one-time wealth tax targeted at the state’s billionaires. After the party, she said the discussions answered some of her questions, but she said she still had some “homework” to do before she felt ready to vote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brian Harrison, a lifelong Oakland resident, said the state’s numerous propositions also motivated him to attend. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ That is my biggest concern because they’re confusing. You’re hearing two different sides, and I don’t think I’m hearing a straight answer each time,” he said. “Hopefully, I get the answers I need to make the right decision.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ That is my biggest concern because they’re confusing. You’re hearing two different sides, and I don’t think I’m hearing a straight answer each time,” he said. “Hopefully, I get the answers I need to make the right decision.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To steel herself for the monumental task of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">voting\u003c/a> in California, Lauren Schwartz broke out bowls of chili and voter guides, and invited her friends to her San Francisco home for her annual pre-election party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s BYOB. Bring-your-own-ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> ”We have an insane number of propositions, and it’s too much for one person to go through,” Schwartz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in the Golden State this election are considering 14 statewide ballot measures — tied with Colorado for the second-most out of any state in the country, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures#Trends\">Ballotpedia\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107272\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-15-KQED-02480242-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lauren Schwartz speaks in support of San Francisco Proposition D during a proposition party at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartz isn’t the only one who feels overwhelmed by the ballot: According to a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/?_gl=1*2vift5*_gcl_au*MTU3MjQxNDAxOS4xNzkzMDQ5NDU1\">poll\u003c/a> by the Public Policy Institute of California, nearly 80% of likely California voters surveyed thought the ballot had too many propositions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For over 20 years, Schwartz, a 61-year-old mother of two who lives in the city’s Monterey Heights neighborhood, has hosted ballot parties to help her and her friends dissect their ballots. The party is so popular that Schwartz has to keep a strict guest list. Only so many people can fit into her living room, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Everybody that hears about it wishes they could come. People have FOMO about this party,” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a Sunday evening in mid-October, around 11 people —mostly other parents she met at her kids’ former middle school — tucked into Schwartz’s living room, seated in a circle on every available chair and couch in the house. Over a potluck dinner of chili, cornbread and salad, they dove into their election materials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One attendee, glass of wine in hand, asked, “ Why is San Francisco being charged more than the other counties?” referring to this election’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">Regional Transit Measure\u003c/a>, a regional sales tax to support local transit agencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because there are more rich people here?” another guest said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because we have more public transit here?” someone else said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schwartz said her parties can last hours. Each guest volunteered to explain the pros and cons of a certain measure — which Schwartz assigned them to research ahead of the party. Guests had a variety of perspectives, both for, against and somewhere in between on San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/proposition-g\">Proposition G\u003c/a> — whether to reopen San Francisco’s Great Highway to cars. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cara Pellegrini said she has been coming to Schwartz’s parties for over five years, and that they have become part of her voting process. This is the second ballot party she’s attended this election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is one step in many in how we think about some of these issues. The more different perspectives I hear, I think it’s really useful,” Pellegrini said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Schwartz has thrown ballot parties on her own, this year she sought help from the San Francisco-based company Sway, a nonpartisan online voting group platform. It helped distribute her group’s recommendations to a wider audience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ I’ve had several friends say, ‘I wanna come,’ and I’m like, ‘No, no, no. We don’t have the room. You can sign up for Sway,’” Schwartz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>“A Major Hit”\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sway is a \u003ca href=\"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title8/c001/sc15/\">public benefit corporation\u003c/a>, a for-profit company registered in Delaware, that works to benefit both its shareholders and a stated public good. The website allows its users to create and join “voting groups” based on shared values. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Particularly in places like California, where there’s so much ballot complexity, getting together in a group and talking through each one of these propositions and the implications is really important,” said Claire Shorall, CEO and co-founder of Sway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107271\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107271\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261018-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-12-KQED-ad6581b7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dave Sheer speaks about San Francisco Proposition C during a proposition party in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-16-KQED-1f6247f7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee writes notes during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107277\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-10-KQED-f776498a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees watch a video in which former Congresswoman Katie Porter advocates for voters to vote no on Proposition 40 at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107284\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-31-KQED-40f5f858-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cheryl Wilson looks at her ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The platform aims to increase the political influence of its users, so that any one voting group can amass the same power as special interest groups or lobbyists. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One voting group, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/allies-against-aipac?ref=k3cgttyn\">Allies Against AIPAC\u003c/a>,” has over 10,000 registered voters, and it focuses on recommending a nationwide slate of candidates who don’t accept money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Another group called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/no-mrna?ref=k3cgttyn\">Pull mRNA Shots Off the Market\u003c/a>” has 44 members and supports candidates who want to discontinue access to mRNA vaccines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a voting group is able to reach 25 users, an organizer can apply for a $500 credit card from Sway to go toward buying food, supplies or a venue to host a ballot party. (Schwartz’s group, simply called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sway.co/sfpropositionparty?ref=k3cgttyn\">SF Proposition Party\u003c/a>,” has 26 members but did not apply for the offer.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The company formed in February 2025 — this is its first general election — and is funded by venture capital firms Neo, Long Journey Ventures and “a few angel investors,” according to a company FAQ page. The company does not currently make a profit, Shorall said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the ballot parties have been a “major hit:” Out of the nearly 7,000 voting groups on Sway, over 2,700 have applied to host one — although just over 250 nationwide hit the participant threshold necessary to receive the $500 credit card. The most Sway-sponsored ballot parties this election were in Texas, with 48; California was second with 36, according to the company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>On the Fence\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters feeling unprepared or uninformed about ballot issues is a problem that can contribute to low voter turnout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/race-and-voting-in-california/\">disparities in voting\u003c/a> among different demographic groups, said Josh Clark, a senior social scientist at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute. He’s a qualitative researcher who studies why different demographic or socioeconomic groups vote more or less than others and which types of interventions are effective in improving turnout. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ People often who are on the fence about voting or who vote only inconsistently express a lack of confidence in their own knowledge or their own preparedness to vote,” Clark said, adding that voter focus groups in California often express feeling unprepared when it comes to the state’s ballot initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107278\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-13-KQED-89516359-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michelle Mabry looks at her unfinished ballot during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12107275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-5-KQED-c6e51cfb-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kimberly Walker-Moree wears a voting pin at a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those disparities are worse in midterm elections, Clark said. Just shy of \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">42%\u003c/a> of eligible voters in California actually voted in the 2022 midterm general election, as opposed to nearly \u003ca href=\"https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2024-general/sov/03-voter-participation-stats-by-county.pdf\">60%\u003c/a> in the 2024 presidential general election, according to the California Secretary of State. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clark said he’s been aware of ballot parties since 2016, when there were 17 statewide ballot propositions on California’s November ballot. These gatherings can help combat a reluctance to vote, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ If you’re someone who is connected to a network or community of people where voting is the norm, then you can find voter guides, you can join ballot parties, and those are great,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the question on Clark’s mind that Sway and similar civically minded tech organizations should ask is: “How do you reach people who aren’t looking to be reached?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ My concern would be that this attracts someone who is already interested in learning about political issues and voting, and therefore, you aren’t going to reach a lot of people who are counting themselves out or feeling put off by the tenor of politics in the country,” he said. “Especially if those spaces are based on preexisting social networks.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shorall said she’s received multiple emails from ballot party organizers who said someone voted for the first time as a result of one of the events.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It is incumbent on us to create opportunities where people get to hear from folks that they already trust, and as much as possible, we tried to lower the barrier to entry,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unpacking the Election At Church\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tiffany Cowan of Alameda was scrolling on Instagram when she saw a post about someone who used Sway to host a ballot party. She said it was an “amazing idea,” and brought it to the pastor of her church, New Life Community Church in Oakland, who agreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> ”Voting is a very high priority within our community,” Cowan said, adding that the church is made up predominantly of people of color. “ We wanted to create a space where people can be informed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261027-PROPOSITIONPARTY-NG-9-KQED-6a340833-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Organizer Tiffany Cowan speaks about how different advocacy groups are advising voters to vote on propositions during a ballot party at New Life Community Church in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One week before the election, over 60 people — a mix of church members, neighbors and families — attended the church’s first-ever ballot party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michelle Mabry said she came because it was close to her house and was looking for support with her ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s a very long ballot, and so I kind of need some direction,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In particular, Mabry wanted more information about controversial measures like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Proposition 40\u003c/a>, the proposed one-time wealth tax targeted at the state’s billionaires. After the party, she said the discussions answered some of her questions, but she said she still had some “homework” to do before she felt ready to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brian Harrison, a lifelong Oakland resident, said the state’s numerous propositions also motivated him to attend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ That is my biggest concern because they’re confusing. You’re hearing two different sides, and I don’t think I’m hearing a straight answer each time,” he said. “Hopefully, I get the answers I need to make the right decision.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-jose-launches-its-automated-speed-cameras-heres-where-theyll-be",
"title": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be",
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"headTitle": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The city has started to install cameras at 33 locations, including some of the most dangerous corridors. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "smart-awards-190-million-contract-for-healdsburg-extension-seeks-input-on-new-station",
"title": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station",
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"headTitle": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11976600/is-the-smart-train-easing-highway-101-traffic-in-marin-and-sonoma\">Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors\u003c/a> approved a $190.5 million contract on Wednesday to begin building nearly five miles of track from Windsor to Healdsburg. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers wait for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train at the Marin County Civic Center stop in San Rafael on June 1, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The North Bay passenger rail line expects Healdsburg service to begin in late 2028. Geyserville and Cloverdale are next.",
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"title": "SMART Awards $190 Million Contract for Healdsburg Extension, Seeks Input on New Station | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11976600/is-the-smart-train-easing-highway-101-traffic-in-marin-and-sonoma\">Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors\u003c/a> approved a $190.5 million contract on Wednesday to begin building nearly five miles of track from Windsor to Healdsburg. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract is an important milestone for the agency, which seeks to ultimately expand its network from its current terminus in Windsor through Healdsburg and further north to the towns of Geyserville and Cloverdale, said Julia Gonzalez, spokesperson for SMART.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This creates construction jobs, it strengthens our regional economy, and it’s building a transportation infrastructure that is going to benefit generations to come,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passengers wait for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train at the Marin County Civic Center stop in San Rafael on June 1, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Board awarded the contract to the joint venture Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog, after the California Transportation Commission last week allocated $162 million in state grants for the extension. Other funding comes from federal, local and regional \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/11%20CV-DB-25-001%20PhII%20Amend%202%20Board%20Presentation.pdf\">sources\u003c/a>, and construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contract includes refurbishing and restoring the derelict segment of track between the two towns, and adding modern technology, concrete railroad ties and a train control system, Gonzalez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the contract, Stacy and Witbeck/Herzog will also procure and fabricate two large steel railroad bridges — a truss-style bridge over the Russian River on the way into Healdsburg and a girder-style bridge over Old Redwood Highway.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bridges will accommodate bike and pedestrian traffic as well, adding to SMART’s network of multi-use paths.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency is currently collecting public \u003ca href=\"https://www.sonomamarintrain.org/healdsburgstationlocation\">feedback\u003c/a> on where exactly the Healdsburg station should be located. SMART is presenting the public with two options: a downtown location or the historic depot area near Front Street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agency will collect feedback through November 30, after which the SMART Board of Directors is expected to vote on the station’s final location in December. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonzalez said Healdsburg has not seen rail service for 70 years, and that the agency is “proud” to be restoring it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SMART hit an all-time record of more than 1.1 million passengers in fiscal year 2025, a 32% increase from the year prior. The agency expects rail service to begin in Healdsburg by late 2028, with an estimated project completion cost of $269 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "port-of-oakland-truck-drivers-say-record-high-diesel-prices-are-killing-the-business",
"title": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’",
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"headTitle": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’ | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Danny Bui’s semi-truck, a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, is stocked with the essentials: a bed, a microwave, a refrigerator and a hearty supply of instant noodles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These comforts keep the 49-year-old father of four going during long days driving as a licensed motor carrier — the industry term for an independent contractor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I love the job. I love its independence. You want more money, you work hard,” Bui said in the expansive yard of PCC Logistics, the shipping company he works for at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/port-of-oakland\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past six years, Bui, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when he was 14, has relied on trucking to support his family in San José. But as the wars in Iran and Ukraine have driven diesel prices to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915463/record-setting-diesel-prices-put-pressure-on-bay-area-businesses-and-consumers\">record levels\u003c/a> — over $8 per gallon on average in California, up $3 more than a year ago — Bui and other truckers said they’re struggling to afford loan and insurance payments and meet the high costs of living in the Bay Area, from housing to groceries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Before, you make money. Now, you try to cover the cost. That’s how it works now,” he said. “ We just live day by day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021. (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants. (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You can put 1,000 electric trucks over here, but I don’t have any place to charge them,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Danny Bui’s semi-truck, a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, is stocked with the essentials: a bed, a microwave, a refrigerator and a hearty supply of instant noodles. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I love the job. I love its independence. You want more money, you work hard,” Bui said in the expansive yard of PCC Logistics, the shipping company he works for at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/port-of-oakland\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the past six years, Bui, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when he was 14, has relied on trucking to support his family in San José. But as the wars in Iran and Ukraine have driven diesel prices to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915463/record-setting-diesel-prices-put-pressure-on-bay-area-businesses-and-consumers\">record levels\u003c/a> — over $8 per gallon on average in California, up $3 more than a year ago — Bui and other truckers said they’re struggling to afford loan and insurance payments and meet the high costs of living in the Bay Area, from housing to groceries. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Before, you make money. Now, you try to cover the cost. That’s how it works now,” he said. “ We just live day by day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The average price for diesel in California has reached more than $8 per gallon for over a month, pushing some truckers to the edge. ",
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"title": "Port of Oakland Truck Drivers Say Record-High Diesel Prices Are ‘Killing the Business’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Danny Bui’s semi-truck, a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, is stocked with the essentials: a bed, a microwave, a refrigerator and a hearty supply of instant noodles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These comforts keep the 49-year-old father of four going during long days driving as a licensed motor carrier — the industry term for an independent contractor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I love the job. I love its independence. You want more money, you work hard,” Bui said in the expansive yard of PCC Logistics, the shipping company he works for at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/port-of-oakland\">Port of Oakland\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past six years, Bui, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when he was 14, has relied on trucking to support his family in San José. But as the wars in Iran and Ukraine have driven diesel prices to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915463/record-setting-diesel-prices-put-pressure-on-bay-area-businesses-and-consumers\">record levels\u003c/a> — over $8 per gallon on average in California, up $3 more than a year ago — Bui and other truckers said they’re struggling to afford loan and insurance payments and meet the high costs of living in the Bay Area, from housing to groceries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bui said he pays double what he used to— around $1,400 — to fill up his 240-gallon tank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260928-DIESELPRICES-NG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trucks pull oversized loads into the Port of Oakland where the loads are checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sept. 28, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Before, you make money. Now, you try to cover the cost. That’s how it works now,” he said. “ We just live day by day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PCC works with approximately 85 licensed motor carriers (among 800 at the port) and owns 10 company trucks. The company relies heavily on the licensed motor carriers — as opposed to drivers employed by the company — to cut down on costs, such as leasing and purchasing trucks and paying for fuel and insurance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company specializes in trucking meat and produce from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, where goods are loaded onto ships bound for Asia. This time of year, PCC distributes the Central Valley’s pomegranate and kiwi harvests, having wrapped up shipping honeydew melons out of the Fresno County city of Firebaugh, according to Steve Gardner, director of transportation for PCC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company’s independent truckers have become reluctant to make these long hauls because of high diesel prices, Gardner said. Diesel semi-trucks typically get around 7 miles to the gallon, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They don’t want go that far because it costs money. They’re upset, and rightfully so,” he said. “ They’re complaining a lot more, and at some point it’s going to boil over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gardner said he’s surprised that there hasn’t been a work stoppage or a protest, and for now, there are truckers willing to take on the work, as PCC currently charges its customers a 45% fuel surcharge — most of which goes to its independent truckers to help pay for the increased diesel prices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Martin Ramirez, 59, of Oakland, who works for PCC as a licensed motor carrier, has been trucking for 34 years. He said 20 years ago, for every $1,000 he earned, he’d take home $750, after paying for fuel and insurance. But recently, he said fuel and insurance take the lion’s share: He now takes home $450 for every $1,000 he earns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re not saving any money like before,” Ramirez said. “We’re not taking any vacations or taking our kids on a trip. We’re just surviving.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The longer prices remain elevated, the less likely truckers will be able to absorb the financial losses, ultimately affecting the price and availability of everyday retail goods, said Severin Borenstein, a petroleum industry expert at UC Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the short run, truckers end up eating some of it, and retailers end up eating some of it. But gradually, over time, they can’t keep doing that, and you get less supply and the price goes up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg\" alt=\"View of a freeway with cars and trucks.\" class=\"wp-image-11945323\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS50203_IMG_6571-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland jam-packed with cars and diesel trucks mid-afternoon on June 28, 2021. (Joyce Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s especially true for goods like produce, which is heavy relative to its value, so the shipping costs are significant, Borenstein said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if the wars were to end tomorrow, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/13/nx-s1-6000118/how-will-a-diesel-deal-with-russia-impact-the-u-s-market\">damage\u003c/a> done by missile and drone strikes to oil fields and refineries in Russia and the Middle East would take months to over a year to repair, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I were a trucker, I would certainly not count on diesel prices getting back to pre-war levels any time in the next many months, possibly more than a year,” he said, referring to the start of the Iran war in late February 2026, when the state’s diesel prices were around $5 a gallon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel prices in California are typically higher than the rest of the country due to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">number of factors\u003c/a>, namely taxes and the state’s emission reduction programs. The average price for a gallon of diesel in California is currently about $2 higher than the national average, according to \u003ca href=\"https://gasprices.aaa.com/\">AAA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/10/GettyImages-1396887368-scaled-e1792528283369.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11930567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Close-up of a hydrogen fuel cell truck driving on a road. According to the California Air Resources Board, heavy-duty fossil-fuel trucks spew 70% of the state’s smog-forming gases and 80% of carcinogenic diesel pollutants. (Aranga87/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, the California Energy Commission approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2026-08/cec-approves-95-million-plan-expand-zev-infrastructure\">$95 million plan\u003c/a> to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure across the state, including heavy-duty kinds for port and freight trucking. Gov. Gavin Newsom said this investment is partly aimed at “breaking Big Oil’s grip on Californians’ wallets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Technology, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/margooge/2026/10/01/the-only-real-hedge-against-diesel-shock-is-an-electric-truck/?\">electric semi-trucks\u003c/a>, could help insulate truckers from volatility in the diesel market, but Gardner said those alternatives don’t yet have the infrastructure they need to be feasible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You can put 1,000 electric trucks over here, but I don’t have any place to charge them,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, Bui has elected to only take short jobs, running loads between the port and nearby warehouses, to help minimize his exposure to high fuel costs. But he said it’s not a long-term solution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The diesel is killing the business,” Bui said. “ I would give it until the end of this year. If not, then I’ll have to find something else to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "One Key To California's Climate Goals? How We Cook",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode Transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:15:01] \u003c/em>You’re welcome. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:15:01] \u003c/em>You’re welcome. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bay Area food franchise Flour + Water is one of many local shops leading the charge away from gas appliances. In today’s episode, KQED reporter Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman visits an electric pizza kitchen to help us understand the benefits of electrification and what’s preventing more kitchens from making the switch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode Transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Many think of California as a leader when it comes to fighting climate change. We’ve got this ambitious goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. But there are a lot of things that get in the way of that. Like our reliance on cars and perhaps one less obvious reason, how we cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>As long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:47] \u003c/em>85% of California restaurants use gas to power their appliances. And it turns out, electrifying restaurant kitchens could actually play a pretty big role in getting us closer to our climate goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:04] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:14] \u003c/em>Today, the benefits of electrifying California’s restaurants and what it’s gonna take to get more of them on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>You know, we think of California as like this leader in climate change, right? We have more efficient fuel for our cars. We invest in transit and carpooling and all this stuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:39] \u003c/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:44] \u003c/em>Buildings, and then restaurants in particular, are this one place where we’re really behind. Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of all of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and restaurants in our state use gas at a much higher rate than other states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:03] \u003c/em>This is a sleeper issue. A lot of people don’t realize it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:07] \u003c/em>Brandy Seals is the Director of the Electrification for Health program at Stanford University. And they’re really looking at benefits of electrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brandy Seals: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:18] \u003c/em>So when you look at commercial spaces, kitchens, and food service, they have about five times the energy usage of a standard office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:28] \u003c/em>She says that commercial kitchens really like punch above their weight. Because restaurants use gas, they’re also sort of cementing this demand for gas. So she says that if we’re gonna really address this issue of climate change, we need to start looking at buildings and specifically restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:48] \u003c/em>So it sounds like commercial kitchens are maybe an untapped space for electrification that I’m definitely not thinking about. But what are the barriers to actually making it happen and also making it more common? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:03] \u003c/em>Well, I think like, first off, just put yourself in the shoes of a restaurant owner, right? Restaurants run on extremely thin margins. You know, there’s a lot of turnover, like, you know, most restaurants don’t even make it a year, right. And in order to switch to electricity, that’s a big investment, right, most restaurants are going to come with gas hookups for your appliances. But in order to switch electric, you gotta get a new panel, you got to pay for new electric service. You gotta buy these appliances. Electricity, not cheap in California. I mean, we have the most expensive electricity in the Continental 48. There’s also not as much of a demand in the market. So it’s just kind of like this small niche thing that’s growing that is kind of still waiting to see its moment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:59] \u003c/em>So you visited a restaurant that actually went electric. Who did you meet and what did they say about the practical barriers that they faced? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:11] \u003c/em>Can we do a little tour? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, of course. So our pantry section or garmagé. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:16] \u003c/em>So I went to Flower and Water. They have a pizza shop in Oakland, but they’re part of this restaurant group. They’ve essentially committed to making all of their future restaurants electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:29] \u003c/em>Machines, slushies, burners, fryers, everything here runs on electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:35] \u003c/em>I talked to their CEO, Thomas McNaughton. He said basically, when you said like electric oven to him like 10 years ago, he was like, he thought of like an Easy Bake Oven, you know, like a toy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>And I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:49] \u003c/em>But he said that changed around six years ago. He started seeing these electric ovens that were like really powerful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>And that kind of introduced us to the idea, saying, like, if this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>He said that sustainability is like a really important value of theirs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:11] \u003c/em>Sustainability for us is not just where we buy our seafood from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:19] \u003c/em>In terms of like the challenges that he faced, he said that whether or not a space has the ability to like accommodate the electrical load that like an electric kitchen requires is a limiting factor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at. And so that’s one that can feel somewhat constricting at times. Problem solving is one of the most fascinating parts of the job of a chef or a restaurateur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:51] \u003c/em>And that sounds kind of expensive, maybe? What was that process like?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:55] \u003c/em>What McNaughton said is that in general to buy electric appliances is a little more expensive than gas ones, to run them is more expensive. They spend about $8,000 a month at their Oakland location on electricity, which is like 34 times higher than the average household in California. Oh my goodness. So it’s a considerable load. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:16] \u003c/em>That’s a lot of money every month, Azul, for electricity. I mean, what makes it worth it for him? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:22] \u003c/em>Well, I think on one hand, you know, he said sustainability is like a big part of their business So there is value in sort of like a non numerical thing for them I think now it’s sort of liked baked in no pun intended into their business, right? Like they are an electric Restaurant and it’s part of like kind of the identity of their pizza \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Thomas McNaughton: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:46] \u003c/em>And really, these electric ovens, I think, really are creating this kind of new wave of pizza making because they’re so powerful, because you can toggle both deck top and bottom heat. It actually, we can incorporate a fair amount of char, like a Neapolitan pizza, but actually slow down the bake time. And that incorporates a lot more texture into our high-hydration dough that, to me, is incredibly craveable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:16] \u003c/em>Did you taste it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:17] \u003c/em>I did. yeah, I mean flower waters. It’s good pizza. I don’t think that’s a controversial take McNaughton’s like a finalist for like the James Beard Awards before so \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:29] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re doing pretty well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:31] \u003c/em>Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:32] \u003c/em>So my name’s Azul, I’m a reporter at KQED. Did you know that flour and water was all electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:38] \u003c/em>I did not know that they were all electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:59] \u003c/em>We’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, the health case for electric kitchens. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:27] \u003c/em>I guess aside from the broader ecological benefits of going electric, what do experts say about the other benefits for restaurants going electric? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:38] \u003c/em>Just to like put a number on it, there’s a new study that actually came out this month that found that 70% of gas burning kitchens, so these are commercial kitchens that were studied, exceeded the recommended limits for nitrogen dioxide that’s like federal health standards. They also found, you know, like elevated levels of carbon dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over a stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:13] \u003c/em>I talked to Rob Jackson, he’s an environmental scientist at Stanford University, and he talked about this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rob Jackson: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:18] \u003c/em>We know that the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that now when cleaner, better technologies are available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:28] \u003c/em>And then imagine if you’re a chef in a kitchen, you’re standing over that burner for eight hours a day. And I talked to some of the chefs, they said like, it’s less greasy, you have a little bit more control. Like one thing they said about induction is like, you’ll never have a pot of cream boil over because with an induction cooktop, you can just like set it at a number and it’ll just stay there. Whereas with like flame, the heat transfer, things just get hotter and hotter. There is like some push back against cooking with induction or electric. A lot of chefs, you know, have hesitation around changing their cooking practices. The California Restaurant Association, which is this trade association group for the California restaurant industry, in a commercial from 2019, they said like, what about like searing meat or charring vegetables? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:23] \u003c/em>Or cooking food in a wok over high intensity heat. All of that would go away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>Some of that could be due to the fact that induction is still catching up to where it needs to be in terms of technology. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Commerical: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>Try doing three or 400 covers a night on an electric stove. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:42] \u003c/em>How you cook is very personal. There’s cultural practices, there’s how you learned in cooking school, all these things that go into it. So, while McNaughton promotes this move that he’s made very heavily, a lot of people have doubts about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:56] \u003c/em>Have there been any efforts at the local and statewide level to push more commercial kitchens to make this change?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:04] \u003c/em>There’s been like a specific push for commercial kitchens and there’s been a broader push just to get gas out of all buildings. So you can go back to like 2019 in Berkeley. Berkeley passed a ban on natural gas in new construction. And the city of Berkeley is leading the charge with the law that covers new construction. That got a lot of pushback from the California restaurant association that successfully defeated the, the band in the courts by arguing basically like Berkeley was overstepping its bounds. They were trying to regulate the efficiency of things when that’s the remit of the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newscaster: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:40] \u003c/em>New at 10 tonight, the City of Berkeley lost its latest legal battle. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Berkeley’s petition for the court to rehear the case after the ban was ruled illegal last year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:53] \u003c/em>There’s also efforts at the state level to incentivize kitchens specifically to go all electric. There’s rebates available through California utilities like PG&E for commercial kitchens to buy appliances. There’s these Chef Fluencers that is run by this group called the Building Decarbonization Coalition. And their jobs are basically to like preach the good word of induction and encourage people to adopt it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:22] \u003c/em>Yeah, there’s the practical piece of it of just making it easier, lowering the barriers for restaurants to get access to these things. But also there’s this norms piece of like really trying to get people in the restaurant industry to, I guess, see this as a thing that they could do that wouldn’t impact their food quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:46] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, you know, when most people think of electric cooking, they think of those like janky electric coil stoves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:52] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, me too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:53] \u003c/em>But like that’s not what this is. This is like the technology has come a long way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:58] \u003c/em>I think that there’s some misconceptions about it. Oh my goodness, it’s not gonna achieve the same quality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:06] \u003c/em>I spoke to Katie Chin. She’s a chef fluencer and a caterer based in Southern California. And she’s had her own journey with induction. Like when she first used it, she was like, oh no, like, you know, I’m a cater, I’m professional caterer. Like I gotta cook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:22] \u003c/em>I had never cooked on one and it scared me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:25] \u003c/em>She told me this story about being stuck in Southern California traffic on the way to a catering gig and actually being thankful that there was induction at her client’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:36] \u003c/em>Seeing is believing. So I was able to boil the water for, you know, 600 dumplings in a fraction of the time it would have taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water. \u003cem>[00:13:45]\u003c/em>\u003cem>[9.1]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>She really says that people should try to keep an open mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Chin: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:13:52] \u003c/em>And a lot of people associate like, well, how can you, how can get those great stir fries if you’re not like, you know how people flip the wok like this? I think the main stereotype is that, oh, it’s not gonna get hot enough. And I see no difference at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:09] \u003c/em>I gotta say, Azul, when I think about our state fighting climate change, I don’t really think about commercial kitchens very much, but how much of a difference could it actually make if more commercial kitchens in the state address their emissions?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:26] \u003c/em>I think it comes down to this thing where it’s like, as long as there are stoves with a gas pipe leading to them, we’re going to keep burning gas in this state. And if California is going to truly like decarbonize and get off gas, then we need to start looking at our buildings and restaurants are this very entrenched use of natural gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:14:55] \u003c/em>Azul, this was such an interesting story. Thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:15:01] \u003c/em>You’re welcome. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "If voters reject a regional transit ballot measure, the agency says it will be forced to cut service and lay off hundreds of employees.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>In an effort to prevent a repeat of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">July Fourth traffic meltdown\u003c/a>, city transportation officials have expanded public transit service, restricted autonomous vehicle operations and discouraged spectators from driving to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103039/fleet-week-2026-practice-schedule-blue-angels-ship-tours-where-events\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> this weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first time the city has ever geofenced Fleet Week, although the practice is common for other large-scale events, such as the Outside Lands music festival, according to SFMTA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">More than 30 Waymos became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show on July 4, 2026, blocking parking for hours. (Courtesy of Dr. R, AGI Summit 2026)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the last Fourth of July, thousands of people streamed into the areas around the Golden Gate Bridge to watch a special fireworks show, bringing traffic to a standstill across a large section of the Marina District and surrounding neighborhoods as crowds left en masse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days that followed, city officials said the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090516/too-much-traffic-not-enough-toilets-sf-city-officials-revisit-fourth-of-july-mishaps\">mess\u003c/a> was caused partly by autonomous vehicles that blocked traffic and drivers who illegally used transit-only lanes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have had challenges with autonomous vehicles, and the congestion that they can create sometimes when they brick, for example,” Wise said, referring to when the cars freeze in place. “ We’ve since partnered with them to make sure that we do not have those kind of traffic [disruptions].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Fleet Week is likely to be more popular than past years, Sherrill said at a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097824/could-san-francisco-see-july-4-crowds-for-fleet-week-city-leaders-say-not-exactly\">hearing\u003c/a>, partly because the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team, the Blue Angels, are set to return after last year’s government shutdown canceled them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure that you take the time to get to the events or wherever it is you’re going in the city,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "San Francisco transit officials say restrictions on autonomous vehicles are based on “lessons learned” from the last July 4 traffic meltdown.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>In an effort to prevent a repeat of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">July Fourth traffic meltdown\u003c/a>, city transportation officials have expanded public transit service, restricted autonomous vehicle operations and discouraged spectators from driving to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103039/fleet-week-2026-practice-schedule-blue-angels-ship-tours-where-events\">Fleet Week\u003c/a> this weekend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> ”Just be aware that parking is very tough. If you can take Muni or walk or we have lots of bike sharing,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency at a news conference on Friday, pointing to a nearby Lyft bike rack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wise said the decision to restrict the robotaxi companies Waymo and Zoox from operating across a large swath of the Marina District, The Embarcadero and the entire Presidio — a practice called “geofencing” — was based on “lessons learned” from this year’s Fourth of July fiasco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first time the city has ever geofenced Fleet Week, although the practice is common for other large-scale events, such as the Outside Lands music festival, according to SFMTA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090009\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_0073-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">More than 30 Waymos became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show on July 4, 2026, blocking parking for hours. (Courtesy of Dr. R, AGI Summit 2026)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the last Fourth of July, thousands of people streamed into the areas around the Golden Gate Bridge to watch a special fireworks show, bringing traffic to a standstill across a large section of the Marina District and surrounding neighborhoods as crowds left en masse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days that followed, city officials said the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090516/too-much-traffic-not-enough-toilets-sf-city-officials-revisit-fourth-of-july-mishaps\">mess\u003c/a> was caused partly by autonomous vehicles that blocked traffic and drivers who illegally used transit-only lanes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have had challenges with autonomous vehicles, and the congestion that they can create sometimes when they brick, for example,” Wise said, referring to when the cars freeze in place. “ We’ve since partnered with them to make sure that we do not have those kind of traffic [disruptions].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both Waymo and Zoox said they would comply with the geofence request from the city. The geofence began Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft are exempt. The increased regulation of autonomous vehicle companies comes as Waymo steadily expands its fleet size in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the company told KQED there are over 1,300 Waymo vehicles operating in the region — more than quadruple the number when it expanded access to the public in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city expects as many as 3,000 people to crowd the Marina Green alone at any given time — 1,000 more people than last year — according to a Fleet Week medical planning memo that San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s office shared with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s Fleet Week is likely to be more popular than past years, Sherrill said at a September \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097824/could-san-francisco-see-july-4-crowds-for-fleet-week-city-leaders-say-not-exactly\">hearing\u003c/a>, partly because the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team, the Blue Angels, are set to return after last year’s government shutdown canceled them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The SFMTA is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/fleet-week-october-9-11-2026\">increasing Muni service\u003c/a> on routes that serve the city’s eastern and northern waterfront, where it expects people to watch the Blue Angels. Wise said the agency will have parking control officers in “areas where we expect the most crowding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure that you take the time to get to the events or wherever it is you’re going in the city,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas",
"title": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas",
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"headTitle": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘A gas-heavy state’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"excerpt": "Electric kitchen conversions are expensive, but as California weans itself off fossil fuels, these chefs say it’s good for food quality, climate and health. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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