DEBORA ALLEN, BART DIRECTOR
Calls it quits after 8 years on the BART Board of Directors
In 2016, I promised to bring common-sense leadership to the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART). I promised to focus on improving the personal safety of BART riders and workers. I promised to bring more financial transparency and oversight to BART’s $2.4 billion annual budget while remaining politically independent, not beholden to special interest groups. I believe I have fulfilled those promises. The voters of central Contra Costa noticed my determination to bring change to BART and re-elected me overwhelmingly in 2020, despite active opposition from BART labor unions and 6 of 9 sitting BART Board Directors. They recruited, funded and coached my opponent. An estimated $150K was spent by public employee labor unions alone to unseat me. The current board President contributed $20K to my opponent. But they lost, and Contra Costa won in the battle for independent leadership and common-sense in 2020. I was re-elected with 64% of the vote in a 3-way race in the height of the COVID19 pandemic. Now, that second term comes to a close this year, and after considerable discussion with my family and business partners, I have decided to step aside and not run for re-election to a third term. But I believe a suitable replacement has stepped up to the plate, Mayor of Pleasant Hill Matt Rinn. The filing deadline for the seat is closed and only Mayor Rinn applied. I know Matt well, and I'm confident that he will be a great BART Director and will continue the work I started in 2016 to strengthen the oversight and fiscal accountability of the 5th largest transit agency in the United States of America. I knew when I began my first term in office that BART faced difficult challenges. I stepped up to tackle them with determination and I will continue to do that to the end of my term this December. I also knew I would be outnumbered and to make change would be a tremendous climb uphill pushing a wheelbarrow full of rocks. It still is, but I will continue to diligently work to keep the conversation focused on sound fiscal policy and common sense and I will work closely with incoming Director Rinn during the transition. The pandemic and the resulting economic devastation from the over 50% loss of ridership, have only compounded these challenges. While I’ve managed to bring oversight and accountability to the agency during my first 8 years on the board (from a minority position), much work remains to bring BART to a place of financial and operable stability, as we face perpetual annual structural deficits of over $350 million and growing. Unfortunately, the urban directors who control the BART board majority continue to focus on misguided agendas that have slowed BART's recovery from the pandemic as one of the worst in the nation. For more context, read my recent opinion piece in the East Bay Times regarding BART in crisis. My successor will have a big job to do and I hope you all will give him the same support and love you have given to me over the last 8 years. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your BART Board Director for District 1 for the last 8 years. Be assured, I will continue to be involved in taxpayer oversight and good governance of local and state government in the future.
Sincerely,
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Common Sense for BART
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- Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Board - Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) - West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee - CCTA Accessible Transportation Strategic Policy Advisory Committee - CCTA Innovate 680 Committee - Pleasant Hill BART Leasing Joint Powers Authority
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