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Salesforce
One of San Francisco's largest corporate employers, headquartered at the Salesforce Tower above the transit center that this measure's capital projects aim to connect.
A sales tax this large does not put itself on the ballot. The "Yes" campaign, organized as the Connect Bay Area Transit committee, raised nearly $3 million before a single signature was even validated. The money is coming largely from the businesses, contractors, and unions that stand to collect or benefit from the spending the tax would fund. Voters paying the tax should know who is paying for the campaign.
Under California law, the committee must disclose its largest contributors. Its official top-funder statement, valid for May 2026, lists three:
One of San Francisco's largest corporate employers, headquartered at the Salesforce Tower above the transit center that this measure's capital projects aim to connect.
The Ripple cryptocurrency co-founder and one of the Bay Area's most prolific political megadonors, giving as an individual.
A public-employee union whose members include transit and public-agency workers whose jobs the tax is intended to sustain.
Source: Connect Bay Area Transit, Official Top Funders statement (valid for May 2026), as required by the Political Reform Act.
When the campaign announced in January 2026 that it had raised close to $3 million to pay for signature gathering, it named its major early donors. They fall into a familiar pattern: the contractors who build transit, the firms that design it, the union that staffs it, and large employers and a billionaire backer.
| Donor | What they are | Interest in the tax passing |
|---|---|---|
| Herzog Contracting Corporation | Railroad and transit construction contractor | Builds and maintains the rail systems the tax would fund |
| HNTB Corporation | National transportation engineering and design firm | Designs and manages transit capital projects |
| SEIU Local 1021 | Public-employee labor union | Represents workers whose positions the tax sustains |
| Salesforce | Major San Francisco employer (software) | Corporate and downtown-recovery interest |
| Genentech | South San Francisco employer (biotech) | Corporate and commuter interest |
| Meta | Technology employer | Corporate and commuter interest |
| Chris Larsen | Cryptocurrency billionaire (individual) | Civic and political backing |
The committee is led by a mix of business and labor organizations, including:
Every contribution over $100 is itemized on the committee's Form 460 filings. You can review the complete, official record, including names, amounts, and dates, on Santa Clara County's NetFile portal.
View the official filings on NetFile
Filer: Connect Bay Area Transit (Santa Clara County ID 214761697). As the campaign files new statements, the itemized totals here will grow.
Sources: Connect Bay Area Transit Official Top Funders statement (May 2026); campaign fundraising announcement reported by the Antioch Herald (January 15, 2026) and KQED; and Form 460 filings on file with Santa Clara County via NetFile. Donor descriptions reflect each entity's primary business or role. Dollar figures are as reported on the dates noted; consult the NetFile filings for the current itemized totals.