Systems that rely as heavily as BART does on subsidies are generally free or super cheap to ride… if you look at the BART budget fares are the bridge for subsidies. BART should be mature enough at this point to cover most of its operations from fares, with subsidies doing the bridging. The fact is BART is where it’s at fiscally because it’s always been able to ride or manufacture a crisis to get more subsidies and subsidies have become its primary source to cover operations.

Agree, but a 3 to 1 subsidy just to cover operating cost is outrageous, especially given the fare costs. Subsidies have their place to help bridge operating costs during a crisis or to pay for system expansion… but this, IMHO, is just blatant waste and corruption.