Helping with the Next Step for SMART

SMART train at the Petaluma North station

March 11, 2026

This event has passed. The presentation slides are coming soon.

Join Urban Chat’s Know Before You Grow forum for a conversation with political consultant Dennis Rosatti and others about the upcoming SMART Initiative election and what Urban Chat members can do to help keep the trains on the tracks.

Last fall, Urban Chat collected over 300 signatures on petitions to renew the sales tax that is an essential funding source for the SMART train.  Our signatures were part over 72,000 signatures collected in Sonoma and Marin Counties, easily qualifying for the June 2 election.  Now, the task before us is to ensure the ballot measure passes.

Dennis Rosatti of Rosatti Consulting will speak with Urban Chat’s Know Before You Grow about how the campaign will be conducted and what we can do to assist.  Rosatti is a political consultant to a coalition of North Bay transportation experts, environmental leaders, employers, and civic leaders that proposed the SMART Initiative.

Also, Dani Sheehan-Myers of Friends of SMART will tell us about a train outing FoS is organizing to educate voters about the destinations SMART can reach.  We'll be encouraged to join the outing.  FoS is a citizens group that has advocated for the train for nearly a quarter century. 

Lastly, we'll do role playing in case we come across train skeptics with criticisms like "The trains are always empty", "SMART will never pay for itself", or "SMART should run more frequently".  Join in, and maybe learn a few things, as we play act about how to rebut these concerns.  (If you have a question you'd like to pose, bring it that evening.)

Let's do all we can to ensure that SMART passes at that ballot box in June.  And not just barely succeeds but passes with a margin that sends a message that the North Bay believes deeply in useful, climate-friendly transit.