This report has been updated through 5pm Nov. 6. Bookmark this page for updates.
Santa Clara County voters overwhelmingly supported adding 0.625% to the county sales tax rate for five years.
As of 4:57pm Nov. 6, the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters reported 232,023 YES votes, 57%, and 175,927 NO votes, 43%. Measure A’s Election Day winning margin of 47,000 votes swelled by Thursday to more than 56,000.
Election officials estimated that the total Santa Clara County turnout – fueled by interest in the county sales tax measure as well as Prop 50’s new map for congressional districts – was nearly 546,000. The county's 51% turnout vastly exceeded expectations. The statewide voter turnout was 38%.
The election office today reported that 127,500 ballots, about 23%, remained to be counted.
Officials could not estimate when vote counting would be completed. It may take up to 30 days for county elections officials to verify voter records and determine if ballots have been cast by eligible voters.
Nearly 57% of Santa Clara County voters approved of an increase in local sales taxes that county officials say is necessary to help offset dramatic cuts in federal aid by the Trump Administration, mostly in health care.
The approval of the additional 0.625% in county sales taxes propels half of the county into double-digit territory.
The sales tax increase needed only a simple majority of county voters to be enacted, because it is an unrestricted tax that can be spent for any county government purpose.
County officials said the higher taxes are needed to close a projected billion-dollar budget shortfall they say is the result of the “Big Beautiful Bill” approved by a Republican Congress and signed by President Trump.
The countywide sales tax will increase to 9.75%. The increase will be rolled back in five years.
County Executive James Williams said the county can collect more than $330 million over five years from the five-eighths-cent additional sales tax.
Purchases made in the cities of San Jose and Milpitas, which have city sales taxes as well, will have a 10% tax. Campbell businesses will collect 10.5%, the county’s highest rate. Consumers in Los Gatos will pay 9.875%.
The sales tax adds $187.50 to the price of a $30,000 car, and $1.25 to a $200 non-exempt retail purchase.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the tax in a special meeting Aug. 7 after Metro Silicon Valley reported that about 30% of the county’s budget is now compromised by cuts to federal healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid—distributed by the state as Medi-Cal.
Santa Clara County Executive James Williams forecast Thursday that county revenue would suffer a $1.3 billion loss by the 2029-30 fiscal year without a revenue increase at the county level.
About 70% of the county’s public healthcare system, which has expanded rapidly in recent years, is funded by Medicare and Medicaid.
Prop 35, passed by California voters in November to expand Medicaid funding, will no longer take effect as a result of the immediate impacts of HR1. State leaders need to fill in the financial gap for counties like Santa Clara, Williams said.
“HR1 has punched a huge hole in our safety net,” Board President Otto Lee said. “Our county operates four hospitals and dozens of clinics in addition to supporting community clinics.”
Medicare is a federal health insurance program benefiting people older than 65 along with younger people with disabilities, while Medicaid provides benefits to low-income adults and children. Medicaid is the single largest source of federal revenue for the County of Santa Clara, representing about $1.9 billion of its budget.
The Valley Healthcare System is the primary care provider for one in four county residents.
Williams said a combination of cuts in services and the sales tax increase are necessary for Santa Clara County to sustain service levels at the 15-hospital and clinic Valley Healthcare System.
The largest portion of the county sales tax rate is a state levy of 7.25%. County governments – and many cities – add additional sales taxes. In the Bay Area, the current sales tax rates vary from a low of 8.625% in San Francisco to a high of 10.25% in Alameda County, where consumers buying products in four cities – Alameda, Albany, Newark and San Leandro – pay a 10.75% sales tax.
Current sales taxes in 65 California cities are at 10% or higher – 47 of them are in Los Angeles County. The proposed new Santa Clara County property tax rate would match the current Los Angeles County rate.
Statewide, the city of Lancaster in Los Angeles County has the highest local sales tax rate, at 11.25%, according to the California Department of Tax and Revenue.
Will buoy the hopes of the billionaire tax club. Once that passes, tax revenue will crater, I think the top 1% pays 49% of the state tax revenue.
10%+ (11%+ in SoCal) is mindboggling. I can not believe you people keep doing this. Yawl are like the frog in the water they are raising 1 degree at a time. Look up Marxian alienation brother.
Means when other counties run out of room they will be heading to SCCounty for hospital care. Also the unions supported this esp public safety. Mark my words they will now ask for bigger cost of living since there is now money. County Sups are very good at spending our money while feeling so good about themselves and a few of them come from money. Noone gets elected anymore by being frugal and careful with our tax dollars.
Why is California so dependent on Federal taxpayer money? I thought they had the 5th largest GDP in the world? Where is all that money actually going?
Voting to shed your hard earned wages to spite Trump is diabolical. Do people even read anymore or just vote blue no matter who? Its wild this thing gets put through and there is no oversight as to what this money is to be spent on.
-“HR1 has punched a huge hole in our safety net,” Board President Otto Lee said. “Our county operates four hospitals and dozens of clinics in addition to supporting community clinics.”-
Maybe use it for LEGAL citizens of this country and it wouldnt be a problem, just a thought. The state of California has been improperly managed for the last decade and a half with no real light in sight other than more taxes, low wage increases and heavy spending with nothing to show for.
“Overwhelmingly supported”? I guess that depends on one’s definition of “overwhelmingly.”
Measure A passed by 13.42% If this had been a specific tax Measure A would not have passed. In my opinion, it passed but I would not used adjectives like “overwhelmingly.”
This is an unrestricted tax! That means the county can spend it on literally anything. I strongly doubt the SCC hospital system will see 100% of this tax revenue.
When was the last time the Santa Clara County Council published a set of financial reports showing total annual revenue detail by source and annual spending by category/sub-category? It’s incumbent upon our elected leaders to report this type of information (audited by a professional CPA firm) to the taxpayers of the county, so we can ensure they are doing a good job. The truth will set us all free!!
Gotta love that every single comment is completely against that reportedly popular tax hike. Obviously a lot of vocal, real people, who live here didn’t want it, so sure seems to stink like election fraud. Could it be the illegal aliens voted for that? The same ones that can’t read your paper?
Tina, I know you opposed this tax measure, as did I. But it appears that a sizable portion of County voters (whether or not “overwhelming” in number) disagreed with us.
I find the foolishness of fellow voters deeply troubling. This tax measure, which will not sunset and is not constrained to healthcare, was dishonestly presented by deceitful County officials, and endorsed by the mayor and our congressional delegation. Not one of these officials has our best interests at heart. Yet the electorate continues to allow this corrupt, abusive and tyrannical behavior by the County.