by Roger Riffenburgh
The Bay Area News Group’s Mercury News has joined Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association, the Santa Clara County GOP, and local community leaders in opposing to Santa Clara County’s proposed sales tax increase. In a recent editorial the Mercury News concluded: “Before asking residents for more tax money, county officials should find a way to spend what they have more efficiently.”
Santa Clara County’s Measure A, appearing on the November 4, 2025 ballot, proposes a five-eighths cent sales tax increase for five years, projected to generate $330 million annually. It would push the total rate to 10% or more in most of the county.
Much of the county’s financial difficulty results from the county’s decision to buy and operate three financially unstable hospitals rather than let them close. County officials argue the tax is necessary to offset federal cuts to healthcare funding, particularly under H.R. 1, the president’s big budget bill, which threatens the viability of the county’s public hospital system. But the Merc says, “While we supported the 2019 hospital purchases, we never intended that to be a blank check. Clearly a major reorganization to cut costs and find savings through economies of scale has been needed for years. Instead, the county has increased fourfold the subsidies from the general fund — from money that would otherwise go to other county services.”
One of the most troubling aspects of the proponents’ campaign is the county’s use of taxpayer-funded mailers to promote the measure. Two separate mailers were sent to residents warning of “disastrous local hospital closures,” timed conspicuously just weeks before the election. While the mailers stop short of explicitly endorsing Measure A, their alarmist tone and strategic timing have drawn accusations of political campaigning on the public dime. As KQED reported, County Executive James Williams warned in one mailer that “local hospitals and clinics could close” due to federal cuts — a message critics say was designed to sway voters under the guise of public information. The mailers reportedly cost $266,000.
Of course, there are other reasons to vote No on Measure A. Sales taxes are regressive, meaning they take a greater percentage of the income of low income people. The proposed tax is said to be for healthcare, but since it’s a general tax, it could actually be used for any government purpose. The tax is described as “temporary”, but many a temporary tax has become permanent.
People who want to help with the No campaign may contact The Santa Clara County Republican Party (SVGOP) or the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association.
