Santa Clara County Voters Pass Measure A — First CA County to Tax Its Way Out of Federal Medicaid Cuts
Santa Clara County became the first in California to pass a sales tax to offset federal Medicaid cuts. Measure A (0.625% sales tax, 57% approval) generates $330M/year for healthcare, effective April 1, 2026. Covers ~⅓ of the county's estimated $1B+ annual revenue loss from H.R. 1. One in four county families rely on Medi-Cal. Santa Clara Valley Healthcare operates 4 hospitals and 15 health centers. LA County is now pursuing a similar half-cent sales tax measure — a model that could spread statewide.
Key takeaways
- Measure A = 0.625% sales tax, 57% voter approval, generates $330M/year for healthcare (effective April 1, 2026)
- First CA county to pass a sales tax specifically to offset federal Medicaid cuts
- Covers ~1/3 of the county's estimated $1B+ annual revenue loss from H.R. 1
- LA County now pursuing similar half-cent sales tax — could become statewide model
Primary source
National Association of CountiesAffected FQHCs
FQHC Talent. (2026, March 6). Santa Clara County Voters Pass Measure A — First CA County to Tax Its Way Out of Federal Medicaid Cuts. Primary source: National Association of Counties. Retrieved April 28, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/santa-clara-measure-a-healthcare-tax
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