Santa Clara County voters pass a sales tax to offset Medicaid cuts
Issue
Santa Clara County became the first California county to pass a sales tax to offset Medicaid cuts, the National Association of Counties reported in March 2026. Measure A, a 0.625% tax approved by 57% of voters, is estimated at $330 million a year.
San José Spotlight reported on September 30 that the money is on hold until two lawsuits end.
Key points
- Measure A = 0.625% sales tax, 57% voter approval, estimated $330M/year for healthcare (effective April 1, 2026; revenue held while two lawsuits are pending as of September 30, 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
Sources for this story
National Association of CountiesPart of
- State health elections and ballot measures
County and city health measures
- California county safety-net budgets
Bay Area counties
Affected FQHCs
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FQHC Talent. (2026, March 6). Santa Clara County voters pass a sales tax to offset Medicaid cuts. Source: National Association of Counties. Retrieved November 11, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/santa-clara-measure-a-healthcare-tax