"The Medicaid cuts in President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will squeeze Santa Clara County health care funding. But raising local taxes is not the solution. Instead, county supervisors should stem their rapidly escalating spending, which has doubled in the past eight years and ranks highest per capita by far of the 10 largest California counties. And voters should reject Measure A, the five-year sales tax increase on the Nov. 4 special election ballot."
"The measure would add another five-eighths of a cent to each dollar of taxable goods, pushing the total rate to 10% or more in most of the county. State data indicates that the average person in the county currently pays at least $1,700 a year in sales tax, which is distributed between state and local governments. Measure A would increase that by at least $113 annually."
"Raising taxes before imposing long-overdue fiscal discipline puts the cart before the horse. While Measure A would expire in 2031, we expect it would be permanently built into the county budget by then and county officials would be begging for an extension to avoid cuts. There's no question that the county will take a hit from the Trump Medicaid cuts."
Medicaid cuts in President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' will reduce Santa Clara County health care funding, creating pressure on county budgets. County supervisors have doubled spending from $6.4 billion in 2017-18 to $13 billion in 2025-26, with health care as the largest driver. Measure A proposes a five-eighths cent sales tax increase, raising typical county sales-tax burden by at least $113 annually and pushing local rates to 10% or more. County health services treat 40% of residents and provide 80% of trauma care. The county rescued O'Connor and Saint Louise hospitals from bankruptcy in 2019.
Read at The Mercury News
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