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The sales tax in Alameda County increased by 1% effective July 1 upon implementation of two tax measures approved by voters last year.
The new sales tax rate in Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and Sunol, as well as most other parts of the county, is now 10.25%. Some cities — which have their own local sales taxes like Alameda, Emeryville and Hayward — now have a tax rate of 10.75%.
The tax increase is the result of Measure C from March 2020 and Measure W from November 2020, which were both on ballots countywide.
Measure C raises sales tax by 0.5% to fund childcare, preschool and early education programs plus pediatric health care; it passed with 64.35% of the vote. Measure W, also 0.5%, funds essential county and social safety net services after passing with 50.09% of the vote.
The Alameda County Taxpayers’ Association notes that as a result of its lawsuits challenging the tax increase, the county must keep the new tax revenues in escrow accounts and refund taxpayers if they win in court.
“Measure C raises sales tax by 0.5% to fund childcare, preschool and early education programs plus pediatric health care; it passed with 64.35% of the vote. Measure W, also 0.5%, funds essential county and social safety net services after passing with 50.09% of the vote.”
None of these measures to increase the sales tax received the required two thirds majority vote to pass. Alameda County has no business implementing/collecting funds for them. Some judge/court will probably find a way of letting the increases go through – claiming it is (drum roll please) “equitable” to do so.
If the tax increases stand, expect more of them in the future with supporters shamelessly claiming that a projected 11%, 12%, 13%, etc. sales tax rate is really “modest” and “affordable”. No, it is not. People will find ways of not paying it and other states/localities do fine with 6% or 7%.
Another nail in California’s coffin. Time to move.
For Alameda County Tax Payers Association:
If you were to win this litigation, how would the collected monies be refunded to tax payers?
“The sales tax in Alameda County increased by 1% effective July 1 upon implementation of two tax measures approved by voters last year.”
A 1% increase from the previous 9.25% sales tax rate is actually a 10.8% increase. That is a very large increase. All of these measures use the small % number such as .5% to dupe taxpayers into believing that these increases are small when in fact they are not.