Commentary: Measure E Needs and Deserves the Support of All Santa Cruzans
By Mark Dolson
This month, Santa Cruz County voters are being asked to decide on 14 state propositions and two county measures. Few of us have time to carefully assess each of these, but we can still make our own informed decisions about a select few. In this spirit, I want to briefly explain why we should all care about and support Measure E.
Measure E is a specific, temporary county response to an equally specific, impending county financial crisis: an imminent shortfall of an estimated $200 million per year in the county’s essential services budget. This is the direct result of H.R.1, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that reduced taxes for the wealthy and simultaneously reduced support for those in need. It directly eliminated $25 million of county funding per year, but the cumulative impact will be far greater due to hidden multiplier effects.
For example, county Medi-Cal enrollment is projected to decline 32% over 2025–2027. 25,000 people will lose coverage. A smaller number are facing reduced CalFresh nutritional assistance. All these people will be forced to rely on county-funded indigent care, public hospitals, and emergency services. This will lead to higher uncompensated care costs, longer wait times, and difficulties recruiting medical specialists.
These impacts often feel abstract and remote until we suddenly find ourselves unable to receive timely treatment at Dominican Hospital or waiting hours for an ambulance in the SLV. The reality is that insufficient voter support for Measure E will ultimately harm all of us. At a minimum, then, we should all understand exactly what we’re voting on.
The bottom line is that actions in Washington, D.C., have created a serious local problem. The county needs to respond, and it has only two options: (1) devise alternate ways of generating the required revenue, and/or (2) reduce spending on essential services via some combination of outright cuts and revised strategies.
The county is pursuing both options, and Measure E is one piece of this response. Measure E temporarily increases the sales tax throughout the county by 0.5% (i.e., 50 cents on $100). This should increase county revenue by about $27 million per year. This is only a fraction of what is needed, but this is because the county is engaging in a desperate triage exercise to deal with a crisis that has been foisted upon us.
My research for this op-ed has reassured me that our county supervisors have been extremely diligent and responsible in crafting their response. For example, California counties have been aggressively pushing for more state assistance, and the state has responded with helpful new legislation. Multiple cost-saving measures are also being pursued. In the end, though, the supervisors’ plan still hinges upon voter approval of Measure E.
Voters’ responses will depend on what question they ask. If the question is “Do I want to pay a higher sales tax?” the answer is obvious. Nobody welcomes higher taxes, and sales taxes are notorious for being regressive (i.e., they disproportionately impact the people who can least afford to pay). Measure E addresses this by exempting groceries, diapers, and prescriptions (and by opting for an almost negligible tax increment).
But voters may still wonder, “Isn’t there some better way of raising county funds?” In my own research, I have been unable to find any other revenue-generating solution that could realistically meet our needs. (This stuff is complicated, and it doesn’t help that our county keeps only 13% of the property tax revenue it generates!)
Another relevant question is, “What are other California counties doing?” Santa Clara County has adopted a similarly multifaceted approach, including a 0.625% sales tax increase approved by voters last November. Los Angeles voters approved a 0.5% increase this past June. Other counties will be watching us this November.
To me, though, the most important question is: “Do I want to live in a future where Measure E fails to pass?” Without this revenue, we are certain to see increased stress on our local health system, leading to worsening performance and, ultimately, to increased costs as preventive care is sacrificed. In addition, thousands of local residents will lose access to healthcare, food assistance, housing support, and other essential services. In short, our community will inevitably become a worse place to live.
Like many people, I initially questioned whether Measure E was the best solution. However, now that I have investigated in depth, I applaud our local governmental response. A YES vote for Measure E is an easy and essential way for us to preserve a system that our community depends on.
Mark Dolson leads the Indivisible Santa Cruz County Restore Democracy team, but he is writing here as a private citizen. More information about the Restore Democracy team is available online at restoredemocracyiscc.org.
The San Lorenzo Valley Post is your essential guide to life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're dedicated to delivering the latest news, events, and stories that matter to our community. From local government to schools, from environmental issues to the arts, we're committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage. We believe in the power of community journalism and strive to be a platform for diverse voices.
