Majority Supports County Sales Tax Increase
About 51% of Santa Clara County residents support a measure to increase the county sales tax to 8.75%, a move that likely would direct some funds to health care services, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Thirty-two percent of likely county voters oppose the measure, and 17% are undecided, according to a poll by the Mercury News.
The initiative, Measure A, would impose a "general purpose tax," which requires a simple majority to pass, but does not allow officials to specifically state what projects would receive funds.
Supporters of the measure say it would provide funds for the county hospital system and efforts to provide health insurance to children, in addition to transportation and other social services projects. The measure is expected to increase county revenue by about $160 million annually.
For the poll, the Mercury News from May 7 to 10 contacted 828 likely voters in Santa Clara County, including 524 likely voters in San Jose, by telephone. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points (Witt, San Jose Mercury News, 5/16).
