To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator & Tom Geiger, County Counsel
Report Title: ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A 0.625% GENERAL RETAIL TRANSACTIONS (SALES) AND USE TAX IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 2026-05 authorizing the levy of a 0.625% General Retail Transactions (Sales) and Use Tax in Contra Costa County, WAIVE reading and FIX March 3, 2026 for adoption of the ordinance and a resolution calling an election for June 2, 2026, and submitting the general sales tax measure to the voters.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If successful, the additional 0.625% Transactions and Use Tax would generate approximately $150 million to support general operations of the County for a period of five (5) years.
The cost to place the measure on the ballot is approximately $1.2 million for election costs, including printing of ballots and related translation of proposed ordinance, analysis and other text into multiple languages.
BACKGROUND:
On January 20, 2026, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to assemble a draft ordinance authorizing a countywide transactions and use tax (TUT) in the amount of 0.625% to be listed on the June 2026 ballot and return at the February 10, 2026 meeting to introduce the draft ordinance and set a date for adoption. This is following receipt of reports from the County Administrator's Office on November 18, 2025 and the Health and Employment & Human Services departments on December 16, 2025 on the negative impacts to the County from the passage of House Resolution (H.R.) 1 and the fiscal year 2025/26 state budget.
County Budgetary Pressures
The passage of H.R. 1 represents a fundamental shift in the relationship between the federal, state and local governments for health and social service programming. In Contra Costa County, this means significant revenue reductions for Medi-Cal (California's ...
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