Contra Costa County asked. Voters said no.
Contra Costa County voters rejected Measure B — a proposed 0.625-cent sales tax increase — with just 41.1% support in early results from the June 2 primary election.
The measure needed a simple majority to pass. It wasn't close.
Voter turnout countywide hovered at 22% — meaning a small slice of the electorate decisively rejected a tax that would have raised an estimated $150 million a year for five years.
And the rejection carries a message that extends well beyond one Bay Area county.
Contra Costa County's board of supervisors placed Measure B on the June 2 primary ballot with a 4-1 vote, proposing a 0.625% general sales tax increase for five years to help address anticipated federal cuts to health care, supplemental food assistance, and other county services. TaxHero
If it had passed, the sales tax in Richmond would have increased from 9.75% to 10.375% — or slightly more than 10 cents on every dollar of eligible taxable purchases. Residents of El Cerrito and Pinole would have faced paying the highest combined rate in the county at 10.875%. TaxJar
For context: that's higher than almost anywhere in the country. And it would have landed on top of existing local and state taxes that have been climbing for years.
This story has a legal subplot most people missed — and it's directly relevant to how local governments use ballot language to influence outcomes.
Contra Costa County must change the ballot question for Measure B because the question written by county supervisors was biased to encourage a "yes" vote, a judge ruled April 1. Two residents challenged the wording as biased — and Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Leonard Marquez agreed. Quizlet
The board voted to put the measure on the ballot, but two local voters filed a petition alleging that the language in the ballot question sought to influence voters in favor of the measure. Savant Labs
The court found the original wording argumentative and prejudicial — striking phrases that characterized a "no" vote as risking hospital closures — and ordering the rate expressed as "(0.625%)" for clarity. Shopify
A second legal challenge followed. Minor v. Connelly (Case No. N26-0554) targeted the official ballot arguments filed by Measure B proponents — including county supervisors — alleging the proponents' argument contained verifiably false claims about the projected revenue figures.
The measure went to voters already damaged by legal scrutiny of its own language.
Opponents made two arguments that resonated — and both are worth understanding because they're showing up in sales tax debates across California.
Argument 1: It's premature. Opponents noted the extra sales tax would take effect in October 2026 while the initial federal budget cuts aren't slated to go into effect until January 2027. "Measure B starts collecting in October 2026 — locking in five years of higher taxes before most impacts are even known," they stated.
Argument 2: It's a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Opponents stated that "Contra Costa County has a spending problem, not a revenue problem." They noted that Contra Costa County employee salaries and benefits have risen 47% since 2020 — and that Measure B could facilitate or directly bankroll more such increases. TaxHero
Both arguments are classic anti-tax-measure talking points. But in a county where combined sales tax rates were already approaching — and in some cities exceeding — 10%, they landed.
The Contra Costa result doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of a broader pattern of voter resistance to local sales tax increases that has been building across California.
In the same June 2 election, Los Angeles County is still counting votes on Measure ER — a half-cent sales tax increase for healthcare that pre-election polls showed running at 47% opposition and 45% support. The LA results won't be certified until July 10. TaxJar
The pattern: counties across California are turning to sales tax measures to backfill federal funding cuts — and voters are increasingly saying no, especially when combined rates push past 10%.
California already has a 7.25% statewide base rate — the highest statewide base in the country. Add county and city additions, and residents of many Bay Area communities are already paying 9.5% to 10.75% on most purchases. A new analysis ranked California 5th worst in the nation for cost-of-living burden. Shopify
At some point, the voter math changes. People who might have supported a half-cent increase five years ago — when their combined rate was 8.5% — resist the same increase when they're already at 10%.
Voter turnout countywide hovered at 22%.
That number matters in both directions. On one hand, low turnout means the result may not reflect the full county's preferences — dedicated opponent groups can punch above their weight when most voters stay home. On the other hand, low turnout on a sales tax measure that supporters framed as urgent healthcare funding suggests enthusiasm for the measure was weak even among those who backed it.
A measure with genuine broad support tends to drive its own turnout. Measure B didn't.
For businesses operating in Contra Costa County, the rejection means the status quo holds — for now.
Current combined sales tax rates across the county remain unchanged:
The October 2026 collection date that would have applied to Measure B is now moot. No system updates are needed. No rate change is coming — at least not from this measure.
But Contra Costa County still faces the same federal funding pressure that drove Measure B onto the ballot in the first place. The county was asking voters to supplement service cuts after anticipated federal cuts. Those cuts haven't been resolved. The county will need to address the gap somehow — and another ballot measure, a November placement, or spending cuts are all still on the table. Quaderno
The Contra Costa result — combined with polling on LA County's Measure ER — sends a clear message to county governments across California and beyond:
Voters will approve sales tax increases when they trust where the money is going, when the ballot language is fair, when the rate increase feels proportionate, and when the timing makes sense. When any of those conditions are missing, the answer is no.
Measure B's forerunner was 2020's Measure X — a 0.500% sales tax increase that passed with strong support. The same county that approved Measure X in 2020 rejected a slightly larger measure in 2026. Six years of stacking local taxes, rising costs, and widening distrust of government spending have shifted the electorate. AccurateTax
For local governments watching this result: the era of routinely passing sales tax measures to fill funding gaps is ending. The political conditions that made those measures easy to pass are gone in many California communities.
For businesses watching this result: every rejected measure is a reminder that local tax rates are a live policy debate — and that the rates you're calculating today may look different six months from now, depending on what ends up on the November ballot.
Operating a business in Contra Costa County or anywhere in California and want to make sure your sales tax rates are current and your compliance is set up correctly? Book a free consultation with our team at sales.tax. We'll review your California footprint and make sure you're calculating the right rate for every jurisdiction where you sell.