The city of Santa Barbara has announced its Sales Tax Results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
 
Santa Barbara collects the Bradley-Burns uniform local sales tax; the Santa Barbara Critical Infrastructure and Essential Community Services – Measure C district sales tax (approved in 2017); and the Santa Barbara Essential Services – Measure I district sales tax (approved in 2024).
 
The city received $6.8 million in Bradley-Burns, $7.4 million in Measure C, and $3.6 million in Measure I sales tax revenue during the quarter ended March 31, the third quarter of the city’s fiscal year.
 
Year to date, Bradley-Burns sales tax revenues are about 6.0% below budget, Measure C sales tax revenues are about 6.0% below budget, and Measure I sales tax revenue are about 5.0% above budget.

For Fiscal Year 2026, the City’s Bradley-Burns sales tax revenue budget is $32 million; Measure C sales tax revenue budget is $34.2 million; and Measure I sales tax revenue budget is $15.1 million.
 
View the Sales Tax Table here.
 
Transient Occupancy Tax
 
The city of Santa Barbara collected $3.3 million in Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) for April 2026, the 10th month in the city’s fiscal year.
 
Year to date, the city has collected $30.9 million in overall TOT, of which about $27 million came from hotels and $3.9 million from short-term rentals. Year to date, total TOT revenues are coming in 7.9% above budget.
 
The TOT is a tax on “transient” guests staying in any hotel, inn, motel, or other commercial lodging establishment for a period of less than 30 days.
 
The city’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $35.5 million, of which $29.5 million is budgeted in the General Fund.
 
View the Transient Occupancy Tax Table here. The city’s TOT tax rate is 12.0%, of which 10.0% goes to the city’s General Fund and the remaining 2.0% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.
 
For more current and historical financial data, visit the Budget & Reporting webpage.