Santa Barbara’s sales tax measure was easily passing in election night results.

The city wants to increase the sales tax from 8.75% to 9.25% to address its budget deficit and pay for general governmental services, including public safety, housing, homelessness services, parks, and library services.

The finance director says the city has a budget deficit since revenues aren’t keeping up with expenditures. That includes higher costs for salaries and pensions; construction; and insurance.

Measure I had 62.9% of votes in favor and 37% of votes against in semi-official election night results.

Measure I needs majority support to pass (50% plus one vote). If it’s approved, the new 9.25% sales tax rate would go into effect on April 1, 2025.  

The Santa Barbara County Elections Office will be updating election night results for several hours before releasing semi-official results. Those results will be updated as more ballots are counted in the upcoming days and weeks. The county will certify election results on Dec. 3.

The City Council voted unanimously to put Measure I on the November ballot.

At 9.25%, Santa Barbara would have the highest sales tax rate in the county and tie Oxnard for the highest sales tax rate in the Tri-County region.

Measure I has mixed support among council candidates running for the three seats also on the ballot.

In District 1, Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez, who voted in favor of putting it on the ballot, does not support the half-cent sales tax increase. Wendy Santamaria supports it. Cruzito Herrera Cruz did not respond to Noozhawk’s questions about his platform.

In District 2, Councilman Mike Jordan supports the measure while Terra Taylor opposes it.

In District 3, Councilman Oscar Gutierrez favors the sales tax increase and Tony Becerra does not.

City voters approved a one-cent sales tax increase in 2017 with Measure C, which was designed to fund road repairs and other infrastructure projects. That brought the sales tax to its current rate of 8.75%.