Title
Elections Department recommending the Board:
1) Accept the Certification of Petition Signatures for an initiative measure titled the "Emergency Preparedness, Healthcare Access, and Wildfire Prevention Sales Tax Initiative," as submitted by the Registrar of Voters;
2) Take one of the following actions regarding the "Emergency Preparedness, Healthcare Access, and Wildfire Prevention Sales Tax Initiative" pursuant to California Elections Code Section 9118:
a) Order the initiative measure to be submitted to the voters at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026; or
b) Refer the initiative measure to appropriate County agencies for a report pursuant to Elections Code 9111.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On January 5, 2026, the Notice of Intent for the Emergency Preparedness, Healthcare Access, and Wildfire Prevention Sales Tax Initiative was filed with the Elections Department. On May 6, 2026, the proponents filed the circulated signed petition sections. The Elections Department had 30 business days to complete the signature review. On June 15, 2026, the Elections Department certified that the petition received the required number of valid signatures.
Pursuant to California Elections Code,
"If an initiative petition receives certified signatures of no less than 10 percent of the entire vote cast in the county for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election preceding the publication of the notice of intention to circulate an initiative petition, the board of supervisors shall do one of the following:
a) Adopt the ordinance, without alteration, at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented, or within 10 days after it is presented.
b) Submit the ordinance, without alteration, to the voters pursuant to Section 1405.
c) Order a report pursuant to Section 9111 at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented. When the report is presented to the board of supervisors, the board shall either adopt the ordinance within 10 days or order an election pursuant to subdivision (b)."
This initiative would impose a special tax, so option a, adopting the ordinance, is not feasible because the California Constitution does not authorize a local government entity to impose a special tax without voter approval. The Board may choose either of the remaining two options. Under option c, the Board could order a report studying any of the following regarding the initiative petition:
(1) Its fiscal impact.
(2) Its effect on the internal consistency of the county’s general and specific plans, including the housing element, the consistency between planning and zoning, and the limitations on county actions under Section 65008 of the Government Code and Chapters 4.2 (commencing with Section 65913) and 4.3 (commencing with Section 65915) of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code.
(3) Its effect on the use of land, the impact on the availability and location of housing, and the ability of the county to meet its regional housing needs.
(4) Its impact on funding for infrastructure of all types, including, but not limited to, transportation, schools, parks, and open space. The report may also discuss whether the measure would be likely to result in increased infrastructure costs or savings, including the costs of infrastructure maintenance, to current residents and businesses.
(5) Its impact on the community’s ability to attract and retain business and employment.
(6) Its impact on the uses of vacant parcels of land.
(7) Its impact on agricultural lands, open space, traffic congestion, existing business districts, and developed areas designated for revitalization.
(8) Any other matters the board of supervisors requests to be in the report.
The report shall be presented to the board of supervisors within the time prescribed by the board of supervisors, but no later than 30 days after the county elections official certifies to the board of supervisors the sufficiency of the petition.
Should the Board order that the measure be submitted to the voters, the Elections Department will return to the Board with a resolution to adopt the ballot question that will accompany the measure on the ballot.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Accept the Certification of Petition of Signatures and consider the options pursuant to Elections Code Section 9118.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Forward a minute order of Board actions to the Elections Department.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Linda Webster, Registrar of Voters