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Carpinteria council moves to place 0.25% transactions-and-use tax on November ballot to shore up budget shortfall
Summary
Facing a growing structural gap and roughly $24 million in deferred street maintenance, the council introduced a resolution and ordinance to place a 0.25 percentage‑point transactions-and-use tax on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot; staff estimate about $700,000 annually if approved, and the measure would require standard annual audits and be a general tax under state law.
The Carpinteria City Council on June 22 moved to place a local transactions‑and‑use tax measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot, introducing Resolution 6472 and an implementing ordinance. The measure would increase the city’s local sales-and-use rate by 0.25 percentage points (roughly $0.25 per $100 in taxable purchases) and—if approved by a majority of voters—would generate locally controlled revenue for general city uses.
City staff framed the action as one of several tools being considered to address a structural gap in the city budget and to create time to pursue longer‑term fiscal solutions. Staff estimated the measure would raise approximately $700,000 a year for Carpinteria, though council members noted that single‑year revenues would not close a multi‑year maintenance backlog (staff cited roughly $24 million in deferred pavement and related capital needs).
The measure is structured as a general tax subject to a 50%+1 voter threshold; staff said it would include independent annual audits and reporting consistent with current city finance practices. During the discussion council members debated priorities for the potential revenue—whether to dedicate funds to deferred pavement projects, public safety, or retain flexibility—and asked staff to prepare outreach and education materials for voters. Several council members expressed concern about asking residents to shoulder new taxes while also emphasizing the risk of cutting core services if new revenue is not found.
Council voted to introduce the resolution and ordinance and to direct staff to take the administrative steps required to place the measure on the November ballot. If council approves final reading in a subsequent meeting, the measure will be placed on the ballot and a formal public‑education effort will follow.
The staff report included estimates of potential revenues, information about maximum county/city combined sales tax rates, and a pledge to return with audit safeguards and oversight language for council review.
