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Another OC city is asking voters to approve taxes to shore up budgets
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Another OC city is asking voters to raise taxes
LAist's Jill Replogle explains why you might see more cities do the same during the November election.
Santa Ana voters could be asked in November to maintain the city’s 1.5% sales tax, which was set to decrease in 2029 and eventually expire.
Voters approved the citywide sales tax in 2018 on the condition that it sunset in 20 years. Now, the Santa Ana City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to ask voters in November to make the tax permanent.
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The change will mean CalOptima members who fall off Medi-Cal will remain eligible to enroll with the plan. -
The 2026 Orange County Fair is offering plenty of new food creations this year, including a PB&J bacon cheeseburger and a Dubai chocolate deep-fried Oreo. -
Proposed court decision says Marilyn “Mari” Barke will have to pay nearly $82,000 in penalty fees, as well as attorneys’ costs.
The big picture
Only about one-third of cities in Orange County have a local sales tax on top of the county-imposed sales tax of 7.75%. Sales taxes in most of Los Angeles County are much higher — L.A.’s countywide sales tax is 9.75% and the highest total sales taxes for cities in L.A. County are in Lancaster and Palmdale, at 11.25% each, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
Other potential tax hikes in OC
Voters in Orange will be considering a sales tax hike on their November ballot, after failing to get voters’ approval in 2024. San Clemente voters will also consider a local sales tax in November to pay for more sand to shore up local beaches.
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How to attend Santa Ana City Council meetings
The Santa Ana City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month, beginning at around 5:30 p.m. (Meetings begin at 3 p.m. with a closed session that typically lasts two hours.)
You can participate in person at the City Council Chamber at 22 Civic Center Plaza in Santa Ana.
Meetings are also livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel.
Here's info on how you can address city leaders.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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