Politics
Santa Maria Voters Decide Sales Tax for Hundreds of Construction Jobs
Voters in Santa Maria will decide on a sales tax measure that could fund transportation projects expected to support hundreds of construction positions and improve bus routes serving downtown neighborhoods.
How we reported this
The Santa Maria City Council placed Measure A on the November 2026 ballot as a referendum to raise the local sales tax by half a cent for 20 years, with all revenue directed to street repairs, bridge upgrades and expanded public transit within city limits.
The measure appears on the ballot after the Public Works Department documented more than 180 miles of city streets rated in poor condition in its 2025 pavement management report and after federal infrastructure funds allocated to Santa Barbara County left a gap for purely local projects.
Effects on employment and maintenance crews
City budget documents project that the new revenue stream would support an average of 320 construction and engineering jobs each year during the first five years of projects, many of them filled by workers already living in the 93454 and 93455 zip codes. Local advocates note that the same funds would also allow the city to add six full-time positions to the streets division, reducing the current backlog of pothole repairs that averaged 4,200 requests last fiscal year.
Residents who rely on the Santa Maria Regional Transit system would see an additional 12 daily bus trips on routes serving the downtown core and the industrial park along Betteravia Road, according to the measure's project list. The added service is projected to cut average commute times for shift workers at food-processing plants by eight minutes each way.
Budget figures and next steps
The fiscal analysis attached to the referendum estimates annual collections of $8.7 million once fully implemented, with 65 percent earmarked for capital projects and 35 percent for ongoing maintenance and operations. If approved, the tax would take effect on 1 April 2027, and the first round of contracts would be put out to bid by the end of that calendar year.
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters beginning 7 October, with in-person voting available at the Santa Maria Fairpark and eight other polling locations on election day.