Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is rushing to propose a five-eighths cent sales tax increase to 9.75% for a November ballot. This tax, appearing to be framed as a health care tax, aims to fill gaps caused by strict Medicaid cuts. However, the true intent seems to address the county's struggling hospital system, which suffers significant financial losses. The proposed tax may function as a general tax allowing broader use of funds without specific allocation, thus requiring only a majority vote to pass.
The supervisors are apparently considering a five-eighths of a cent tax, which would raise the countywide sales tax rate to 9.75%.
County's hospitals are bleeding money. The real reason is that the county has a money-losing hospital system, which includes Valley Medical Center on Bascom Avenue in San Jose.
In the previous fiscal year, it lost $600 million, a deficit that was made up by the county's general fund.
It's going to be a 'general tax,' which means the money can be used for any purpose, not necessarily health care.
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