Oxnard council places sales tax renewal on November ballot

The Oxnard City Council voted on June 16, 2026, to place a measure on the November 3 ballot that would remove the March 2029 sunset clause from the city's existing half-cent sales tax. Without the renewal, Oxnard stands to lose roughly $20 million annually for police, fire, street repair, senior programs, and homelessness services, according to the June 16 resolution.

The measure, titled the City of Oxnard Public Safety, Financial Stability Measure, does not raise the current tax rate. It would simply extend the voter-approved tax first adopted in 2008 as Measure O until voters choose to end it. The ordinance specifies that every dollar must stay in Oxnard, subject to independent audits, public spending disclosure, and citizen oversight.

More than 70 percent of Fire Department calls involve medical emergencies, the ordinance notes, and the city warns that losing the revenue could mean longer 911 response times. State and county funding cuts have already squeezed senior wellness and nutrition programs, which the tax helps backfill.

Residents can review the ballot language, uncodified ordinance, and City Attorney's impartial analysis through June 29 at the City Clerk's office or online. Ballot arguments must stay under 300 words, and the City Council is barred from filing official arguments for or against the measure under California election code.