Measure P is on every Marin County ballot. It would create a special parcel tax to make childcare more available and affordable.

What it does

  • Charges 5 cents per square foot of a building's floor area for 15 years, about $100 a year for a 2,000-square-foot house. KQED reports businesses could pay as much as $5,000 a year.
  • Raises about $12.5 million a year for subsidies for low- and middle-income families, early educator pay and new licensed childcare spaces.
  • Supervisors could raise the rate each year with inflation, The Ark reports.

How it passes

Measure P qualified by citizen petition, so it needs a simple majority.

The arguments

Supporters say families face long wait lists for subsidized care and high costs, and that affordable childcare lets parents work. All five county supervisors back it, KQED reports. Opponents say it imposes a 15-year tax without clear details on spending or a plan to measure results. The Ark reports that John Turnacliff signed the argument against it.

Stacking with Measure CC

In the Marin Healthcare District, Measure P would come on top of the 14-cent Measure CC hospital tax if both pass, a combined 19 cents per square foot, or $380 a year for a 2,000-square-foot house, The Ark calculates. County counsel says both could take effect.

More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.