Napa County Votes on Three Sales Taxes: A Countywide Fire and Open Space Measure, Plus American Canyon and St. Helena

Napa County voters will weigh three sales tax measures on the Nov. 3 ballot, but only one of them goes before the whole county. Measure B is a countywide half-cent tax for wildfire prevention and open space. Measure P in American Canyon and Measure S in St. Helena are local taxes that would go into each city's general fund, the Press Democrat reported.

Measure B: fire prevention and open space

Measure B would add half a cent per dollar to the sales tax across Napa County and raise an estimated $23 million a year. According to the county counsel's impartial analysis, the money would be split evenly between Napa County and the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District. The tax would run from April 1, 2027, through March 31, 2045, with oversight and annual audits.

The measure is a citizens' initiative backed by the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation and the Napa County Land Trust. Because it was not placed on the ballot by the Board of Supervisors, it needs only a simple majority. That matters: earlier attempts, including 2022's quarter-cent fire measure and two open-space measures in 2017 and 2020, all got well over 50% of the vote but fell short of the two-thirds they needed, the Press Democrat noted.

Fire work has become a bigger county priority since the 2017 and 2020 wildfires burned more than 80,000 acres. County CEO Ryan Alsop has said that keeping up the work already done is a serious financial challenge.

Measure P: American Canyon

American Canyon's Measure P is a 1-cent tax expected to bring in about $3.7 million a year. The City Council voted June 16 to put it on the ballot, and the city says all the money must stay in American Canyon. City officials say the budget is balanced this year but expect spending to outrun revenue by $600,000 starting next July, partly because projects like a Watson Ranch hotel have not opened yet. The money could also help pay for parks plans, including a community center and double gym that could cost about $30 million.

Measure S: St. Helena

St. Helena's Measure S is a half-cent tax worth about $2 million a year. Interim City Manager Jim McCann has pointed to the cost of the city's full-time fire department, about $3 million a year, and warned that reserves could fall below the city's required 30% level by the 2029-30 fiscal year.

What it means at the register

American Canyon, Calistoga, Yountville and unincorporated Napa County now charge 7.75%, St. Helena charges 8.25%, and the city of Napa charges 8.75%. If P and S pass, American Canyon and St. Helena would match Napa. If Measure B also passes, the county's top rate would reach 9.25%, which is still lower than most cities in Alameda, Contra Costa and Sonoma counties.