County Accused of Fabricating a Fake Emergency to Get a Tax on the Ballot – Palo Alto Daily Post

County accused of fabricating a fake emergency to get a tax on the ballot – Palo Alto Daily Post

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHTDaily Post Staff Writer Four voters are suing the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors over a sales tax for health care that was placed on the ballot with an emergency declaration. The voters said there is no emergency, such as an earthquake, fire or terrorist attack. “The Board of Supervisors has engaged in mere handwaving to invent its own exclusive ‘emergency,’ with no statutory justification,” said the lawsuit, filed M…

Local voters file lawsuit to block Santa Clara County sales tax measure from the November ballot

A group of Santa Clara County residents is suing to block a sales tax measure from appearing on the November ballot, alleging the Board of Supervisors violated the state constitution by improperly declared an emergency to rush it to the voters during a special election. At an Aug. 7 meeting, the board voted unanimously to ask voters this fall to approve a five-eighths-of-a-cent sales tax increase. The local sales tax rate is currently 9.125% cou…