Majority of Santa Barbara residents initially in favor of Measure I tax increase

In Santa Barbara, voters in this election are deciding whether or not their sales tax will rise.

The City of Santa Barbara's sales tax is currently at 8.75%, but it could go up to 9.25% — a half-cent increase should Measure I pass.

According to the county's first update on election night, results show that residents are in favor of the measure, with those voting YES leading by 25.04%.

The measure currently has 62.52% of voters in favor and 37.48% of voters in opposition; less than half of the ballots have been counted so far.

A majority vote is needed to pass the measure.

The increase on some items is only a few cents, but it can add up when applied to more expensive goods like cars.

If approved, the city estimates the annual sales tax revenue would bring in more than $15 million to the city's General Fund, which pays for local services, including public safety, maintenance, libraries, and affordable housing.

Without this tax, the city says it could see deficits of as much as $11 million to $15 million in the next three years despite budget reductions across departments.