Berkeley ballot measures

Lets the City borrow $300 million for streets, parks, emergency-response buildings, and seismic and climate upgrades, repaid by a property tax. Projects must generally be all-electric; the City Auditor reviews spending at least every 3 years.

• MoneyAvg. about $22 per $100,000 of assessed value a year · about 40 years
• Placed byCity Council
• To passTwo-thirds (66.67%)

Adds a 0.5% general sales tax, raising Berkeley's total rate to 10.75%. Money goes to the General Fund for any city purpose.

• Money0.5% · about $9–10M a year · no end date
• Placed byCity Council
• To passMajority (50%+1)

Updates election rules in the City Charter: candidate filing fee goes from $150 to the state amount (now $25), the cap on public campaign financing funds that can be spent on administering and enforcing the program rises from $250,000 to $400,000, and recall, initiative and referendum timelines are clarified or matched to state law.

• MoneyNo tax
• Placed byCity Council
• To passMajority (50%+1)

Amends the rent law: caps allowed yearly rent increases at 10%, applies some exemptions only if the unit was exempt when the current tenancy began, lowers tenant-association eligibility from 10 to 5 units (no management company), and lets owners opt single-family homes or new buildings in for financial help.

• MoneyNo tax
• Placed byCity Council
• To passMajority (50%+1)

A 12-year parcel tax to fund grants for arts groups, individual artists, arts building projects and community festivals. Homes of low-income seniors and very low-income owners, religious and educational organizations, mostly affordable housing, and transitional housing are exempt.

• Money7¢ per sq ft of buildings · about $6.3M first year · 12 years
• Placed byCitizen petition
• To passMajority (50%+1)

A 6-year parcel tax to start and fund a public bank that would lend for affordable housing, clean energy, infrastructure and small businesses. Rates adjust each year for inflation.

• Money6¢/sq ft residential, 9¢/sq ft other · about $9.2M first year · 6 years
• Placed byCitizen petition
• To passMajority (50%+1)

Suspends the current 1¢-per-ounce general tax on sugary drinks and replaces it with a 2¢-per-ounce tax (adjusted for inflation from 2028) dedicated to health, nutrition and drinking-water programs: at least 42.5% to community groups or City programs, at least 42.5% to Berkeley Unified, up to 15% for administration.

• Money2¢ per fluid ounce (now 1¢) · about $2.2M a year
• Placed byCitizen petition
• To passMajority (50%+1)

Adds a 0.5% sales tax in Alameda County (1% in San Francisco) for 14 years to fund BART, Caltrain, Muni, AC Transit, VTA and other transit, plus some repaving of roads that buses use, with an independent oversight committee.

• Money0.5% sales tax · about $980M a year across all 5 counties · 14 years
• Placed byCitizen petition (state law SB 63)
• To passMajority, counted across all 5 counties