Santa Barbara City Council moved forward with a plan for a November ballot measure to let voters decide whether to implement another city tax, either increasing the real estate transfer tax on properties that sell for more than $3 million, or by raising the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from 12 percent up to 14 percent.
The city has been pursuing ways to increase revenues in light of the upcoming budget planning session, with a projected operating deficit of more than $14 million for the next fiscal year. The two tax options are being considered as the more viable options over less favorable budget choices, such as reducing library hours or increasing parking fees.
A poll was conducted in December 2025, in which more than 520 likely city voters were interviewed about whether they would vote for either of the two tax measures. Adam Sonenshein of FM3 Research, the firm that conducted the poll, presented the data to City Council on Tuesday…