Walnut Creek Measure O

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In 2022, Walnut Creek voters approved Measure O, a half-cent sales tax. The funding supports City services, replaces aging facilities, and helps maintain the community’s high quality of life.

Work is already underway to improve City facilities and services.

Why Measure O Was Needed

The City’s operations and budget are fiscally sound. However, many City buildings and infrastructure systems are aging and need repair or replacement. These costs exceed what the regular City budget could cover on its own.

When the City has significant needs, it is our practice to develop a funding strategy to fund City services and programs rather than reduce them. Measure O allows us to maintain strong services while planning responsibly for the future.

Our goal with Measure O funding is to support excellent services while being fiscally responsible.

How We Share Updates

The City reports on Measure O spending:

Quarterly at City Council Meetings
In the City's "In a Nutshell" newsletter

Measure O Projects

Learn about the services and projects funded by Measure O to meet the City's greatest needs. Review the City Budget Book for a list of revenue sources and how funds are allocated.

Public Safety

Seven full-time positions added for downtown patrol, dispatch, and crime prevention.
Continuation of the full-time C.O.R.E. Homeless Outreach team in partnership with Contra Costa County.
Funding has been allocated for crossing guards at local schools through Public Works.

Art + Rec Capital Projects

Heather Farm Community and Aquatic Center Project
Tice Ballfield Lighting Project
Heather Farm Synthetic Turf Project

Economic Development & Downtown Support

The City approved one-time funding in 2024 and 2025 to support downtown events and activities that bring people together and help local businesses.

The City plans to improve up to four small public spaces downtown. These mini plazas will be more attractive and better suited for community gatherings and other activities.
Update approximately 17 utility boxes by replacing current wraps with new artwork.
Cover installation and removal costs of holiday decorations for four years.
Walnut Creek on Ice site improvements.
Grow Walnut Creek First Wednesday program from two (2) events in 2024 to four (4) in 2025 and maintain the Locust Street location.
Funding supports marketing and staffing at the Lesher Center to grow audiences and improve performances.

Library Hours

Measure O funds 12 extra weekly hours at the Walnut Creek and Ygnacio Valley libraries. The full-year cost is about $570K, with additional costs this year due to late billing from the County.

Sustainability Efforts

A new Sustainability Analyst position was added to help carry out the City’s Climate Action Plan.

Committed to fiscal responsibility and excellent service

Walnut Creek is financially stable. The City also:

Has no General Fund debt
Has set aside $37.7 million in emergency reserves
Does not provide retiree healthcare or other post-employment benefit liabilities
Invests in efficiency improvements, including solar installations at Boundary Oak and Heather Farm and replacing older HVAC systems to reduce long-term costs

Taxpayer Protections

Measure O includes strong safeguards:

All funds from the sales tax must stay local and be used for Walnut Creek City services and facility improvements.
By law, the State cannot take funds away to use for other purposes.
Independent financial audits are conducted.
The Measure O Citizens Oversight Committee reviews financial reports for the ten years Measure O is in effect.
The City provides regular public financial reports to ensure transparency.

Frequently asked questions

How has the City involved the community in this effort?

To help protect Walnut Creek’s quality of life now and in the future, City leaders have been evaluating all possible options for generating additional revenues to address identified city needs. The City Council conducted outreach to gauge the priorities of our residents and determine if there was enough interest to place a ballot measure in front of voters in the form of a limited-term, modest sales tax increase.

After receiving thousands of survey responses and meeting with a variety of local organizations, the City Council decided to put a half-cent sales tax measure for a period of ten years on the 2023 November ballot. Walnut Creek voters had the final say and approved the increase.

How long will Measure O be in effect?

Measure O half-cent sales tax increase will be in effect until 2034. Visitors pay their fair share for use of Walnut Creek services while not impacting certain essential purchases like groceries, prescription medication, and medical appointments. Local governments rely on sales tax revenue to fund essential local public services. Sales tax funds would give the City the flexibility needed to both fund important community services and upgrade or rebuild facilities that support these programs.

How much does the additional 1⁄2 sales tax cost?

How much additional funding does the 1⁄2 cent sales tax generate for the City?

What does sales tax apply to? What’s taxed and what isn’t?

Everyone who purchases any items (other than those exempted) in Walnut Creek pays the half-cent sales tax increase, including visitors to Walnut Creek. Approximately half of the sales tax revenue generated annually by the City of Walnut Creek comes from non-residents.

The half-cent sales tax increase applies to the same goods and services and is subject to the existing state sales tax on tangible personal property.

Items subject to sales tax include, but are not limited to:

furniture
cars
giftware
toys
antiques
clothing
gasoline

Items that are exempt from sales tax include:

sales of certain food products for human consumption (groceries)
sales to the U.S. government
sales of prescription medicine and certain medical devices
sales of items paid for with food stamps

Contact

Betsy Burkhart
Communications and Outreach Manager
email: Burkhart@walnut-creek.org
Call: 925-943-5895