On Wednesday, dozens of local elected officials and healthcare workers gathered in front of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center to rally in support of Measure A. 

A proposed five-eighths cent sales tax increase meant to preserve critical healthcare services in the county amid unprecedented federal cuts to Medicaid.

The temporary measure, if approved by voters in the Nov. 4 special election, would generate $330 million annually and sunset in 2031, according to a Sept. 5 article by The Mercury News.

A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge affirmed the Board of Supervisors declaration of a fiscal emergency following the Trump administration’s passing of H.R.1, which made historic cuts to the federal budget, according to an Aug. 29 press release by the Santa Clara County Office of Communications and Public Affairs.

H.R. 1, or The Big Beautiful Bill, is projected to slash over $1 trillion in federal healthcare spending over the next decade, leading to millions of Americans losing their healthcare coverage, according to the same Mercury News article. 

In Santa Clara County, the federal law is expected to cut $1 billion a year from the local healthcare system, according to the same press release.

Supervisor Betty Duong, who represents District 2 of Santa Clara County, said Measure A would serve as a stopgap measure until federal funding is restored.

“It will allow us to stop the gushing, bleeding wound that we have coming from the (federal) budget cut,” Duong said. “This is to make sure that we keep emergency departments open, that we keep ambulances on the road, that we keep doctors and nurses and healthcare providers employed and ready to serve you.”

Among the measure’s supporters are San José City councilmembers Pamela Campos, Domingo Candelas, David Cohen, Rosemary Kamei, Peter Ortiz and Anthony Tordillos, according to the Yes on Measure A campaign site. 

Notably, Mayor Matt Mahan has declined to state his position on the measure, according to an Aug. 12 article by San José Spotlight.

Duong said young voters have a stake in determining the future of the county’s healthcare system.

“Never has it been more clear or more pressing that every single San José State student, every single young voter in Santa Clara County has a hand on the heartbeats of every single resident in our system right now who needs care, including yourself,” Duong said.

The demographic of voters aged 18 to 24 has the lowest voter turnout among all age groups in Santa Clara County, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. 

Duong described Measure A as a ‘retail tax’ that would not affect students’ everyday expenses.

“These (taxes) are going to be on goods such as retail items, entertainment. It’s not going to be imposed on groceries, medication, medical visits or baby supplies,” Duong said.

Christiana Ajawara-McIntosh, a clinical nurse in the Valley Medical Center’s Emergency Department and pre-medical biology alumna of SJSU, spoke in support of Measure A at the rally. She said keeping county clinics open is critical to protecting the county’s most vulnerable residents.

“A lot of us are not working for these great, fancy companies that are giving us private insurance and the ability to go here and there and everywhere,” Ajawara-McIntosh said. “Your Santa Clara County hospitals are the hospitals where their first question is, ‘What are you here for? How can we help you? It’s never ‘What type of insurance do you have?’”

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is the only dual trauma and burn center in the bay area, according to a Sept. 5 article by The Mercury News. The budget cuts would cause possible closures, fewer operating hours and longer wait times for patients – even those with private insurance – according to the Yes on Measure A FAQs page.

Lawrence Deng, an attendee at the rally and political science alumnus of SJSU, said he understands why voters might be averse to paying more taxes.

“If you’re concerned about the taxes, think of it this way: this is a life or death situation,” Deng said. “If we do not pass Measure A, that would mean playing games with people’s lives. There are a lot of things we’re not gonna like, but in the end, we’ve got to think about everyone. ”