FORTUNA, Calif. — The Fortuna City Council voted 5-0 on April 6 to place a local sales tax measure on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot, after staff warned the city is facing a structural general fund deficit and more than $1.9 million in lost purchasing power versus inflation.
Staff told the council the city’s revenues have not kept pace with rising costs, particularly liability insurance, and said a proposed three-quarter-cent transaction and use tax could generate roughly $1.8 million to $1.9 million. Council members directed staff to return with the 75-word ballot question, ordinance and resolution.
An EMC Research presentation on the same measure gave the city an early campaign baseline. The survey found 45% initial yes support and 51% no-leaning support among 200 likely voters, but support rose to 53% after respondents heard more information about the measure. It fell to 44% after opposition messaging was presented, suggesting the proposal may be competitive but exposed to counterarguments.
The city’s meeting summary says council members emphasized a public education campaign and noted that the proposed rate would match Eureka’s local sales tax rate. Public comment also leaned in favor of moving the measure forward, with one resident urging the council to act because, in his view, the survey showed a community reluctant to fully pay for the services it expects.
The ballot measure vote came during a broader April 6 meeting that also included action on mobile home park rent stabilization and a business improvement district assessment. The council’s next steps on the sales tax measure will hinge on the final ballot language and how city officials choose to frame the need for new revenue in the months before Election Day.
