November 3, 2026
On your ballot, and what it changes
Two city measures affect the budget. We don't take a side. This page shows what the city's own plan says happens under each result.
Measure V · Simple majority
0.5% local sales tax
Official title: “Transactions and Use (Sales) General Tax Measure”
A general tax: the money would go to the General Fund and could be spent on any city purpose. The City estimates it would raise $9–10M a year and bring Berkeley's sales-tax rate to 10.75%. It would start April 1, 2027 and last until ended by the voters.
The city's FY27-28 plan was built in two versions, one for each outcome.
Measure U · Two-thirds vote
$300M infrastructure bond
Official title: “General Obligation Bond Measure for Public Infrastructure and Facilities”
Borrowing for streets, buildings and parks, repaid by a property tax. The City estimates about $22.14 a year per $100,000 of assessed value on average over 40 years, raising about $15.2M a year. Its highest rate would be about $35, from 2040-41. The City Auditor would audit its spending at least every three years.
It doesn't touch the operating gap. The City's capital plan puts its unfunded capital and maintenance need at $2.12B; an earlier City estimate was $1.65–2B.
If Measure V, the sales tax…
Same budget gap, two different sets of cuts.
…passes
105positions eliminated85 vacant · 20 filled (layoffs)
At adoption, the Council was reported to have restored nine fire positions; the counts shown are from the April 16 plan.
People laid off
- Department cuts
- $19.8M (7.0% of baseline)
- City workforce after FY27
- 1,455 FTE (from 1,609)
- Fire Station 4
- Tax revenue proposed to keep it open
- 21 police positions
- Tax revenue proposed to keep them
…fails
138positions eliminated100 vacant · 38 filled (layoffs)
At adoption, the Council was reported to have restored nine fire positions; the counts shown are from the April 16 plan.
People laid off
- Department cuts
- $29.3M (10.3% of baseline)
- City workforce after FY27
- 1,422 FTE (from 1,609)
- Fire Station 4
- Closure reconsidered for FY2028
- 21 police positions
- Funded only until the vote result
Note: in FY27 the plan uses $9.4M of one-time money (reserves and a Successor Agency transfer) to soften Police, Fire and Parks, Rec & Waterfront cuts until the vote. The tax itself would start April 1, 2027. Figures come from the April 16, 2026 Budget & Finance Committee plan and, where cited as S20, the adoption staff report. The Council adopted the budget on June 23, 2026 with amendments made at that meeting, which these figures don't include.