A union of physicians earning up to $1 million a year is the biggest funder of the ballot measure to raise local sales taxes. A week after the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to raise county taxes, the county’s largest physicians’ union contributed $250,000 to the pro-sales tax political campaign, via a committee established even before the ballot measure was approved.
Fair Political Practices Commission forms show the organization identified as supporting “Sales Tax Measure in Santa Clara County” was formed by Valley Healthcare Foundation President Michael Elliot, ahead of the public vote.
Elliot said he could not remember when he informed County Executive James Williams of his campaign, but said he does not believe he influenced county leadership’s decisions.
“James is certainly aware of a committee existing now,” Elliot said. “That’s not a conversation you have with a county executive, that you’re forming a political committee.”
Williams did not return calls regarding Measure A.
The first big contribution to the pro-tax campaign, $250,000, came from Valley Physicians Group, which represents hundreds of doctors and medical workers countywide. Dr. Rachel Ruiz, chair of the physicians’ union, said the group supports the sales tax increase because county hospitals need a safety net to protect the health care system from the projected $1.3 billion in federal healthcare funding cuts from H.R.1.
The county’s most highly compensated employees are Valley Healthcare doctors. The top 20 make an average of $1 million per year in salary and benefits.
Though the proposed sales tax increase alone will not solve the county’s billion-dollar shortfall, Ruiz said Valley Physicians Group-represented workers would not respond positively to a possible salary reduction.
Santa Clara County Employee Management Association contributed $75,000 to the pro-sales-tax committee, according to FPPC filings. Association representative Adam Cole said the union supports the tax initiative because represented workers share the same concerns. KMA Emergency Services, dba WestMed Ambulance Service, has contributed $100,000, and Abode Services of Fremont has contributed $50,000, according to FPPC filings.
If approved by voters, the countywide rate would rise to 9.75%.
