City of Santa Barbara’s Quarterly Sales Tax Revenue Below Budget, October Hotel Tax Slightly Above Budget

Sales Tax Results for the City of Santa Barbara – Quarter Ended September 30, 2025

The City of Santa Barbara collects the Bradley-Burns uniform local sales tax, the Santa Barbara Critical Infrastructure and Essential Community Services – Measure C district sales tax (approved in 2017), and the Santa Barbara Essential Services – Measure I district sales tax (approved in 2024).

The City received $7.4 Million in Bradley-Burns, $8.1 Million in Measure C, and $3.9 Million in Measure I sales tax revenue during the quarter ended September 30, 2025, which is the first quarter of the City’s fiscal year.

Year to date, Bradley-Burns sales tax revenues are about 8.4% below budget, Measure C sales tax revenues are about 7.2% below budget, and Measure I sales tax revenue are about 3.8% above budget. For Fiscal Year 2026, the City’s Bradley-Burns sales tax revenue budget is $32.0 Million, Measure C sales tax revenue budget is $34.2 Million, and Measure I sales tax revenue budget is $15.1 Million.

View the Sales Tax.

Transient Occupancy Tax Results for the City of Santa Barbara – October 31, 2025

The City of Santa Barbara collected $3.3 Million in Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) for October 2025, the fourth month in the City’s fiscal year.

Year to date, the City has collected $15.1 Million in overall TOT, of which approximately $13.3 Million came from hotels and $1.8 from short-term rentals. Year to date, total TOT revenues are coming in 2.5% above budget.

The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is a Tax on “Transient” guests staying in any hotel, inn, motel, or other commercial lodging establishment for a period of less than 30 days.

The City’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $35.5 Million, of which $29.5 Million is budgeted in the General Fund.

View the Transient Occupancy Tax Table. The City’s TOT tax rate is 12.0%, of which 10.0% goes to the City’s General Fund and the remaining 2.0% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.

For additional current and historical financial data, visit the City’s Budget & Reporting webpage.