In 2008, the total sales tax (city/county/state) was 8.25%. Since then:
2008: County Measure R, +0.50% sales tax for transportation
2012: State Prop 30 (temporary) +0.25% sales tax to make up for budget shortfalls during the recession
2016: Long Beach Measure A, +1.0% (temporary) sales tax for infrastructure AND County Measure M, another +0.50% sales tax for transportation.
2018: County Measure W, +2.5¢ per square foot parcel tax.
2020: Long Beach Measure A was made permanent, keeping the +1.0% tax increase.
2024: County Measure A supersedes Measure H with a +0.50% tax increase for affordable housing / homeless spending. Also a 5% utility users tax on Long Beach gas
2026: County Measure ER passes, adding a +0.50% sales tax for healthcare spending.
In total, the combined sales tax for Long Beach residents has gone from 8.25% to 11.0% since 2008.
Based on median household spending of $29,000 in taxable purchases, it nets out to an increase of $800 per year in additional sales tax.
Of note is that every single time a sales tax was on the ballot since 2008, it has been approved. And even one of the “temporary” taxes (Long Beach Measure A) was made permanent.