Funding

In June 2026, Measure D, a voter-sponsored initiative, passed with 55% voter approval. (Voter-sponsored initiatives require 50% +1 to pass.) Measure D will generate approximately $17 million annually to conserve, restore and manage Santa Clara County’s natural and working lands, providing stable, long-term funding to continue the Authority’s vital work. 

MEASURE D REVENUES ARE USED FOR:

• Wildfire risk reduction
• Creek and water restoration
• Land management and stewardship
• Expansion of open space preserves and public trails
• Wildlife habitat protection and wildlife corridors
• Preservation of local agricultural lands

Exemptions are available for qualifying seniors age 65 and older and specified low income households. Click here for more information about exemptions.

In November 2020,  Measure T, a permanent renewal of Measure Q with no tax increase, was overwhelmingly passed by voters with 81% approval. Santa Clara Valley voters made clear that they consider access to parks and open space essential to their physical and mental health, as Measure T falls within the top 10 highest passage rates of countywide measures nationwide. Measure T is a $24 parcel tax that brings in approximately $8 million per year, and replaces Measure Q.

Measure T revenues are used for:

• Funding the preservation of land including acquisition (fee purchase) and conservation easements.
• Paying for project costs including research, project-scoping, planning, construction, and maintenance.
• Paying for staff time charged to Measure T projects.
• Natural resource protection to protect and restore natural areas.
• Land operations and maintenance to maintain all of the Authority’s existing and new preserves, trails, and preserve-related infrastructure.
• The creation, development, delivery, and maintenance of existing and new environmental and agricultural education programs and initiatives.
• Funding the Urban Grant Program.

Measure Q, a $24 parcel tax, was passed in November 2014 by voters with 68% support. In its first five years, Measure Q helped make significant investments in the health of nature and people.

In its first five years, Measure Q:

• Nearly doubled the amount of protected acreage to approximately 30,000 acres.
• Provided free access to 26 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding 365 days a year.
• Completed almost 300 projects for conservation and nature connectivity throughout the Authority’s jurisdiction.
• Protected nearly 1,000 acres in North Coyote Valley for wildlife connectivity, water quality and to reduce the risk of flooding in downstream communities.
• Supported over 46 Urban Open Space projects and programs with nearly $3.9 million in grant funding investments.
• Leveraged Open Space Authority funds by over tenfold, contributing $15.2 million to protect 10,346 acres worth a total of over $154 million.

District 1 Assessment (District 1) is a $12 per parcel annual benefit assessment approved in 1994 by voters within the Authority’s jurisdiction. District 1 brings in approximately $4.2 million per year and must be renewed annually through a resolution of the Board of Directors. 

Use of the District 1 revenue is guided by the policies and goals stated in the 5 Year Plan, first adopted by the Board in June of 1996. 

District 1 revenues are used for:

• Funding open space and greenbelt acquisition
• Funding and overseeing maintenance projects throughout the boundaries of the Authority
• Developing and maintaining lands, trails, natural areas, and other facilities for outdoor recreation
• Reimbursing the Authority for incidental costs associated with the District.

• Measure D allows tax exemptions for seniors and some low‑income homeowners. (Learn more about Measure D exemptions here!)
• District 1’s assessment and Measure T do not include any exemptions. Because the law does not permit exemptions for these assessments and taxes, the Open Space Authority isn’t allowed to grant them.