The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) unanimously voted today to remove Measure H from the November 2026 ballot following a recommendation from the campaign leadership committee supporting the measure. The coalition will now immediately begin preparing for a 2028 transportation funding campaign, which leaders believe offers the strongest opportunity to secure the broad public support necessary to achieve voter approval.
Immediately following the SLOCOG meeting, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors convened a special meeting and unanimously approved the removal of Measure H from the November 2026 ballot, completing the actions required to withdraw the measure.
The recommendation comes after months of community organizing that brought together more than 12,000 petition signers and hundreds of thousands of dollars in private investment in support of a long-term transportation funding solution. It also follows several weeks of consultation with experienced transportation campaign professionals from across California and a comprehensive assessment of the measure's prospects. Based on that analysis, campaign leadership concluded that Measure H no longer had a realistic path to achieving the required two-thirds voter approval this November.
The committee said its recommendation reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship of both public and private resources while remaining steadfast in its pursuit of a long-term, locally controlled transportation funding solution for San Luis Obispo County.
Since SLOCOG voted in June to place Measure H on the ballot, the political and economic landscape has continued to evolve. Ongoing inflationary pressures, affordability concerns, and economic uncertainty have created an even more challenging environment than existed when the original citizens' initiative—which would have required only a simple majority for approval—was unable to proceed this spring. At the same time, the results of California's June election cycle underscored the significant headwinds facing local revenue measures, particularly those requiring a two-thirds vote.
California's June election results reinforced that conclusion. Here in San Luis Obispo County, the only local tax measure earned 54% support and passed only because it was a citizens' initiative requiring a simple majority vote. Meanwhile, every local tax measure on the ballot in neighboring Monterey County failed, as did the lone local tax measure in Santa Barbara County. Together, those results underscored the extraordinary challenge facing any local measure that must earn two-thirds voter approval in today's environment.
“When the SLOCOG voted to place Measure H on the ballot on June 3, it reflected the county's transportation needs and the best information available at the time. Since then, both the political and economic landscape have shifted significantly. After carefully reviewing the data, consulting with transportation campaign experts from across California, and evaluating the likelihood of success, we concluded that there is no responsible path to achieving the required two-thirds vote this November. We appreciate SLOCOG's action today in accepting our recommendation and preserving this effort for a strong opportunity in 2028.”
The coalition remains committed to working alongside local governments, business leaders, labor, public safety representatives, community organizations, and residents to build the broad public support necessary to secure a lasting transportation funding solution for San Luis Obispo County at the appropriate time.
“Today's action is not the end of this effort, it's the beginning of the next chapter. We will build on the extraordinary coalition we've assembled, refine the measure, and prepare for a 2028 campaign with the strongest possible path to success. More than 12,000 residents signed petitions, hundreds of community leaders stepped forward, and significant private resources were invested because people believe in this vision. Today's decision protects that momentum and positions our community to achieve what has always been our goal - not simply placing a measure on the ballot, but passing one.”
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