Retail Sales Tax Increased Statewide
Retail sales tax increased statewide by a quarter percent on Jan. 1, thanks to legislation that ties sales tax to the budget reserve. The law requires the state sales tax to increase by a quarter percent when the budget reserve drops below a certain point. But if the budget reserve rises above a certain point, the state sales tax drops by a quarter percent. The sales tax in Los Angeles County rose to 8.25 percent from 8.0 percent; the sales tax in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties rose from 7.5 percent to 7.75 percent; and the sales tax in San Francisco County rose from 8.25 percent to 8.5 percent.
