Nevada County hit with $31,500 fine for using public funds to push failed tax measure
Nevada County must pay a $31,500 penalty after a state watchdog found it spent over $34,000 of taxpayer money to promote a 2022 sales-tax increase that voters rejected.
A state ethics board concluded that Nevada County violated campaign-finance rules by spending $34,614 of public money on two mailers that promoted Measure V, a 2022 initiative to increase the county sales tax by 0.5 percentage point for a decade to fund wildfire prevention and emergency services. The mailers highlighted benefits while minimizing the tax hike, leading the Fair Political Practices Commission to charge the county with seven violations, including prohibited campaign mailings and disclosure failures.
Measure V was rejected by voters, receiving only 48.41 % of the vote. Under a proposed settlement, the county will pay a $31,500 penalty—$4,500 per violation—and has filed corrective campaign reports. Nevada County Republican Party Chairman Mac Young criticized the use of taxpayer dollars for political advocacy, and county officials have not yet commented. The FPPC is scheduled to vote on the settlement on Aug. 20.
Why it matters
It highlights the risk of public money being used for political persuasion, threatening election fairness and costing taxpayers.
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