Measure helps preserve regional business competitiveness with critical investments in healthcare for the South Bay
SAN JOSE, Calif (October 2, 2025) – The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) – the leading business association representing the innovation economy and its ecosystem – today announced its formal endorsement of Measure A, an initiative on the November 2025 Santa Clara County ballot. If approved, the measure would safeguard thousands of jobs, provide targeted, temporary funding to protect healthcare access for one in four county residents, and ensure the South Bay’s economic resilience in the face of over $1 billion in federal healthcare cuts.
“Measure A is about making pragmatic, high ROI investments to support our employers and bolster the South Bay’s economic vitality at a pivotal time,” said Ahmad Thomas, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. “This targeted and timebound measure is important for preserving healthcare access and maintaining our region’s competitiveness, on a global scale, for innovation and the AI economy.”
Measure A would enact a temporary five-year, ⅝-cent sales tax expected to generate roughly $330 million annually, designed to backfill over $1 billion in annual federal healthcare cuts to Santa Clara County’s public health system under H.R.1. The measure will prevent severe disruptions to essential services at Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH), which serves one in four county residents, nearly half of all emergency department visits, and two-thirds of trauma care in the region.
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Healthcare Committee, which is comprised of the region’s largest hospital systems and key healthcare stakeholders, has been deeply engaged throughout the decision process on Measure A. This important committee’s support underscores the critical role that healthcare investment plays not only in protecting public health but also in sustaining the broader South Bay business community.
As part of its endorsement, SVLG is calling for:
- Robust Measure A Oversight with Industry Involvement. Including healthcare executives and business leaders in oversight committee efforts will help to ensure revenues are directed most effectively toward preserving essential healthcare services.
- Transparent Public Reporting. Bi-annual public disclosures on revenues raised, allocations made, and measurable impacts on hospital operations and community health is vital to preserve public trust.
- Strong Collaboration with Cities. Active engagement with local municipalities is essential to ensure fair distribution of funds and to collaboratively address upstream challenges, including public safety, behavioral health, homelessness, and substance use.
- Time-Limited Scope. Clear adherence to the five-year sunset is central to the SVLG endorsement, ensuring that Measure A remains a temporary emergency response to unprecedented federal cuts.
The measure has also drawn broad support from prominent community and labor leaders, local stakeholders, and organizations who view it as essential to strengthening the economic vitality of Santa Clara County. In addition, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan publicly endorsed the measure on October 1.
About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group:
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) is the leading business association representing the innovation economy and its ecosystem. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, SVLG has worked for nearly five decades to address issues that affect the region’s economic dynamism and quality of life. Today, SVLG is focused on accelerating the next era of Silicon Valley leadership, activated by our Institute for California AI Policy (ICAP) and three new Centers of Expertise (COE): Technology & Innovation, Business Competitiveness, and Civic Impact. SVLG members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute more than $3 trillion to the worldwide economy. For more information, visit svlg.org.
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