LOS ANGELES, CA – Following a successful launch event with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, California Billionaire Tax supporters are taking to the airwaves to sound the alarm that soon California’s hospitals and ERs will be forced to shut their doors forever because billionaires insist on paying lower tax rates than working families.
The campaign’s first ad, titled “This is Not a Drill,” does not look like your typical campaign ad. It offers a stark, PSA-style warning about massive federal healthcare cuts collapsing key parts of the California healthcare system and the impact it will have on families statewide.
It will premiere during a number of key Olympics final events in a range of California markets this weekend — and will continue running on TV and online including during the Closing Ceremonies.
“In an emergency, every second counts. When hospitals close, patients will be forced to drive further, and wait longer, for care. I’m worried about how many people will die waiting for care,” said Karen Sanchez, Patient Services Representative at Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley.
Healthcare workers are supporting the Billionaire Tax to avoid these kinds of catastrophic consequences.
“California’s billionaires pay much lower tax rates than what working families pay out of every paycheck. And soon, massive federal healthcare funding cuts will collapse key parts of the California healthcare system. Families deserve to know that local hospitals and ERs will close because billionaires insist on paying less than working families. These messages — which will be seen across California — underscore that when hospitals, clinics, and ERs close as a result of federal cuts, patients will be facing incredible difficulty accessing care, unless billionaires pay a modest one-time 5% tax. Even in communities where hospitals don’t close, ER wait times will get even worse, which can cost lives. This message underscores the choice California faces — more tax breaks for billionaires, or keeping our hospitals open. It’s important to alert as many Californians as possible to the healthcare collapse that is looming, because it’s preventable if billionaires pay something closer to their fair share,” said Suzanne Jimenez, Chief of Staff at SEIU UHW.
As federal healthcare cuts from HR1 begin to rip healthcare away from millions of Californians, momentum is growing for a one-time 5% emergency tax on the state’s roughly 200 billionaires as a direct response. The commonsense measure is designed to ensure that billionaires pay their fair share to stabilize and protect the state’s vast healthcare infrastructure, including California hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers, and home care services.
Without revenue from the California Billionaire Tax, federal healthcare cuts will force hospitals and ERs to close. Healthcare costs will increase and insurance premiums will skyrocket. Healthcare workers will be laid off, and patient wait times will continue to grow. All Californians will feel the effects of these cuts, but they will hit seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities especially hard.
Healthcare workers note that public support for wealth taxes is high across party lines, with national polls consistently showing that more than 60% of Americans support raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy.
Measures such as the Massachusetts Fair Share Amendment and Washington State’s capital gains tax have generated billions in new revenue for public services, and the number of high-income residents AND their cumulative wealth in both states have increased since the policies went into effect.
In addition, tax experts have underscored that what makes the billionaire tax unique is how it’s designed to be fair and enforceable — so billionaires can’t avoid responsibility by moving their assets or claiming residency elsewhere after the now-passed January 1, 2026 deadline for residency changes.
The California Billionaire Tax ballot measure will give Californians the opportunity to vote “yes” to save their healthcare, with 90% of funds raised going toward stabilizing the state’s healthcare system and protecting healthcare for all Californians, and 10% funding food aid and supporting K-14 public education.
Impact of federal healthcare cuts
- Dozens of hospitals and ERs will close; dozens more will be forced to cut back services and lay-off healthcare workers. The patient care crisis will worsen as patients are forced to wait longer and drive further for medical care.
- Up to 3.4 million Californians could lose their healthcare coverage under Medicaid, including many seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities
- The state could lose about $30 billion in federal healthcare funding every year — destabilizing the health care system and driving up health care costs for everyone.
- Insurance premiums for Californians who purchase Affordable Care Act plans could rise as much as 97%, and an estimated 400,000 Californians could be priced out of healthcare altogether.
Impact of food assistance cuts
- Currently, 5.5 million Californians benefit from food aid. 3.5 million are senior citizens and children.
- At least 754,000 people could lose their entire monthly benefit, with over 3 million households facing reductions.
- The estimated funding loss is $2.5 to $4.5 billion annually.
- The SNAP/Cal-Fresh cuts, if not backfilled by other funding mechanisms, are expected to cost California approximately 400,000 jobs over the next nine years.
About the California Billionaire Tax Act
The California Billionaire Tax Act proposes a one-time emergency tax on the wealth of the state’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals to safeguard Medi-Cal, keep hospitals and emergency rooms open, expand food assistance, and support public education. The initiative is a direct response to federal healthcare cuts under HR1 that threaten healthcare access and economic stability for millions of Californians.
| Paid for by Save California Health Care and Public Education, Sponsored by Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West. Committee’s Top Funder Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West |
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