Voters in Berkeley, California, soundly rejected a measure Tuesday evening that would have imposed a new tax on hundreds of buildings that have existing natural gas hookups in an effort to fight climate change and reduce emissions.
Berkeley voters defeated the measure by a wide margin, with just 31.8 percent voting in favor of the special tax and 68.3 percent voting against, according to voting data from Alameda County, which includes Berkeley. The city, which is located on the outskirts of San Francisco, has historically voted heavily for Democrats and progressive ballot measures—as of Wednesday afternoon, for example, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris held a 47-point lead over President-elect Donald Trump in Alameda County.
The outcome of the Tuesday vote represents a significant blow to the climate agenda in California and reveals how left-wing activists are struggling to persuade even the most liberal communities to embrace harsh climate measures. The measure had been endorsed by a wide range of progressive interest groups and political clubs, including the Sunrise Movement, NAACP, SEIU, and local Democratic Party, all of which argued it would help curb Berkeley's reliance on fossil fuels and meet climate goals.
"The climate crisis worsens by the day. Homes in the hills go without insurance, residents choke on wildfire smoke, and sea level rises unchecked. Meanwhile, our pace of emissions reductions is far below what is needed to meet our own City's 2030 targets," Fossil Free Berkeley, the group that organized the measure, said ahead of the vote.
Opponents of the measure, led by the National Association of Realtors and local property developers, countered that it would raise rental prices and would ultimately be punitive for businesses. A report published by Berkeley's city government in July concluded that, if passed, the measure would increase prices for consumers and could lead to decreased quality of local businesses' services.
Overall, the measure would have implemented a tax of $2.96 per 100 cubic feet of natural gas consumed by buildings 15,000 square feet or larger, a total of 609 buildings in the city, local outlet Berkeleyside reported. It was projected to generate $26.7 million in additional tax revenue in its first year. The tax rate would have also increased 6 percent more than the annual rate of inflation every year.
And the vote is just the latest defeat Berkeley has been handed in its effort to restrict natural gas use and fight climate change.
In March, Berkeley said it would work to repeal a law banning natural gas hookups in new construction. The announcement came after the city was handed a series of defeats in federal court regarding its enforcement of the law. The California Restaurant Association and fossil fuel industry groups had sued Berkeley over the law shortly after it was passed in 2019.
The City of Berkeley declined to comment.
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