February 21, 2024
Dr. Daniel McCrimons speaks against Measure C at a press conference on February 15.
The California Medical Association (CMA) and the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society (SSVMS) have quickly organized a coalition of physicians, dentists and other Sacramento health care providers for an urgent campaign to alert voters to oppose Measure C, a local proposed tax increase that threatens physician practices, health care access and small businesses in the community.
The Sacramento City Council placed an ordinance on the March 5th ballot that would increase the tax the city charges licensed professionals, including physicians, to $684 annually. Currently, the tax on professional licensees ranges from $75 to $300, depending on the number of years in practice. Under Measure C, Sacramento businesses would also be taxed on their gross receipts and could see an increase in their maximum annual tax liability from $5,000 to $125,000.
While CMA generally focuses on statewide health care issues, given the enormity of the tax increase, the city's failure to reach out to local physicians before placing this on the ballot and the city’s failure to follow its own notice rules that would have made it possible for local physicians to submit an argument against the ballot measure for the voter guide, CMA is working with SSVMS to defeat this measure that specifically targets physician practices.
The No on Measure C campaign, co-sponsored and funded by CMA and SSVMS, is utilizing various outreach methods, including direct voter contact and social media. With ballots already in the hands of voters, the coalition came together quickly and immediately began direct outreach to members and then Sacramento voters to inform them about the potential impacts of Measure C.
Measure C, if passed, would disproportionately impact health care professionals, including those who work part-time or have retired from full-time practice but continue to serve the community because the need is so great, like Daniel McCrimons, M.D., who has been a pediatrician in Sacramento for 42 years and is currently semi-retired.
“I continue to serve because there is a critical physician shortage and patients need me and other health care professionals," said Dr. McCrimons. "I heard about this measure when ballots started to arrive in voters’ mailboxes. It was shocking to me and other local small practice physicians because it goes against everything that we know about what people in our community need – access to quality health care."