Santa Clara County’s eleventh hour ballot initiative to combat the massive federal cuts laid out in President Donald Trump’s landmark tax and spending bill was trending favorably after first returns Tuesday evening — much to the relief of local officials and advocates who feared the cuts would decimate the county budget and force critical health care services to close.

The county, which operates the second-largest public hospital and health care system in the state, is projecting to lose roughly $1 billion in federal revenues annually due to the cuts. Measure A — a proposed 0.625% increase to the local sales tax rate — is expected to fill a third of that budget gap, generating $330 million annually if passed. It will last five years, helping the county weather the worst of the fiscal stor

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