Taxes may be a certainty of life. But how much you’re taxed the next time you checkout, is now up for a vote. This November election, there are more than 10 ballot measures that could raise sales taxes in local cities and throughout the entire county.
The two measures arguably attracting the most attention are Measure E, a 1% increase to the sales tax rate in the City of San Diego, and Measure G, a .05% sales tax increase countywide.
The ballot measures make big promises like upgrading stormwater systems, repairing roadways, and upgrading public transportation. Opponents of both E and G don’t disagree that there’s a need, they’re just not on board with writing anyone a blank check.
Measure E: San Diego's 1% Sales Tax Increase
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Measure E asks voters to raise the sales tax in the City of San Diego by one percentage point, from 7.75% to 8.75%. That’s projected to bring about $360-400 million a year to the city’s general fund.
City leaders like Councilmember Raul Campillo say they plan to spend that money mainly on infrastructure. That includes things like stormwater, potholes, street lights, parks and libraries.
“We needed this revenue 20 years ago to rehabilitate and maintain what we had then,” Campillo said. “But no one stepped up 20 years ago to ask the voters for this investment. Now we have to fix this stuff.”
San Diego’s stormwater department alone has hundreds of outstanding repair and upgrade projects it can’t afford to execute. And the ground it needs to make up is overwhelming – $1.6 billion – that’s how much more money the stormwater department needs. In the meantime, hundreds of storm pipes underground and pump stations are in a state of decay, well past their lifespan.
A stormwater system failure contributed to devastating flooding that displaced hundreds of San Diegans during a winter rainstorm earlier this year. The City now faces a class-action lawsuit from those who lost their homes and has paid hundreds of thousands in legal claims tied to stormwater-related damages.
And that’s just stormwater. The entire City budget is $200 million in the red, according to an August 2024 report by the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. The City says the new sales tax rate would cover the city’s budget shortfall, and the leftover $160-200 million generated a year would go towards infrastructure projects like streets, sidewalks, streetlights, and flood prevention.
Campillo co-authored Measure E with Mayor Todd Gloria.
“We need to invest a lot more in neighborhood infrastructure,” says Campillo. “Those are mostly at the end of their useful life. People see it when they drive to work every day. And so we need to invest in that. Because if we don’t invest in it now, it’s going to cost a lot more later.”
Campillo says if San Diegans commute to or explore different cities and regions across San Diego County, there’s a good chance they already pay the same sales tax rate Measure E is proposing in their day to day life.
“Eight other cities have higher sales tax,” Campillo told us. “You’re already spending money at a higher rate when you go have lunch in Del Mar. Or you go into National City. Or Imperial Beach. Or La Mesa.”
The sales tax in Chula Vista, Del Mar, National City, Solana Beach and Imperial Beach is 8.75%. In La Mesa it’s 8.5% and if you hit the mall in Vista, Oceanside and El Cajon expect to pay 8.25% sales tax at the register.
Opponents to Measure E acknowledge the city’s need for more investment in infrastructure but say this ballot measure isn’t the answer.
The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) endorses several local city sales tax measures on the ballot. Notably, San Diego’s Measure E is not one of them.
“We got to put our money where we know it will go to good use and good work. And we’re not convinced that that’s at the City of San Diego. There are other places where we are convinced it could work. But not at the City of San Diego,” says Haney Honey, president of SDCTA.
In an interview with NBC 7 Investigates, Hong listed three big reasons the association is pushing voters to check ‘no’ on Measure E:
- The City of San Diego’s history of mismanaging public money and services, including the city’s years-long issues with inaccurate water meters and billing
- Measure E does not include a sunset clause – meaning the higher sales tax rate would be permanent
- Revenue generated from Measure E would go into the city’s general fund, instead of a dedicated infrastructure program
“I think a lot of people question [what] the City does with our current tax dollars,” Hong said. “If you want to give the taxpayer the benefit of the doubt, then why don’t you give the taxpayers the ability to vote on it again?”
Perhaps Hong’s biggest area of contention with the ballot measure is that it feeds into the general fund.
“If you and I as taxpayers are going to put our money into it, we need to be assured it’s going to go to that [infrastructure],” Hong argued. Instead, he says Measure E essentially gives city leaders a blank check.
“Well it’s certainly not a blank check,” Campillo said. “All of the things you deal with in your daily life with the city government, that’s what the general fund pays for. That’s where 99% of the dollars go to. The things people really appreciate about government services.”
To Campillo’s point, the city’s stormwater department currently doesn’t have its own dedicated funding source. Its budget comes from the city’s general fund. The councilman says Measure E gives the city flexibility – and that’s by design – allowing the city to divert the new revenue stream to cover an unexpected emergency.
The fact the money is earmarked for the general fund instead of a specified cause also makes Measure E a lot easier to pass. This way city leaders only need a simple majority to vote yes (more than 50 percent of ballots), instead of two-thirds.
“If we had all these other restrictions that the County Taxpayers Association is asking for, we’d be doing it with one arm tied behind our back,” says Campillo. “Why would we want to do that? Let’s have a 30-year plan now and get the ball rolling. And start with the streets.”
Measure G: San Diego County's .5% Sales Tax Increase
Whether you live in or outside San Diego city limits, you will also be voting on another sales tax increase, Measure G.
If approved, it would increase sales tax by half a percent across the entire county. If it passes, it’s projected to rake in $350 million a year. The purpose: a major public transportation glow up.
A band of climate and labor groups campaigned to put it on the ballot, including the Environmental Health Coalition. Carolina Martinez is its Climate Justice Director.
“We need to have a transit system that is reliable, affordable and frequent.”
Martinez says 70% of jobs in San Diego County aren’t reachable by public transit. That includes her own. She drove her car to a trolley station in National City for our interview.
“it’s very frustrating that I can’t get to my job on transit,” Martinez said. “It takes me an hour to get to my job if I use transit. If I drive, it takes me 15 minutes.”
But Measure G could change that. Among its listed projects is an express service from the border through downtown on the blue line. And a new rail line to relieve traffic on the 805. Plus a rail connection to the airport, and 24-hour services.
But again, not everyone is on board. The San Diego County Taxpayers Association is also against Measure G.
“It is a group of people, one specific interest, putting on something and expecting everyone else to figure out and vote on,” Hong said. “Ballot box budgeting it’s just not the right to get the money and spend the money.”
Hong says the public transportation system is complex; it shouldn’t be something voters should be on the hook to design or pay for.
But Martinez says voters can’t afford not to.
“Right now it’s really expensive to not have reliable transit,” Martinez said. “It’s costing our economy. It’s costing our air quality and it’s costing our climate. Those expenses are really really high. And so having reliable transit will improve the quality of life for all San Diegans.”
This measure also requires a simple majority (51%) to pass.
12 other localities have tax measures on the ballot
A dozen other measures are asking voters to either approve or extend tax measures. For example, there’s a proposal in Santee to increase sales tax by a half percent to benefit the fire department. In Escondido, voters will get to decide on a 1% sales tax increase to bolster the general fund. In the map below, you can see which municipalities have a tax measure on the ballot.
You can find out exactly what's on your ballot and where your polling place is by visiting the San Diego County Registrar’s Office website.
Measure P: Chula Vista's .5% Sales Tax Extension
Shall the measure to continue funding City of Chula Vista services including fixing potholes; keeping streets, sidewalks, infrastructure, parks, public facilities safe, clean, well-maintained; repairing aging storm drains; managing traffic congestion; and removing trash/graffiti from public spaces, by renewing City of Chula Vista’s half-cent transactions and use tax at the current rate (no increase), continuing an estimated $37,000,000 annually for general government use for 10 years, with citizen oversight, independent audits, and all money locally controlled, be adopted?
Measure M: Del Mar's Transient Occupancy Tax
To maintain City services impacted by tourism (public safety, streets, beaches, parks, trails), shall the Del Mar Municipal Code be updated to require TOT from guests of all short-term vacation rentals (30 days or less), hotels, and similar facilities – regardless of unit/bedroom count – on rent charged (excluding third-party booking fees), and allow online booking vendors to collect/remit TOT to City of Del Mar, generating approximately $775,000 annually in local revenue, until ended by voters?
Measure K: Encinitas' 1% Sales Tax Increase
To provide locally-controlled funding for Encinitas city services, such as keeping parks, beaches, public facilities safe and clean; keeping trash/pollution away from lagoons, waterways, beaches, marine habitat by repairing aging storm drains; restoring beach sand; fixing potholes; maintaining streets; improving traffic safety, infrastructure, and public safety facilities; shall Encinitas’ measure establishing a one-cent (1%) transactions and use (sales) tax, providing $15.4 million annually for general revenue purposes for 10 years, be adopted?
Measure J: El Cajon's 1% Sales Tax Extension
To prevent substantial cuts to: The number of· firefighters/paramedics; The number of police officers· (including patrol, crime prevention, and homeless enforcement); Street maintenance (for example,· pothole repair and repaving); and Other essential City services;· Shall the City continue the ½ cent sales tax approved by the voters in 2008, for an additional 20 years, with oversight from a Citizens’ Committee?
Measure I: Escondido's 1% Sales Tax Increase
To provide funding for essential services in Escondido, such as providing public safety; addressing homelessness; improving streets, sidewalks and infrastructure; increasing police, fire and paramedic services; reducing traffic congestion; and maintaining parks, trails and open space, shall the Escondido Community Investment Measure establishing a local one-cent sales tax providing approximately twenty-eight million dollars annually for twenty years be adopted, for general government use, with independent audits, citizen oversight, and all money staying in Escondido?
Measure L: La Mesa's .75% Sales Tax Extension
Protecting La Mesa Essential Services Without Increasing Tax Rates. To continue funding for La Mesa city services, such as keeping parks/recreation/ community facilities safe, clean and well maintained; fixing potholes/ maintaining streets; and providing rapid 9-1-1 emergency response/ fire protection/ paramedics/ crime prevention, shall the ordinance renewing City of La Mesa’s existing ¾% sales tax be adopted at the current rate (no increase), continuing $12,000,000 annually for 20 years, with independent oversight, audits, and all funds locally controlled?
Measure T: Lemon Grove's 1% Sales Tax Increase
To provide funding for city services in Lemon Grove, such as keeping local streets, sidewalks, stormdrains, parks, community facilities safe, clean, and well-maintained; fixing potholes; providing fire protection, paramedic, police, and 911 emergency response; traffic management; addressing homelessness; and removing graffiti/trash; Shall City of Lemon Grove's ordinance establishing a one-cent sales tax be adopted, providing $5,957,000 annually for 10 years, with citizen oversight, independent audits, and all money locally controlled?
Measure R: National City's Special Parcel Tax
Shall the Measure adding a Special Parcel Tax in the City of National City to be used for street and park purposes, with rates based on the character of the property and exempting certain types of properties to be collected beginning in 2025, and continuing until repealed by the voters, with an oversight committee, generating an estimated $1.7 million dollars annually, be adopted?
Measure X: Oceanside's .5% Sales Tax Extension
To continue providing funding to maintain and improve general city services in Oceanside, including: road repairs, infrastructure maintenance, safe parks, beach and habitat restoration, fire, paramedic, and 911 emergency response, police patrols, crime prevention, and addressing homelessness, shall the City of Oceanside extend the existing ½ cent sales tax at the current rate (no increase) for 10 years, providing approximately $19,000,000 annually for general government use, with citizen oversight, independent audits, and all funds controlled locally?
Measure H: Poway's Additions to “The Farm”
Do you approve an amendment to The Farm in Poway Specific Plan to allow development of 30,500 square-foot recreational fitness club with outdoor fitness uses, lighted recreational courts, swimming pools, café with bar, a day spa/retail, on 6.87 acres located in The Farm in Poway Specific Plan area (APN 273-932-25-00) in the City of Poway?
Measure Q: San Marcos' 1% Sales Tax Increase
To provide funding for San Marcos city services, such as fixing potholes, maintaining streets/public infrastructure; reducing traffic congestion; keeping local parks, trails, playgrounds and community facilities safe, and well-maintained; providing fire protection, paramedic, crime prevention, and 911 emergency response; shall the City of San Marcos measure establishing a 1 cent sales tax be adopted, providing approximately $20,000,000 annually for general government use for 10 years, with citizen oversight, independent audits, and all money locally controlled?
Measure S: Santee's .5% Sales Tax Increase
Shall the measure amending the Santee Municipal Code to enact a half cent special sales tax for fifteen years to support fire protection and emergency response facilities and services in the City of Santee, be adopted?
