There are at least 11 sales tax measures before voters this November. One of them is for the city of San Diego. It’s called Measure E.
The proposed one-cent sales tax would help the city address its $200 million budget deficit. Money from the tax increase would go toward supporting new and existing infrastructure and other services – public safety, libraries and parks.
As the Union-Tribune reported, San Diego doesn’t have a good history with such tax hikes. In 2010, voters rejected a similar proposal – 62 percent to 38 percent.
Can they get it done? Supporters are feeling confident. The city is less conservative than it was 14 years ago, and officials are making a better case for where the money will go, supporters told the U-T. But those against the tax increase say San Diegans are already struggling to make ends meet. They say a sales tax hike would hurt many low-income families.
Haven’t decided yet? We’re hosting a debate on Measure E this Saturday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m. We’ll be joined by Measure E supporter Michael Zucchet, general manager of the Municipal Employees Association, and former City Councilmember Scott Sherman, who opposes the tax. Get your ticket here.
That’s one of the many debates and discussions we’re hosting this week at Politifest. You can view the full schedule here.
Meanwhile, in North County: Voters in Encinitas, San Marcos, Escondido and Oceanside will see sales tax measures on their ballots this November.
In Encinitas, city leaders are hoping a one-cent sales tax increase, which is projected to bring in around $15 million each year, could partially fund the city’s infrastructure backlog of roughly $257 million, including some much-needed stormwater infrastructure improvements.
Escondido’s one-cent sales tax measure is projected to bring in around $25 million annually if approved by voters, which would help address the city’s ongoing structural budget deficit. Similarly, San Marcos’ one-cent sales tax measure could also help with the city’s recent budget struggles by bringing in about $20 million per year.
Oceanside is asking its residents to extend a half-cent sales tax measure called Measure X for another 10 years. Voice previously reported that the measure has generated about $100 million so far, click here to read about how that money has been spent so far.
Environment Report: The Scientist Behind Cross-Border Pollution Research
If you followed the recent back and forth between scientists and county officials about the air quality near the polluted Tijuana River, you may have read about one scientist named Kim Prather, an atmospheric scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Prather is one of the researchers spearheading cross-border pollution research at the Tijuana River, but before that she played a significant role in helping scientists and medical professionals understand how Covid-19 spreads.
She, along with another scientist at Virginia Tech, were among the first to urge Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, and others to consider aerosols that could launch the virus further than six feet, as opposed to only considering droplet transmission of viruses – aka coughing or sneezing mucus.
Prather is now taking on the Tijuana sewage crisis as her next mission, raising alarms about poor air quality near the Tijuana river valley.
Read the Environment Report here.
In Other News
- University researchers studying the cross-border pollution caused by the Tijuana sewage crisis will now collaborate with county, state and federal environmental and health agencies to share data, develop an air quality alert system and more. (Union-Tribune) Related: The new agreement comes on the heels of a toxic gas concern in the Tijuana River Valley earlier this month that turned out to be somewhat of a false alarm. (Voice of San Diego)
- As the San Diego Port District continues its search for a new CEO, one of the agency’s longest-serving commissioners, Dan Malcolm, abruptly announced Monday that he would be abstaining from any further discussions or votes related to the CEO search process. (inewsource)
- In the past 18 months since former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher was accused of sexual assault and harassment by former MTS employee Grecia Figueroa, there have been more than 400 court filings and dozens of hearings, with one lawsuit even targeting Figueroa’s friend. (Union-Tribune)
- Fires involving lithium-ion batteries have been occurring more often, and San Diego now has an expert for that. Rob Rezende, a battalion chief with San Diego Fire-Rescue, is a nationally recognized expert in lithium-ion battery fires. (Union-Tribune) Related: Rezende was on the scene at a recent battery fire at a battery storage site in Escondido. Read about that fire here. (Voice of San Diego)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.