Supporters of a countywide half-cent sales tax hike on the November ballot have zeroed in on a catchy sales pitch to voters.
The measure, they say, will generate up to $80 million annually to fix the seemingly never-ending Tijuana River sewage crisis.
But as our environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer found out, backers of the tax hike are vague on what all that money will pay for.
Elmer asked San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre and others in the coalition of labor unions and environmentalists to name sewage-related projects they hope to fund if it passes.
We’ll get back to you, they said.
Aguirre did mention fixing a troublesome sewage culvert that churns up the river and sends toxic gases into the atmosphere.
But beyond naming a far-off – and hugely expensive – goal of diverting the river entirely and treating much of Tijuana’s sewage in the U.S., backers identified no other immediate uses for the new tax money.
So why foreground the river? One backer told Elmer the river polled highest among all the issues the new tax seeks to address.
ICE Has Deported More than 16,000 People in San Diego County
Federal immigration authorities have deported 16,368 people from San Diego County since the start of last year.
That’s according to numbers provided to U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, who asked federal officials last year for details about immigration enforcement operations in the county.
The Department of Homeland Security waited nine months before responding to Levin’s request.
In addition to deportations, federal authorities also booked 10,489 people into custody since January 2025.
Our South County reporter Jim Hinch recently wrote about the economic and emotional toll caused by the steady drumbeat of arrests and deportations.
In a statement, Levin pointed out that federal authorities omitted key information from their response, including the percentage of people arrested or deported who had prior criminal records.
“The public should use these numbers to hold the government accountable and to push for greater transparency about who is being targeted for removal,” Levin said.
In their response, federal authorities said the focus on immigrants’ criminal histories was misplaced.
“ICE enforces immigration law against all removable aliens, and the commission of violent crimes is not a prerequisite for enforcement,” the response said.
North County Report: Coastal and Inland Cities Diverge on Homelessness
There was good news and bad news for North County cities in the latest count of the region’s homeless population.
The good news: Homelessness declined, in some cases by a lot, in most inland cities.
The bad: Coastal cities, with the exception of Encinitas and surrounding areas, saw numbers rise.
Our North County reporter Tigist Layne, broke down the results of the annual point-in -time count, which volunteers conducted earlier this year.
Standouts include Escondido, which saw a 12-percent drop in unsheltered homeless residents. The city, which has embraced a stricter approach to homelessness, no longer has North County’s largest homeless population.
There’s a huge caveat to the numbers. Volunteer census takers can only count the people they find. If stricter policies push people into places that are harder to reach, sometimes they won’t be counted.
Read the North County Report here.
Budget debates in style
Despite the city of San Diego’s fiscal woes, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera has been lightening the mood by rocking some custom Dickies jackets at City Council budget meetings. Our City Hall reporter Mariana Martínez Barba asked him how many of these personalized fits he has.
He simply replied “lol” and said he has two different jackets. He gets them embroidered at Walla Alterations downtown.
Meet the Beat: Environment Report
Join us on May 21 at Grant Park to meet Voice of San Diego environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer and talk about what she’s working on and what’s on your mind. Don’t miss this free event. Reserve your spot today.
In Other News
- A federal judge appears likely to give San Diego County the go-ahead to conduct a public health inspection at the Otay Mesa Detention Center after two county supervisors were barred from entering earlier this year. (City News Service)
- County supervisors on Wednesday voted to invest up to $2.75 million in local arts and culture programs. (Times of San Diego)
- Devotees of La Jolla’s 112-year-old city-owned recreation center are rallying to save the center after a city of San Diego analysis included it on a list of possible budget-related closures. (La Jolla Light)
- inewsource fact-checked a new ad opposing Measure A, a proposed tax on second homes. The verdict: The ad falsely claims the tax threatens all homeowners in the county. In fact, only 5,100 homes could be affected. (Sidenote: No way to fact-check the ad’s truly vampiric photo of Mayor Todd Gloria.)
- Podcasters and shower crooners: Chula Vista has just the place for you. In addition to the requisite fancy gym and pool, a new apartment complex also includes a podcast studio and a karaoke room. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Jim Hinch, Mariana Martínez Barba and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.