San Diego Voters to Weigh Charter Changes and Half-Cent Tax Hike

San Diego County residents will vote on two distinct ballot measures in November, addressing long-term governance structures and immediate funding for public health initiatives.

Measure B proposes a 0.5 percent increase in the county sales tax. Supporters project this increase will generate between $400 million and $450 million annually. The revenue is earmarked for specific priorities, including stopping toxic sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, protecting affordable healthcare access, and preventing deep cuts to local hospitals and clinics. The measure also funds expansions in child care and nutrition support for working families, as well as improvements to 911 response and wildfire prevention. The tax will remain in effect until voters decide to end it.

Measure A focuses on amending the county charter to establish an independent ethics commission, an independent budget analyst, and an independent program auditor. These positions would report directly to the Board of Supervisors. The measure also standardizes term limits across all county elected offices, allowing supervisors to serve three terms instead of the current two. It does not alter the current lack of term limits for the sheriff, district attorney, or other county officials. The requirement that supervisors reside in their respective districts remains in effect under the proposed changes.

The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in May to place Measure A on the November ballot. Supervisors Paloma Aguirre, Terra Lawson-Remer, and Monica Montgomery Steppe supported the measure. Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond opposed it. Lawson-Remer, who proposed the measure the previous spring, stated that the reforms aim to build a stronger and more accountable county government for future generations. She described the effort as a long-term strategy rather than a move to protect or attack specific politicians.

Desmond said he supports the creation of an ethics commission, program auditor, and independent budget analyst. However, he characterized the expansion of supervisor terms as the worst form of politics and self-serving politicians. The board also voted 3-2 to reject Anderson's counterproposal. That proposal would have eliminated a provision allowing the board to confirm and remove senior staff hired by the county's chief executive. It also would have removed the expansion of supervisor term limits. Anderson moved to place both proposals on the ballot, but that motion failed by the same 3-2 margin.

Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, a Republican from San Diego, argued earlier this year that proposing a tax increase while costs are rising was a foolish move. Supporters of Measure B stated that they intend to take action after decades of state and federal leaders failing to resolve the pollution problem.