San Diego’s new sales tax measure would generate $400M

San Diego may see a 1% sales tax increase after the City Council voted to place a measure on the November ballot. 

City officials are touting the potential tax increase as an approach to fund much-needed infrastructure projects and other services. The city estimates the increase would generate roughly $400 million annually. 

The proposal, which is backed by Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmember Raul Campillo, was unanimously approved at a council meeting late last month. It received support from various groups, including the San Diego Police Officers Association, the firefighters union, the San Diego Museum Council and others. 

“We care not only about the arts, but also about our city’s fiscal health and wellbeing, and we’re concerned the city does not have the funding it needs to address many unmet infrastructure needs,” said Felicia Shaw, executive director of San Diego ART Matters. 

But some community members also showed skepticism about the consequences of adding more financial burden to already struggling families, as well as oversight of the additional funding.

The ballot is expected to include provisions designed to address transparency and accountability concerns, such as public hearings, quarterly monitoring reports and independent annual audits. 

In other meeting news, the council:

• Approved a ballot measure that would bypass primary elections for Board of Education members in which there are two candidates or fewer. The proposal would reduce  election-related costs. 
• A report update showed a 4% increase in homelessness across the city of San Diego in the past year. The number of unsheltered families grew 113% and unsheltered youth increased 76%.

Correction, Aug. 5, 2024:

An earlier version of this brief incorrectly reported that the San Diego River Park Foundation supported the tax measure. The individual said he was speaking as a community member, and not as a representative of the group. inewsource has removed the River Park Foundation from this report.