City of Encinitas Sand Tax, Measure K (November 2008)
A City of Encinitas Hotel Tax for Sand Replenishment, Measure K ballot question was on the November 4, 2008 ballot for voters in the City of Encinitas in San Diego County, where it was approved.
Measure K was on the ballot in the wake of a June 3, 2008 defeat of an identical ballot measure, the Measure G Beach Sand Replenishment Tax.
Under the terms of Proposition K, short-term vacation rental unit visitors will have to pay a 2% hotel tax for beach sand replenishment and stabilization products.
Because the tax revenues from Measure K are designated for a specific purpose, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for approval.
There are approximately 130 short-term rentals in Encinitas. Encinitas spends $40,000 a year to replenish the sand on its beaches.
Election results
| Measure K | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 21,716 | 69.96% | ||
| No | 9,324 | 30.04% | ||
- These final, certified, results are from the San Diego County elections office.
Sand and the Encinitas beach
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) spread 2.1 million cubic yards of sand on the beaches in 2001. The sand was dredged from offshore on 12 sites along San Diego County's 70-mile coastline from Oceanside to Imperial Beach. The project cost $17.5 million and was paid for with federal and state dollars.
Waves and storms have washed most of that sand out to sea, and supporters of Proposition K believe the beaches are getting, or will get, too rocky.
Supporters and opponents
Supporters include the California Coastal Coalition, the Seacoast Preservation Association and the owner of Hansen's Surf Shop.
Opponents include the San Diego County Taxpayers Association and the San Diego Tax Fighters group.
Ballot question
The question on the ballot:
| MEASURE K: "Shall an ordinance be approved to amend Section 3.12.030 of the Encinitas Municipal Code to require guests of short-term vacation rental units (less than 30 days) to pay 2% as a special transient occupancy tax to be used only for beach sand replenishment and stabilization projects (the same as the guests staying at Encinitas hotels and motels currently do) effective January 1, 2009?"[1] |
See also
- California 2008 local ballot measures
- San Diego County, California ballot measures
- Hotel taxes in California
External links
- Sand tax headed for November ballot
- In Encinitas, a ballot measure to keep sand on the beach
- Encinitas Taxpayers Association
- California Coastal Coalition
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
