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San Diego County, California, Transportation and Environment Sales Tax, Measure A (November 2016)
| Measure A: San Diego County Transportation and Environment Sales Tax |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 DefeatedMajority required: 66.67% |
| Topic: |
| Local sales tax Expires in: 40 years (Expires in 2057) |
| Related articles |
| Local sales tax on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California San Diego County, California ballot measures County tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| San Diego County, California |
A county sales tax was on the ballot for San Diego County voters in San Diego County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was defeated.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of adopting a 0.5 percent or "half-cent" county sales tax for transportation repairs, public transit expansion, and open space preservation, increasing the total sales tax rate in the county to 8.5 percent. |
| A no vote was a vote against adopting a 0.5 percent county sales tax, thereby leaving the total sales tax rate in the county at 8 percent. |
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of this measure.
Election results
| Measure A | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| No | 513,646 | 41.63% | ||
| Yes | 720,158 | 58.37% | ||
- Election results from San Diego County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
SAN DIEGO COUNTY ROAD REPAIR, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC RELIEF, SAFETY AND WATER QUALITY MEASURE Shall an ordinance be adopted to: repair roads, deteriorating bridges; relieve congestion; provide every community funds for pothole/street repairs; expand public transit, including improved services for seniors, disabled, students, veterans; reduce polluted runoff; preserve open space to protect water quality/reduce wildfires by enacting, with independent oversight/audits, a 40-year, half-cent local sales tax ($308 million annually) that Sacramento cannot take away?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the San Diego County Counsel:
| “ |
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), acting as the San Diego County Regional Transportation Commission (Commission), has placed this measure on the ballot. This measure would: 1. Authorize the Commission to impose an additional transactions and use tax of ½ percent in San Diego County for a period not to exceed forty years. 2. Authorize the Commission to issue bonds payable from the proceeds of the tax to accelerate the construction of public infrastructure improvements. 3. Require all revenues to be deposited into a special fund and limit the use of such revenues to public improvements that qualify as eligible uses under state law, including:
4. Require the Commission to make every effort to combine revenues with federal, state, local and private funding to maximize the amount of money available in the region for infrastructure. 5. With the exception of certain sections, which require a vote of the electors of San Diego County to amend, the ordinance may only be amended with a favorable vote of at least two thirds of the SANDAG Board of Directors. 6. Require local agencies to maintain the same level of discretionary funding, including local agency general funds, expended for streets and roads, transit, and specialized transportation. 7. Require that SANDAG use its best efforts to complete the projects in the Priority Corridors Program within 15 years. These include highway improvements in the SR 78, I-5, SR 52, SR 67, I-8, and SR/94/SR125 corridors; increased Trolley service and capacity; COASTER commuter rail improvements; and new Trolley and Rapid bus services. 8. Establish a goal of using 80% to 100% local workers on capital projects funded by the ordinance. 9. Require that skilled and trained workers be used and responsible bidders be hired to carry out capital projects constructed by SANDAG. 10. Require continuation and expansion of the Independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee (ITOC), which will oversee the financial integrity and performance of the program. If passed, the measure shall become effective on November 9, 2016, and operative on April 1, 2017. [2] |
” |
| —San Diego County Counsel[3] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[3]
- Haney Hong, President & CEO, San Diego County Taxpayers Association
- Jack Harkins, Chair, United Veterans Council of San Diego
- Cara A. Lacey, The Nature Conservancy
- Mary Enyeart, San Diego 911 Emergency Dispatcher
- Allan Arrollado, President, San Diego Fire Fighters
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[3]
| “ |
Reverse decades of neglect to San Diego’s infrastructure by providing funding for:
Local Nurses, Fire Fighters & First Responders: Critical Safety Repairs Save Lives. Badly needed repairs to streets, bridges, interchanges/overpasses make roads safer, reduce response times, and get emergency crews to accidents/disasters faster to save lives. Paramedics, 911 operators, police and sheriff’s deputies support Measure A. Prevent Devastating Wildfires/Protect Water Quality. Preserve 25,000-plus acres of open space. Protect endangered habitat/watershed. Clean polluted runoff. Fire chiefs: active brush removal/open space management helps prevent wildfires. Strict Accountability/Transparency. Every project online, detailing exactly what Measure A does in your community. Annual independent audits posted online.
A Citizens Oversight Committee will ensure every dollar is spent as promised. Relieve Traffic Congestion/Reduce Air Pollution. San Diego drivers average 42 hours/year stuck in traffic. Idling cars and trucks worsen air pollution. Measure A synchronizes traffic lights, upgrades congested freeways and expands transit to reduce pollution/relieve traffic congestion. A Sustainable, Viable Future. Investing in infrastructure creates tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. Repairing/upgrading roads and freeways insures our economic vitality. Preserving open space, protecting water quality, and expanding transit protects our environment. Measure A will protect and enhance San Diego’s Quality of Life for our children and their children. YES on Measure A Repair San Diego with Funding Sacramento CANNOT Take Away. www.repairsandiego.com [2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[3]
- Ruben Arizmendi, Chair, Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter
- Diane Takvorian, Executive Director, Environmental Health Coalition
- Jim Mahler, College Professor/President, American Federation of Teachers
- Pat Zaharopoulos, Esq., President/CEO, Middle Class Taxpayers Association
- David Alvarez, Councilmember, City of San Diego, District 8
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[3]
| “ |
Measure A is a deceptive and harmful 40-year sales tax increase that would raise taxes in San Diego County with little accountability or transparency and no clear plan to improve our quality of life. Reject Measure A. Vote NO on a 40-year tax increase that gambles with the health of our children and grandchildren. The American Lung Association gave San Diego County an “F” in the 2016 State of the Air report. Measure A does not offer real solutions to solve our dangerous air pollution problems. Reject Measure A. Vote NO on bureaucrats getting a blank check with little accountability or transparency. Reject Measure A. Vote NO on a 40-year tax increase with no guaranteed solutions to address climate change or reduce traffic congestion in our region. Reject Measure A. Vote NO on a flawed Measure that raises taxes for 40 years, yet does not do nearly enough to improve water quality and clean up the pollution harming our creeks and coastal waters. Reject Measure A. Vote NO on Measure A with nurses, teachers, the Sierra Club, the National City Chamber of Commerce and working families. Reject Measure A. Our communities deserve better, our children deserve better, our taxpayers deserve better. Measure A is dangerous, reckless, and does more harm than good. Don’t be fooled. VOTE NO ON MEASURE A. Oppose Measure A. Get the facts about this deceptive measure at StopMeasureA.org. [2] |
” |
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of San Diego County, California.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms San Diego County Local sales tax. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ San Diego Registrar of Voters, "Local Measures for November 8, 2016," accessed September 29, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 San Diego Registrar of Voters, "Measure A," accessed September 29, 2016
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