[ad_1]
A proposal to increase San Diego County’s sales tax by 0.5 percentage points to fund transportation infrastructure has officially qualified for the November 2024 ballot.
The campaign supporting this measure is called “Let’s go to San Diegoannounced Friday that it had collected enough valid signatures to bring the issue to voters. The group is a coalition of local environmental organizations, trade unions and businesses.
why is it important
San Diego County has ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, most of which come from cars and trucks. Achieving these climate goals will require significant investment in public transport.
Roads and highways throughout San Diego County also have billions of dollars in unfunded needs. The cost of maintaining that infrastructure will increase with the county’s population.
In terms of numbers
The additional sales tax revenue is divided into six buckets.
- Fifty percent will go toward public transportation projects, including a rail connection to San Diego International Airport and a new rail line between the South Bay and Kearny Mesa.
- 27% will go toward highway maintenance and safety projects, including HOV lanes, bridge repairs, and fire evacuation routes on State Route 67.
- Seven percent will be donated to the city government in proportion to population and will be spent on local infrastructure improvements, such as filling potholes, repairing storm drains, and improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
- 12% believe they will address public transportation management, including increasing the number of buses and trolleys, cleaning transit stops, and lowering fares for seniors, youth, veterans, and the disabled.
- 2% goes toward keeping the county’s rail network in good condition
- Less than 2% will be devoted to the management of the fund, including an independent oversight committee tasked with conducting annual audits.
Looking to the future
The last time an attempt was made to raise consumption tax on transportation infrastructure was in 2016. The bill received support from 57% of voters, but was not passed because it was a government-sponsored special tax measure and required a two-thirds majority.
In contrast, the “Let’s Go San Diego” measure is a citizen initiative. That means it only needs a simple majority to pass.
Unions and businesses supporting the bill are likely to spend heavily on mail delivery and other campaign efforts to ensure its passage. What’s less clear is who will oppose the bill and how much money they’ll spend campaigning against it.
San Diego County voters have historically been reluctant to raise taxes. But the average San Diego voter has become more liberal in recent years, and presidential voters tend to be more progressive than midterm and primary voters.
[ad_2]
Source link
