[ad_1]
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) – The city of San Diego detailed details of a tax measure to increase funding for the city’s aging stormwater system Wednesday, nearly a month after historic flooding that devastated communities across the region. Discussed by leaders.
At Wednesday’s Rules Committee meeting, City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera announced a potential parcel tax, or property property tax, to close a $1.6 billion funding gap for the city’s stormwater system maintenance and renewal projects. Presented a version of the charges based on. .
Elo Rivera and other city leaders point to this gap as the biggest structural problem facing the city’s efforts to address longstanding concerns about urban flooding and water pollution. .
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Elo Rivera said, pointing to possible tax measures. “I’m not willing to have conversations with residents anymore…and I can’t make any commitments because I know there are no resources there.”
The measure is an extension of the City of Los Angeles’ 2.5-cent parcel tax passed by voters in 2018 to generate funds for the city’s rainwater harvesting projects and programs, said Brendan Dentino, policy director at Elo Rivera. It is said that there is a high possibility that it will be modeled after “Major W”.
The tax generates about $280 million annually, according to the Safe Clean Water Program, which ran alongside this measure.
Rates are calculated based on the square footage of the “impervious area,” which is the portion of the property that has a surface that does not allow water to pass through. For Los Angeles residents, this includes structures such as buildings, sheds, and pools, as well as concrete and asphalt extensions.
It would also allow for reductions based on the presence of “permeable areas,” green space on the property such as gardens or tree canopies that could absorb water, which would likely be included in the final draft of the ballot measure. city leaders say.
Additional mechanisms to help San Diego residents reduce their tax burden will also be considered, including credits and forgiveness programs for fixed-income and low-income households, Elo Rivera’s office said.
As far as tax rates go, Dentino said San Diego’s version of the parcel tax “will not deviate significantly” from Los Angeles’ 2.5 cents per square foot to a maximum of 4.5 cents.
This scope has been considered in initial attempts by city officials to increase revenue for stormwater projects since 2018, when the city recommended immediate action to address stormwater funding needs. The audit results were announced.
“The audit finds that by not pursuing revenue and not involving the public in this issue, city officials have effectively “unilaterally defunded stormwater needs,” Elo Rivera said Wednesday of the report. “It has been decided,” he said. “It’s time to stop doing that.”
The effects of this lack of funding caused some of the most devastating effects of the Jan. 22 floods, especially in the most underserved areas in areas like southeast San Diego, Elo Rivera said. continued.
Public comments from environmentalists and flood victims reflected the critical need expressed by Rules Committee members for some measure to fund the city’s stormwater projects.
“Decades of underinvestment in stormwater infrastructure maintenance continues to threaten the city’s most neglected and vulnerable communities. We witnessed these devastating consequences on January 22nd. We did,” said San Diego Coastkeeper Courtney Brown.
“January 22 was not an isolated incident; it was a recurring issue,” Brown continued. “This is not only a flooding crisis, but a public health crisis.”
The committee unanimously approved a motion to move forward with the drafting of the tax plan, with the aim of submitting precise language in the spring. If the measure appears on the November ballot, it would require two-thirds of voters to pass.
[ad_2]
Source link
