What to know about San Diego County’s Measure G

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — With the November election, residents across the county will be voting on a number of local measures, including the countywide half-cent sales tax increase proposal known as Measure G.

Measure G is just one of nearly a dozen tax-related initiatives on the ballot alongside races for elected offices — from the president to local city councilmembers.

Voting is already underway for San Diegans across all of these races in person at the Registrar of Voters office, and via drop box and mail. Additional polling sites will open up closer to the final day of the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Find a breakdown of all of these races and what San Diego voters need to know to participate in this year’s general election in FOX 5/KUSI’s Local Election Headquarters 2024.

What would Measure G do?

Measure G would raise the county’s sales tax by half a cent — or 0.5% — to fund transportation projects, including expansions to public transit as well as efforts to maintain and repair existing infrastructure like roads, bridges and rail lines.

Residents would see this tax added onto other local sales taxes, depending on the locale where the purchase is made. For example, a $100 purchase in the city of San Diego would see a 50 cents added to the existing $7.75 charged in local sales taxes based on current rates.

This sales tax would not be applied to certain essential products that are exempt from those fees under California state law, such as groceries, diapers and prescription drugs.

As part of the measure , an independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee made up of industry professionals would also be created to audit the use of funds generated by the sales tax and ensure it is being spent based on its expenditure plan:

• 50% towards major public transit infrastructure projects.
• 27% for capital projects to road and highway traffic flow and community safety.
• 7% for local street maintenance and repair.
• 12% for transit operations and maintenance within the Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit District.
• 2% for repair, rehabilitation and replacement of infrastructure within the rail transit system.
• 2% or less on general administrative services.

Why is Measure G on the ballot?

Measure G is a citizens initiative placed on the ballot based on a signature gathering campaign organized by environmental and labor groups. As it is a citizens initiative, it would require a simple majority of “yes” votes to pass.

Placing the measure on the ballot was pursued to boost initiatives currently in the works by the regional transit planning agency, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). The projects were laid out under a sweeping regional plan approved back in 2021.

The plan serves as a blueprint for the planning agency’s goals to improve the county’s transportation network. Among the projects included in the plan are a proposed transit connection with the airport and efforts to shore up coastal rail through North County.

However, funding for these projects as detailed in the plan assumed voters would pass a half-cent sales tax increase this year, as well as another in 2028. Without this funding, many of these proposals would become financially unfeasible.

Arguments for Measure G

Supporters of Measure G argue the funding unlocked by the half-cent sales tax is necessary to make “essential transportation improvements” that could ease the impacts of roadway congestion like traffic gridlock and smog.

They say significant investment in these updates would prevent San Diego from developing Los Angeles-style traffic patterns and pollution as the region continues to grow. Supporters also contend funding the projects would create more jobs and better community safety.

“Yes on Measure G,” formerly known as “Let’s Go! San Diego,” is the primary coalition boosting the ballot measure.

“Measure G isn’t political or controversial: it’s broadly supported as our best chance to make serious, lasting improvements to our streets, roads, highways, transit, transportation safety and air quality,” the group wrote on its website.

The group is funded through the committee, San Diego Alliance for Traffic Relief, Reliable Transit & Jobs, whose top backers include the California State Association of Electrical Workers and Western States Regional Council of Carpenters. SanDiego350 and Southern California Partnership for Jobs are also involved in promoting the measure, disclosures show.

It also has been endorsed by a number of groups and local officials including: Bike SD, the city of Chula Vista, Rep. Scott Peters, Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas, Climate Action Campaign, San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, and San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera.

A date has not yet been set for an interview with supporters of Measure G on FOX 5/KUSI .

Arguments against Measure G

Opponents of Measure G argue the tax increase is unfair as it would increase cost of living while largely allocating the funds it raises to projects San Diegans would likely not use, as only a small percentage of the county’s residents rely on public transit to get around.

“It’s pennies per day but it mounts up, so you really have to realize that — as everybody’s going to be paying this — it is a regressive tax. It actually strikes more at the lower-income people and its not conducive to a vibrant economy when we have one of the highest sales taxes in the nation,” Richard Rider, San Diego Tax Fighters chairman, told KUSI on Measure G.

Those against the proposal also contend SANDAG, that agency that would be implementing projects the sales tax funds, cannot be trusted with more cash due to a history of financial scandals.

This includes a recent audit flagging mischarges by SANDAG’s toll collection system on State Route 125 , which the agency says it is working to fix. Another probe in 2022 flagged issues with oversight into contract spending, as inewsource reported.

“Stop the SANDAG Tax” is the primary committee funding efforts to kill Measure G. According to campaign finance disclosures, the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of San Diego County and Oceanside Police Officers Association are among the committee’s top contributors.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, Republican Party of San Diego County, San Diego County Taxpayers Association, Carl DeMaio’s Reform California Ballot Measure Committee and Supervisor Jim Desmond are also some of the measure’s opponents.

Rider was interviewed on KUSI’s Good Morning San Diego on Monday, Sept. 30.

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