EL CAJON COUNCIL VOTES TO PUT HALF-CENT SALES TAX EXTENSION ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

By Rachel Williams

August 8, 2024 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon’s City Council unanimously voted  on Tuesday  to put a 1/2 cent sales tax extension on the November 5 ballot. If approved by voters, the measure would continue a half-cent tax that is set to otherwise expire.  The tax has generated more than $13 million annually for El Cajon’s General Fund, and at least 75% of these funds support the City’s public safety operations.

If voters choose to pass Measure J, continuing this sales tax, significant budget cuts would be avoided, including but not limited to these essential services below:

• Firefighters and paramedics
• Police Officers
• Street Maintenance (pothole repair and repaving)
• Stormwater and sewage

When comparing El Cajon to other San Diego County cities, the Valley of Opportunity receives a smaller percentage of its property tax, which isn’t enough to sustain the community’s needs.

El Cajon receives 11% of its property tax earned, meanwhile, Carlsbad collects 29%, according to Councilmember Steve Goble.

Over the last two decades, City Manager Graham Mitchell thinks the residents’ demand has increased due to an enormous expenditure on newly developed, unforeseen issues, such as homelessness. In 2008, the cost per resident was less than it is today, so he said every trend has gone in the wrong direction.

“I feel confident in saying [that] we are the leanest-run city in San Diego County. If you look at it, slice the data 5-or-20 different ways, we are the leanest …. Number two, we also know wehave to be lean because we get less property tax than everyone else,” City Manager Mitchell said.

The citizens’ comments from four recent town hall meetings helped inform the local government staff on identifying ideal areas for expenditure cuts if the ballot measure does not pass. Those include reduction of personnel by at least 20 positions, elimination of several parks and recreation centers, and ending a few citywide events, such as America On Main Street and Hauntfest.

The Measure J draft outlines two safeguards for taxpayers. One is the creation of an independent oversight committee, which would include a mix of residents, business representatives, accounting professionals, and representation from a taxpayer protection association. This committee did not exist for the 2008 sales tax measure.

Councilmember Michelle Metschel calls on her fellow representatives to explain lessons learned over the past 15 years, because this tax measure was supposed to be temporary in 2008. She’s looking out for the councilmembers and citizens in the future; 10 years from now.

If the 1/2 cent sales tax measure is approved by voters for continuation, it would be set to expire by April 1, 2049.

“I don’t think anybody on this council relishes in extending the tax,” said Deputy Mayor Phil Ortiz. “I despise the idea of extending the tax, it goes against my core values of increasing people’s ability to make a living and a free economy, but there are practical realities when it comes to local government.”

Mayor Bill Wells reminded his constituents that when representing a public office of this size, it requires politicians to make bipartisan decisions outside of party policies because the reality is that situations arise, and force a change to this perspective or calculated decision.

Councilmember Gary Kendrick and City Manager Mitchell highlighted that all four East County cities have a similar sales tax measure on their ballot, and the San Diego Taxpayers Association is endorsing three of those four, including El Cajon.