Measure A
A Transparent, Accountable, Modern County Government
Official Summary
Shall the San Diego County Charter be amended to establish an Independent Ethics Commission, Independent Budget Analyst, Independent Program Auditor, confirmation of certain senior County leaders, and optional Board of Supervisors appointment of the Public Defender; increase term limits from two to three terms for the Board of Supervisors members; require public disclosure of spending and performance data; clarify non-interference provisions; and update terminology and structure?
Fiscal Impact: The staff report stated there is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this item intended to be cost-neutral.
Notes
Increases term limit from 2 to 3.
Process to be able to remove chief administrativce officers by a 4/5 vote.
Board may appoint an Independent Budget Analyst and Independent Program Auditor, may change the Public Defender from Chief Administrator Officer appointment to Board appointment.
Establish Ethics Commission
Require Auditor and Controller to post all COunty spending data on the County website.
Updates nepotism guideline
Measure B
Measure to Fund San Diego County Health & Safety Services
initiative statute
Official Summary
To clean-up sewage pollution in Tijuana River Valley, improve wildfire prevention, emergency response, access to healthcare, food assistance, childhood development services, and authorized administrative expenses; shall the measure authorizing a half-cent sales tax raising an estimated $400M to $450M annually, requiring citizen oversight, public spending disclosure, and independent annual audits, and lasting until ended by voters, be adopted?
Fiscal Impact: This measure would raise taxes by implementing an additional 0.5% sales tax county-wide in addition to any other taxes required by law. The tax would apply within the County of San Diego, affecting all consumers making retail purchases in the county raising the combined sales-tax rate from 7.75% to 8.25% in cities at the base tax rate, and to 9.25% in the cities currently at 8.75% The tax would create a dedicated revenue stream estimated at $400 to $450 million annually for the Protect San Diego County Health and Safety Fund which would add approximately 4.3% to San Diego County’s existing $9.16 billion dollar budget and will last until ended by another voter initiative..
Notes
Establish a Citizen Oversight Committee
Funds would be used for:
no more than 1.5% on admin
up to $300k on the Oversight Committee
Stopping sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley: 22.5%
no less than 20% on infrastructure
Public safety services and wildfire prevention: 17.5%
no less than 8% on fire preparedness
no less than 8% on law enforcement and 911
Healthcare, childcare, and nutrition services: 60%
5% for in-home healthcare
7% SNAP and food insecurity
9% for services historically funded by Medicare
17% for County Medical Services
8% for chidcare providers
8% childcare vouchers
6% early childhood health services
exemptions consistent with the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law
Measure G
Half-Cent Sales Tax for Transportation
Fund San Diego County Transportation, Infrastructure, and Safety Projects through a Half-Cent Sales Tax
institute tax
Official Summary
To repair/upgrade roads, bridges, storm drains, rail lines, and prevent railway bluff collapse; reduce traffic congestion; improve pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver safety; improve public transit; protect wildlife habitat/air quality; and fill potholes; shall the measure authorizing a half-cent sales tax raiseing $350,000,000 annually until ended by voters, requiring citizen oversight, public spending disclosure, and independent annual audits be adopted?
Notes
Use of funds:
50% for
upgrades to I-5 North Coast Corridor rail line to prevent bluff collapse, and to increase rail route safety and reliability
rail connector to San Diego International Airport
rail system extension from South County to Kearny Mesa
infrastructure upgrades for express service on South County rail lines
creating a system of rapid routes/transit commections between population and job centers including Mission Valley, Sorrento Valley, La Mesa, Escondido, South County and the Border
road and highway grade separations, pedestrian safety, stormwater infrastructure, active transportation, habitat preservation and climate mitigation projects
safety, mobility, amenities and secutiy enhancements at transit stops
27% on:
fire evacuation routes on SR67 and other roadways in fire prone areas
bridge safety repair and retrofits
highway maintenance, improvements and connectivity projects on SR 56, 76, 78, 94, 125 and Interstates 5, 8, 15, 805.
HOV lanes and traffic conhgestiuon reduction programs throughout the County
Expanding electric vehicle infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging stations, and acquisition of electric zero emission buses
road and highway grade separations, pedestrian safety, stormwater infrastructure, active transportation, habitat preservation and climate mitigation projects
12% for MTS and NCTD
keeping fares affordable for seniors, youth, disabled, and veterans
frequency and service enhancements on bus routes and rail transit services
enhancing transit stop safety and sanitation
3.5% for local streets, roads maintenance and active transportation,
3.5% to cities within the County (based on population) for local road projects including repaving, potholes, storm drains and active transportation projects
2% for repair, rehab and replacement required to maintain reliable, safe effective and efficient rail transit services
no more than 2% on admin
Measure A
Cannabis Business Tax
institute tax
Official Summary
Shall the measure to fund general County purposes including but not limited to parks, fire safety, roads, health, and social equity, by taxing cannabis businesses in the unincorporated area on gross receipts at maximum 6% for retail, 3% for distribution, 2% for testing, cultivation at 3% or $10 (inflation adjustable) per canopy square foot, and 4% for other businesses, generating an estimated $2,930,000 to $5,600,000 annually until repealed by voters, be adopted?
Notes
Measure A
Proposed “Clean-Up” Amendments
Proposed “Clean-Up” Amendments
County Charter Amendments
Official Summary
Shall the Charter of the County of San Diego be amended for purposes of making “clean-up” amendments including amendments necessary to assure compliance with state and federal laws?
Notes
Brings election timelines into state and federal compliance, and recognizes the fire authority as an organizational unit under the chief administrative officer.
Measure B
Preserving Balanced Representation in Unincorporated Areas of San Diego County
Preserving Balanced Representation in Unincorporated Areas of San Diego County
County Charter Amendment
Official Summary
Should the Charter of San Diego County be amended to direct a redistricting commission to maintain the current practice of establishing representative boundaries where at least three Board of Supervisor districts include unincorporated territory, with two of the districts having area predominately outside incorporated cities, as population will permit?
Notes
Requires a redistricting commission authorized by state law to reapportion districts, instead of the Board of Supervisors.
Measure C
Protecting Good Government Through Sound Fiscal Practices
Protecting Good Government Through Sound Fiscal Practices
County Charter Amendment
Official Summary
Should the Charter of San Diego County be amended to require pension stabilization funds be used solely for pension-related liabilities and prohibit using long-term obligations to finance current operations or recurring needs?
Notes
Once the Supervisors appropriate funds for pension stabilization, they can only be used for pension stabilization. And long term debt proceeds could not be used for recurring operational needs.
Measure D
San Diego County Elective Offices to be Held at a General Election and Requiring Adoption of Local Regulations Relating to Write-In Candidates for County Elective Office
San Diego County Elective Offices to be Held at a General Election and Requiring Adoption of Local Regulations Relating to Write-In Candidates for County Elective Office
County Charter Amendments
Official Summary
Shall this initiative measure, proposing county charter amendments requiring all elections for San Diego County Elective Offices to be held at a general election and requiring adoption of local regulations relating to write-in candidates for county elective office, be adopted?
Notes
Currently, if a county office candidate receives a majority of the votes (+50%) in the primary, that candidate is elected and the office does not appear on the general election ballot. This measure would change it so that every office goes to the general election. One argument is that those elected to office in the primary cycle are elected by a vastly smaller voting electorate than in a general election.
If there are 2 or less candidates for a county office, they will skip the primary ballot and be placed on the general election ballot.
Write-in candidates would need to qualifying before the printing of the primary ballot, which is inconsistent with state election laws. Also currently write-in candidates cannot appear on the general election ballot. This measure would allow a write in candidate to appear on the general election ballot if the primary had 2 or fewer candidates.
San Diego 2016
I live in North County San Diego, and here is what is on the ballot:
- County Board of Education (5th District)
- Mark Wyland
- *won*Rick Shea (incumbent)
- Tri-City Healthcare Board of Directors (vote for 4)
- *won*Larry Schallock (incumbent), Clinic Pharmacist
- *won*Rosemarie Reno (incumbent), Registered Nurse
- Donna Rencsak, Marriage and Family Therapist
- *won*Julie Nygaard (incumbent)
- Dan Hughes, Business Owner
- Marggie Castellano, Film/TV Producer
- Frank Gould, retired Marine, Judicial Officer
- *won* Leigh Anne Grass, Registered Nurse
- Ramona Finnila (incumbent)
- City Council (vote for 2)
- Lorraine M Wood (incumbent)
- *won*Cori Schumacher, Non-Profit Executive Director
- Brandon Rowley - no statement in sample ballot
- Bill Fowler, Business Technology Consultant
- Ann Tanner, Community Volunteer, former School Board President
- Melanie Burkholder, Dr of Philosophy, Private Practice Owner
- *won*Keith Blackburn (incumbent), retired police
- link to report of Second Candidate Foru
- *passed*Measure O: Replace Fire Station 2
- *passed*Measure MM: MiraCosta College Job Training, College Transfer, Veteran Support Measure
Measure A
San Diego County Road Repair, Transit, Traffic Relief, Safety and Water Quality Measure
*PASSED*
Official Summary
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?
Notes
- 2/3 approval needed to pass
- placed on ballot by SANDAG
- overseen by ITOC
- 1% admin fee
- increase sales tax by 0.5% for 40 years
- statewide base sales tax rate is 7.5%
- San Diego County is 8% (more in El Cajon, Vista, La Mesa, National City)
- Exceptions to tax:
- Sales of tangible personal property to operators of aircraft to be used or consumed principally outside the County
- Sales of property to be used outside the County that is shipped to a point outside of the County
- The sale of tangible personal property if the seller is obligated to furnish the property for a fixed price pursuant to a contract entered into prior to the operative date of this Ordinance.
- A lease of tangible personal property that is a continuing sale of such property, for any period of time for which the lessor is obligated to lease the property for an amount fixed by the lease prior to the operative date of this Ordinance.
- If the purchaser is obligated to purchase the property for a fixed price pursuant to a contract entered into prior to the operative date of this Ordinance.
- bonds would be issued payable from the sales tax proceeds
- requires local agencies to match funding
- ask SANDAG to use "best efforts" to complete Priority Corridor programs within 15 years: SR78 (HOV), I-5 (HOV, COASTER double tracking, add Fairgrounds Station), SR52 (HOV), Sorrento Valley Station relocation, new Purple Trolley Line, more Orange and Green and Blue Trolleys, SR 67 (widening), I-8 ("improvements"), SR94/125 (missing connectors), express service San Ysidro-Downtown-Old Town-Kearny Mesa and Iris Station-Otay Mesa
- "goal" of 80%-100% local workers on capital projects
- monies used for (min % of net revenue listed):
- Local Infrastructure Projects (24 %):transit operations/management, transit youth passes, transit incentives for developers, natural habitat development/maintenance, build/maintain local roads, traffic light synchronization, sidewalks, bike paths, beach sand replenishment, greenhouse gas reduction plans, and prepare/implement watershed management plans.
- Regional Corridors Projects: Transit Services - Capital (26.8 %): new and expanded transit services
- Regional Corridors Projects: HOV Lanes (1o.8 %)
- Regional Corridors Projects: Highways and Connectors (3.4 %)
- Active Transportation Projects (3 %): bikeway facilities and connectivity improvements, pedestrian and walkable community projects, bicycle and pedestrian safety projects and programs, pedestrian grade separation projects, and traffic calming projects
- Open Space Funding (11.1 %): implementation of the regional share of habitat conservation plans, including acquiring, managing, and monitoring conservation lands
- Transit Operator Funding: New Transit Services (4.92 %): funding for the region’s transit operators for operation of new, expanded, or enhanced services
- Transit Operator Funding: Advanced Transit Services (2.53 %)
- Transit Operator Funding: Enhanced Local Bus Services (1.95 %)
- Transit Operator Funding: Enhanced Trolley Services (1.95 %)
- Transit Operator Funding: Enhanced COASTER and SPRINTER Services (0.55 %) - 6 additional one-way weekday trips on COASTER, "increased frequency and longer hours"
- Grants Program: Rail/Road Grade Separation (5 %)
- Grants Program: Arterial Traffic Signal Synchronization (1 %)
- Grants Program: Specialized Transportation Projects (3 %): for projects and programs specifically designed to address the needs of transportation disadvantaged populations (seniors, students, disabled, low-income, veterans)
Measure A Debate
Measure B
Ordinance Amending the County General Plan, County Zoning Map and County Code, and Adopting the Lilac Hills Ranch Specific Plan
*Failed*
Official Summary
Shall this Initiative be adopted for the purpose of amending the County General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Code of Regulatory Ordinances and approving the Lilac Hills Ranch Specific Plan (“Plan”)? The Plan provides for the development of a 608-acre master-planned community including 1,746 dwelling units, three commercial centers, a public park, 10 private parks and 16 miles of trails. The project site is generally located north of Escondido and east of I-15 in the unincorporated area of North San Diego County.
- San Diego Registrar Summary
- full text - this is 654 pages long!!!!
- Ballotpedia
Notes
- located east of I-15, north of the Welk Resort (Valley Center/Bonsall), 608 acres
- Lilac Hills Ranch website
- Land Use:
- Current: Much of the project site is currently used for agricultural operations, and the surrounding area has low-density residential uses. Under the current General Plan designation, up to 110 homes could be developed on the project site; no commercial uses are allowed.
- Desired: a new community including 1,746 dwelling units (903 single family detached units, 164 single-family attached units, 211 mixed-use units, 468 single-family detached senior citizen units), 3.3 acre Senior Community Center, a 200-room group care living facility, a 10-acre site for institutional uses, such as a house of worship, and three commercial mixed-use centers totaling 90,000 square feet of space. Also 25.6 acres of parks, including a 13.5-acre public park, 10 private parks, and 16 miles of trails, approx 104.1 acres of biological open space, 20.3 acres of common area open space for community gardens, 23.8 acres active agriculture.
- The measure requires recreational facilities, a potential school site, an internal private road system, storm drain system, underground utilities, water lines, a site for a water reclamation facility and related distribution system, detention basins and wet weather storage ponds.
- sites for school and water treatment will be provided.
- the school would not be built, the land is available for a school to be built
- it is not clear whether the water treatment facility would be provided by Lilac Hills or fall to the local civic entities ($26-28 Million)
- Lilac Hills Ranch was thoroughly reviewed for over three years by the County’s Planning Department, including two comprehensive Environmental Impact Reports.
- self-labeled as "a sustainable, smart growth community"
- dual water pipes ("purple"), drought tolerant plants, pervious surfaces, pre-wired for solar and electric car charging stations
- lists NGSI (88k residential) as rating system and not the industry-standard USGBC's LEED (255k residential, 380k total projects) which is mentioned in the existing County of San Diego General Plan, does not mention what level of NGSI certification will be pursued (bronze, silver, gold, emerald)
- The plan requires that the following improvements be provided: parks and recreational facilities, an opportunity for a school, an internal private road system, storm drain facilities, and underground utility lines. The LHR-SP also requires a looped portable water system, water lines, plus a site for a water reclamation facility and its related distribution system, detention basins and wet weather storage ponds as determined necessary by the Valley Center Municipal Water District.
- not sure if this is being provided by developer, sounds like developer expects this all to be provided by public funds
- creates exception to fire protection travel time policy, which was approved by Deer Springs Fire Protection District
- The LHR-SP would implement one of the options for wastewater treatment as approved by the Valley Center Municipal Water District
- Amendments to the County General Plan
- changing the project site’s land use designation from semi-rural to village;
- exempting the project from the leapfrog development restrictions;
- exempting the project from policies to protect agriculture and to maintain the existing rural life style;
- exempting the project from the usual methodology for determining the maximum amount of time allowed for the fire agency to get to the project site and applying a separate methodology for the project.