SAN DIEGO — California’s gas tax is just over 51 cents per gallon, second in the nation behind only Pennsylvania. That money is supposed to go toward improving our roads, but San Diego’s streets are still a mess.
Now, Mayor Todd Gloria is asking voters to raise our sales tax 1% to help pay for better roads and other things we need, like an upgrade to our storm drain system.
His request led to this question from CBS 8 viewer Helen Humphries: “Mayor Gloria has proposed a 1% increase in sales tax for road repair. We already pay the highest gas prices in the country for road maintenance. Where do all the gas tax dollars go? Are they spent on roads?"
“Your viewer has a great question,” said Haney Hong, President and CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
Haney said he’s not necessarily opposed to a sales tax increase, but he also has a lot of questions.
“It takes some money to pay for things like roads and storm water infrastructure, but I think where people are concerned — people are challenged — is we're not seeing performance out of the City,” Haney said. “We can't even read water meters right!”
Working for you, CBS 8 reviewed the City's latest proposed budget for its share of the Gas Tax and found the City does spend some of its money on street repairs, but not all of it.
The gas tax also funds the maintenance of "street lights, traffic signals, traffic signs, and markings, including the City's share of the Gaslamp Quarter Lighting."
“It's a budget problem. It's a priority problem,” said Richard Rider with San Diego Tax Fighters. He strongly opposes the 1% sales tax hike. In fact, he fears it will do more harm than good.
“It doesn't solve the problem by raising taxes even more and further encouraging people to leave California," Rider said.
Right now, the sales tax in the City of San Diego is 7.75%. A 1% increase would add an estimated $400 million a year to the general fund — money Mayor Gloria says the City can definitely use.
“We are the fourth lowest sales tax in the state of California,” he said.
The highest sales tax in the county right now is 8.75% in Chula Vista, National City, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Imperial Beach. La Mesa's rate is 8.5%. Oceanside, El Cajon and Vista are at 8.25%.
WATCH RELATED: City of San Diego proposes sales tax increase (March 14, 2024)