To the Editor: Having been rejected by what is currently a 52% share of voters, the outcome of our local election on Measure K, the Encinitas sales tax, seems clear. Our nonpartisan, grassroots opposition has paid off. Perhaps people in Encinitas believe they are taxed enough already.
The “Vote No on K” campaign (VoteNoK.com) was run by local citizens who want to rein in expansive city government spending. The campaign spent less than $1,000, avoiding the legal requirement to register as a political action committee (PAC).
Compare our effort with that of the Measure K supporters, who formed a PAC and raised more than $14,000. Large donations came from parties with a direct interest in the outcome, including real estate developers, affordable housing activists, and the firefighters’ union.
The failure of Measure K will force City Hall to get serious about cost control and strategic in its infrastructure spending. That pressure can become a favorable influence on our city government, keeping it laser-focused on essential matters — a benefit for all Encinitas taxpayers.
Interestingly, nine sales tax measures were on San Diego County ballots this year. Six have passed, and a seventh, the City of San Diego’s Measure E, remains too close to call. The only two that were blocked were our Measure K and SANDAG’s Measure G. Had both of these been approved by voters, our sales tax rate would rise to 9.25%. Good news for us on both counts!
Our effort was nonpartisan and involved several Encinitas citizens, all of whom deserve our thanks. The first mention should go to Greg Lefevre, whose eloquent comments at City Council in May were no doubt an inspiration to many. Add Steven Lord, John Eldon, Jerome Stocks, and Steve Meiche to the list as well.
We should also acknowledge those behind the well-written Measure K ballot statements: Dennis Kaden, Ed Wagner, Jim O’Hara, Scott Campbell, Gerald Sodomka, Sheila Cameron, Ruben Flores, Laurie Michaels, Ian Thompson, and Denise Martin.
Two other local groups did a great job educating the public on the importance of rejecting Measure K – the Encinitas Citizens Review Panel PAC, run by Scott and Vicki Campbell, and the anonymous face behind the SaveEncinitasNow Instagram page. It presumably also helped that Reform California opposed Measure K in its voter guide.
Measure K featured prominently in the candidate election and was opposed by all three successful City Council challengers (Bruce Ehlers, Jim O’Hara, and Luke Schaffer) and their supporters. They helped many voters become aware of the issue.
We encourage Encinitas residents to stay tuned to City Hall – another grassroots opportunity is sure to come along again someday! Remember, it doesn’t take a lot of money to win if the issue resonates with the public and you have great people helping you spread the word.
Julie Thunder and Garvin Walsh,
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
1 comment
Don’t be surprised if staff recommends a cut in services in the area parks, recreation and libraries to inflict punishment on the citizenry for defeating the tax proposal. Stay diligent and insist that cuts be made to bloated departments.