SURPRISE! The city of Oceanside is asking voters to approve another sales tax increase through Measure S on the November ballot. We just voted for higher sales taxes in the last election. What is happening with that funding?
Why the sudden “urgent” request for even more taxes? This is double-dipping.
I urge you to vote no on Measure S.
The city’s public outreach consisted of mailing a glossy postcard that mentioned “sales taxes” only once. Everyone I talked to had no idea the city was reaching out again for more of our money. The City Council approved the measure at a special meeting, sandwiched between two well-publicized items, shortly before the deadline to place it on the November ballot. Few people knew about it.
So, why vote against this second sales tax?
This regressive tax would hurt families, seniors, mobile home residents and military families the most. With inflation raging, everyone is affected by affordability concerns. Why make life harder for everyone with another tax after we just approved one?
If it passes, Oceanside would be tied for the highest local sales tax rate in the county. The county is also proposing another half-cent sales tax. If both pass, our total sales tax rate would rise to 9.25%. Life is already unaffordable.
That would also hurt small businesses because people could take their purchasing power elsewhere, where goods are cheaper.
A new $100 million Police Department headquarters will not make us safer.
This tax would not fund additional police officers or firefighters. Those positions are fully funded now. Does anyone think a new police headquarters is necessary to fight crime? Absolutely not.
Our wonderful police officers are out in the community, patrolling their four quadrants and 10 beats and fulfilling the department’s pledge of transparency and community policing. Crime is down. They are doing a great job.
This tax is premature. Only one proposed project will be shovel-ready. Shovel-ready projects are best positioned to secure state and federal grants, so the city should pursue those opportunities first instead of turning to taxpayers.
Why didn’t the city consider other revenue sources before coming back to us for a handout? It has not spent all the money from the last sales tax.
The city could have placed a higher transient occupancy tax on the ballot. It did not. It could update developer impact fees. It could have gained millions of dollars from retail cannabis sales that have gone to neighboring cities. It also could have sold the naming rights to Frontwave Arena but missed that opportunity.
The city should seek other funding sources before coming to taxpayers with its hand out.
This is a slush fund for politicians. The tax is being sold with a lot of promises, but they are empty promises. The City Council can spend this revenue on anything it wants with a simple majority vote.
Why create a slush fund for politicians? Isn’t there enough evidence that council members change their votes to suit themselves? Remember Eddie Jones and how the council voted against it, only for one council member to change their vote and approve it?
Over the next 10 years, the mayor will be termed out. She will not be there to ensure the money is spent as promised. Before those 10 years are over, all but one of today’s City Council members will be out of office.
Who knows who will be spending your tax money — or what they will spend it on — when this tax includes no guarantees about how the revenue will be used, only promises?
Vote no on Measure S on the November ballot. Ballots will arrive in early October. We urge you to complete yours and return it to a secure ballot drop-off box as soon as possible.
For more information, visit our Facebook page, No New Taxes Oceanside.
Nadine Scott
Oceanside
