FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       

CONTACT: Michael Thorne

PHONE: 760-839-4009

The City of Escondido City Council voted to place a local funding measure to maintain Escondido’s public safety and essential City services on the November ballot. 

In a recently completed professional community survey, as much as 64% of respondents indicated they would support a funding measure that only requires a simple majority for adoption.

“Currently nearly all the sales tax funding generated goes to the State, County or SANDAG,” said Escondido Director of Finance Christina Holmes.   “The proposed measure will provide Escondido with local control over local revenue for the services residents have told us they want to be prioritized.”

Funding from the measure would be used to address priorities identified by the community through The Escondido Discussion community survey and engagement effort that the City has been conducting for several months.   With thousands of community responses, City service needs and priorities identified include addressing homelessness;  police patrols and crime prevention; repairing and maintaining local streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure; keeping parks and public facilities safe, clean, and well maintained; providing quick responses to 911 emergencies; providing fire protection and paramedic services; and cleaning up trash and litter in public areas.

Said City Manager Sean McGlynn, “Funding generated by this Measure will allow the City to address the priorities identified by community members and a variety of other City services that are essential to the quality of life of our residents.”

If enacted, the proposed measure would be a ¾ cent sales tax measure to expire in 15 years and include built-in fiscal accountability including citizen’s oversight, independent audits, and public reporting of expenditures.

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