Santee Weighs a Penny Tax, La Mesa Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing
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Santee voters will decide in November whether to approve Measure Y, a proposed temporary 10-year, one-cent general sales-tax increase that would push the local rate from 7.75% to 8.75%. The city's case rests on what it describes as more than $300 million in deferred infrastructure needs spanning streets, storm drains, fire facilities, bridges, and parks. Groceries, prescription medicines, and diapers would be exempt, and the measure requires only a simple majority to pass.
The lone dissenting vote when the council placed Measure Y on the ballot came from Councilmember Ronn Hall, who argued the city should have considered a smaller half-cent option before going to the full cent. That internal disagreement frames the central trade-off voters will weigh: whether a half-cent could meaningfully address the infrastructure gap, or whether only the full increase comes close to meeting documented needs. With MTS fare increases taking effect countywide today and gas prices still elevated, the campaign will unfold against a backdrop of residents already absorbing multiple cost pressures.
Also in Santee, tickets for the Brews and Bites Halloween fundraiser entered Phase 2 pricing this morning at eighty-one dollars and six cents. The event runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on October 17th at Town Center Community Park East on Park Center Drive, with performer Jimmy's Buffet headlining. Proceeds support the Teen Center, park improvements, and the city's recreation scholarship program.
Across the city line in La Mesa, work is advancing on Spring View Apartments — a 147-unit income-restricted development adjacent to the Spring Street trolley stop. The project is designed for individuals, families, and veterans earning roughly 30 to 60 percent of area median income, and includes county support, housing vouchers, solar power, community rooms, and play areas. El Cajon bus riders on MTS Route 864 should also verify whether normal routing has resumed following a detour and stop closures tied to the El Cajon Pipeline Project, which were scheduled to run through September 30th.