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New Law Could Help County Water Projects

The San Diego Association of Governments can now ask voters to bump up the county sales tax by half a penny to pay for more than transportation projects. That's because the Governor signed a bill auth

New Law Could Help County Water Projects

The San Diego Association of Governments can now ask voters to bump up the county sales tax by half a penny to pay for more than transportation projects. That's because the Governor signed a bill authored by State Senator Christine Kehoe. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

The new law expands the projects that can be funded by the county sales tax to include improving the water quality of rivers, beaches and bays and preserving open space. 

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Now it's up to the San Diego Association of Governments or SANDAG to decide whether to place a tax increase measure on the ballot in 2010 and what projects would be funded by the increase.

Rob Rundle is a planner with SANDAG and oversees its shoreline preservation committee.

He says no decisions have been made to put a measure on the ballot.

Rundle: There's a lot that has to be done as far as research of what the voters would support or could support and if these areas are of interest.

Any increase in the sales tax requires a two-thirds approval by county voters. The original TransNet half-cent sales tax was passed by county voters in 1987.

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Ed Joyce, KPBS News.