Talk of a potential sales tax increase is continuing at San Diego city hall. A council committee voted to forward the issue.
Council president Ben Hueso brought the discussion about the sales tax increase to the rules committee. The half-cent tax hike could generate more than $100 million a year. Hueso said the increase would help offset the impact of service cuts.
"This could potentially affect people's lives. And that's going to weigh entirely on the council's conscience. Whether we did everything we could to save people's lives in San Diego," he said. "And by not putting this on the ballot we can't say that we involved the public in part of the solution."
Councilman Kevin Faulconer cast the lone vote against moving the issue forward. He said the city needs to implement more financial reforms. Six of the eight council members must vote yes to put the issue on the November ballot.
