A key San Diego business group is still considering whether it will endorse the half-cent city sales tax increase on the November ballot. But the group wants some assurances San Diego's making real fiscal changes.
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce has agreed to hold off on making any decision on the proposed sales tax increase. The measure is linked to 10 fiscal reforms the city must make. Chamber CEO Ruben Barrales said those reforms might not go far enough to fix San Diego's finances.
Barrales said the Chamber has agreed to give the mayor two weeks to see if he can convince the city council to commit to some more specific financial changes.
we're going to see if there's the resolve to solve the structural deficit and to truly put to a commitment in place that will address the structural deficit in the city's deficit,' he said.
If approved, the sales tax increase would generate more than $100 million a year for San Diego. Critics say the reforms are vague and don't guarantee real changes. But Councilwoman Donna Frye said those critics aren't providing any other viable alternatives.
"I haven't seen anything out that has buy-in from six of the eight councilmembers, from the mayor, from labor, from many members in the business community. I just haven't seen that," she said.
Frye said every endorsement is important and she's working to get more.
If the tax is approved the city auditor would have to certify the ten reforms are completed before the tax can be collected.
