Santee Sends a Bolder Sales Tax to November Ballot — After Voters Already Said No
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The Santee City Council voted Wednesday night to place a temporary one-percent general transactions and use tax on the November 3rd General Municipal Election ballot. If approved by voters, the revenue would fund pothole and road repairs, storm drain upgrades, improved fire protection and emergency response, and park and public facility maintenance. The city has identified $322.9 million in unfunded infrastructure needs and is framing the measure as a 10-year temporary levy, with groceries, prescription medicine, and other essential goods exempt.
The political backdrop makes the ask notable. Santee voters rejected Measure S — a half-cent sales tax — in November 2024. The Council is now returning with a full cent instead. Councilmember Rob McNelli raised a substantive objection during earlier discussions, arguing that a general sales tax carries no binding legal guarantee that proceeds will be spent as promised to voters, unlike a special tax, which is restricted by law. That general-versus-special-tax distinction is likely to anchor the November campaign on both sides.
Neighboring El Cajon's City Council approved its own FY 2026-27 operating budget the same night, but council leadership accompanied the vote with a public warning that difficult financial decisions remain ahead. The city is delaying certain capital projects to avoid drawing down reserves while maintaining current service levels. El Cajon did not release a full budget figure publicly.
East County gardeners and homeowners face a more immediate concern: California's Department of Food and Agriculture declared a new quarantine zone on June 22 covering a 76-square-mile regulated area centered on Spring Valley, bounded by El Cajon to the north, Proctor Valley to the south, Lemon Grove to the west, and McGinty Mountain to the east. The trigger was the detection of a mated female Mexican fruit fly, which signals a potential breeding population. State officials plan to release up to 250,000 sterile male flies per square mile per week within a 50-square-mile eradication radius, and properties within 200 meters of detections are being treated with Spinosad, an organic pesticide. Residents inside the quarantine zone are prohibited from transporting homegrown produce off their property. The quarantine boundary stops at El Cajon to the north, placing it within a few miles of Santee's southern edge but leaving Santee proper outside the current zone. The state Pest Hotline is 1-800-491-1899.
On a lighter note for Friday evening, Santee Lakes is hosting its second Summer Night Fishing event of the year from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. — adults pay $10, with reduced rates for juniors and seniors, and no California state fishing license is required. The San Diego Astronomy Association is also hosting a free public Star Party tonight at Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch Preserve from 7 to 10 p.m. as part of the County Parks' Parks After Dark program, with telescopes on site and no registration required.