Aug 06, 2024 City Council Meeting - Special

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LADIES

[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]

THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

WOULD Y'ALL STAND WITH ME TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU.

WE CALLED

[1. Measure J Sales Tax Measure RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next resolution, in order, to: Call for a general municipal election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024; Submit a proposed ordinance (attached) that continues the current $0.005 cent sales tax; Consolidate the election with the statewide election; Formally request the County to conduct the election; and Direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure. That the City Council adopts another resolution that expresses the City Council’s intent to introduce the draft ordinance and placing Measure J on the November 5, 2024 ballot. If the resolutions are approved, that (1) the City Council introduces an ordinance for first reading titled: An Ordinance of the City Council Imposing a Transactions and Use Tax to be Administrated by the State Department of Tax and Fee Administration, substantially in the form as presented, then (2) approves a motion for the City Clerk to read the ordinance by title only, and waive further reading.]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, IF WE CAN.

THERE WE GO.

UM, THIS IS THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM ON TODAY'S TODAY'S AGENDA.

I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND FIRST BEFORE STAFFS MAKES ITS RECOMMENDATION SO QUICKLY.

UM, AS YOU RECALL, IN 2008, THE VOTERS OF EL CAJON, UH, PASSED PROPOSITION J, WHICH CREATED A HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT GOES INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.

UH, CURRENTLY THAT, UH, PROPOSITION J GENERATES A LITTLE OVER $13 MILLION IN REVENUE EACH YEAR.

100% OF THOSE FUNDS STAY LOCAL, SO WE NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE FUNDS BEING DIVERTED TO SACRAMENTO OR THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.

UM, ABOUT 75% OF PROP J REVENUES GO DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS.

UM, EL CAJON RECEIVES A SMALLER PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX THAN MOST OF THE CITIES, SO WE'VE BECOME VERY RELIANT ON THIS SPECIAL TAX OR THIS GENERAL SPECIAL TAX.

AND THEN LASTLY, WHEN PROPOSITION J SUNSETS, UM, AFTER 20 YEARS, WHICH AT SUNSETS, UH, TECHNICALLY THE, AFTER THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2029, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY.

SINCE THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, THERE AREN'T, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH $13 MILLION OF OTHER MONEY JUST HANGING AROUND.

IT WOULD DEFINITELY IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO, UM, UH, COUNCIL'S WELL AWARE OF THIS.

UH, BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, THE COUNCIL DIRECTED THAT SOME POLLING OCCURRED AND THAT OCCURRED IN THE SPRING.

COMPETITIVE EDGE, UH, HELPED WITH THAT, WITH THAT WORK.

THEY'RE HERE TODAY.

UH, WE ALSO ENGAGED IN FOUR TOWN HALLS IN JUNE, AND WE DID ANOTHER TOWN HALL WITH THE, UH, AT AN IN PER INVITATION FROM AN IMMIGRATE, UH, A RECENT, RECENT IMMIGRANT GROUP.

UM, IN JULY, UH, WE'VE DONE A FOLLOW UP POLL AND SURVEY AND ALSO IN JULY, AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND, AND OTHER, OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION.

AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS PREPARED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CREATE ANOTHER HALF CENT SALES TAX, THE EXACT SAME AS 2008.

SO THERE WOULD NOT BE AN INCREASE IN SALES TAX, IT WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF SALES TAX.

UH, STAFF HAS BUILT IN SOME SAFEGUARDS FOR TAXPAYERS, INCLUDING A 20 YEAR EXPIRATION DATE.

ALSO, THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

THIS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER OVERSIGHTS COMMITTEES.

IT WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE NOMINATED BY THE SAN DIEGO TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION.

UH, I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO HANEY, UM, HANEY HONG ABOUT THAT, AND THEY'RE PREPARED TO MAKE A NOMINATION.

UH, IT ALSO WOULD INCLUDE A, A NOMINEE FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WE COULD EITHER WORK WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR THE EAST COUNTY EDC FOR THAT PERSON, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE THREE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD ALSO BE ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM HAS TO HAVE SOME, EITHER EITHER ACCOUNTING OR GOVERNMENT FINANCE BACKGROUND.

SO, UM, THEY HAVE, THEY'RE WELL EQUIPPED TO UNDERSTAND, UM, IF THERE'S ANY MISSPENDING OF THIS MONEY IN THE FUTURE.

AND, UH, THE LAST THING THAT WE BUILT INTO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS THAT THIS, UH, NEW, THIS CONTINUATION TAX WOULD GO INTO EFFECT THE DAY AFTER PROPOSITION J REVENUE WERE TO EXPIRE.

SO THEORETICALLY IT WOULD BE APRIL 1ST, 2029 IS WHEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY GO INTO EFFECT.

UM, THIS IS THE LANGUAGE.

IT IT'S IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET AS WELL, BUT THIS IS THE LANGUAGE THAT STAFF IS PROPOSING TO INCLUDE AS PART OF THE BALLOT MEASURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL BE DOING TONIGHT IS APPROVING THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AND THE WAY IT LOOKS.

UM, AND THAT WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.

UM, SO WITH THAT, STAFF'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT AFTER QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT

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THERE ARE FIVE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THE FIRST RESOLUTION DOES.

IT CALLS FOR THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

IT CONSOLIDATES THE ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE ELECTION.

IT ACTUALLY PROPOSES THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, UH, THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE CONTINUATION OF THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX IT FORM FORMALLY REQUESTS THAT THE COUNTY CONDUCT THE ELECTION.

AND THEN IT ALSO DIRECTS THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE MEASURE.

UM, IF THAT WERE ADOPTED, THE COUNCIL, THE STAFF WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPT A SECOND RESOLUTION, WHICH WOULD EXPRESSLY, UH, INTRODUCE OR THE, THE COUNCIL'S INTENT TO INTRODUCE THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND PLACING MEASURE J ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

AND THEN LASTLY, IF BOTH THOSE RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE BY TITLE ONLY AND THE, THE LANGUAGE IS THERE, UH, FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.

SO WITH THAT, UH, STAFF'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UM, OR TO GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.

BEFORE WE GO THERE, I WANNA TALK TO ANGELA ABOUT SPEAKER CARDS, UM, EITHER IN GENERAL PUBLIC SPEAK, SPEAKING, OR FOR THIS MEASURE, WE HAVE NO SPEAKER CARD, SIR.

ALRIGHT, THANKS.

OKAY, COUNSEL, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ASK QUESTIONS OF, UH, GRAHAM? YEAH.

UH, WHY DON'T WE START AT THE END AND WORK OUR WAY BACK.

THANK YOU.

UM, QUESTION, SINCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE IN 2008, AND NOW HERE WE ARE 20 YEARS LATER AND WE'RE HAVING TO BRING IT UP, AND WE STARTED TO RELY ON THAT, UM, AMOUNT.

WE HAD 20 YEARS THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPORARY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

WE'VE HAD 20 YEARS.

DID WE LEARN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD IF THIS WERE TO PASS IN 20 YEARS WHEN NONE OF US IS GOING TO BE ON THE COUNCIL, MAYBE MR. ORTIZ , BUT THE REST OF US WILL PROBABLY NOT BE ON THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.

I WOULD HATE TO PUT THEM IN THIS SAME POSITION.

AND SO WHAT HAS STAFF LOOKED AT AS WAYS TO ENGAGE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ENGAGE SOMETHING CUT HERE AND THERE SO THAT MAYBE IN 10 YEARS WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT ANYMORE, WE COULD REDUCE IT.

OR, UM, IF WE DO HAVE TO EXTEND IT OR USE IT THE WHOLE ENTIRE 20 YEARS, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR THAT CURRENT COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

BECAUSE INEVITABLY, IF THIS DOES NOT PASS, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT STAFF AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA CUT.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT.

SO I JUST WANNA KNOW, HAS STAFF LOOKED AT, AT ALTERNATIVES OR THINGS THAT WE MIGHT'VE LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS? I CAN SAY I WASN'T HERE IN 2008, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE RATIONALE AND, AND WHETHER IT WAS REALLY CONSIDERED A SHORT TERM FIX OR A LONGER TERM FIX GIVEN THE 20 YEAR RANGE.

I CAN TELL YOU THIS, I KNOW THAT 20 YEARS AGO, THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES BY OUR RESIDENTS WAS LESS THAN IT IS TODAY.

I KNOW THAT 20 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OUR BUDGET ON HOMELESS ISSUES.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE COST PER RESIDENT, EVEN INCLUDING INFLATION, WAS LESS THAN IT IS TODAY.

SO, SO EVERY TREND HAS GONE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, RIGHT? UM, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK A COUPLE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED, ONE IS WE HAVE BECOME, WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO BE VERY LEAN.

UH, WE, WE ARE THE LEANEST CITY.

I, I'M, I FEEL CONFIDENT IN SAYING WE ARE THE LEANEST RUN CITY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY ON A, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, SLICE, SLICE THE DATA FIVE OR 20 DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE ARE THE LEANEST, NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE LEAN BECAUSE WE GET LESS PROPERTY TAX.

MM-HMM.

THAN, THAN EVERYONE ELSE.

THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE RIGHT THERE ALONE.

UM, THREE, WE KNOW THAT OUR ECONOMY OUTPERFORMS THE MAJORITY OF ECONOMIES IN THIS COUNTY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SALES TAX GENERATION PER CAPITA, WE ARE, IT'S BEHIND NATIONAL CITY, AND I THINK ONE OTHER CITY, BUT I THINK WE'RE, UH, THIRD, SECOND OR THIRD IN THE COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO SALES TAX GENERATION PER CAPITA.

SO OUR ECONOMY IS ACTUALLY DOING PHENOMENAL.

UH, DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN'T GROW OUR ECONOMY? WE NEED TO GROW OUR ECONOMY? MM-HMM.

, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A NEED THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR.

UH, CUTTING MORE STAFF.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PLACE TO CUT STAFF AT THIS POINT.

MM-HMM.

, I THINK IT'S GROWING THE ECONOMY AND THEN LOOKING AT SOME LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS ABOUT HOW TO RECTIFY THE DISPROPORTIONAL AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES THE CITY OF ELCON GETS COMPARED TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING ON THE PRIORITY OVER THE

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AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT THOSE ARE EXCELLENT EXPLANATIONS.

I THINK THAT AS A CITY, WE NEED, WE DON'T HAVE MAGIC CRYSTAL BALLS WE CAN'T SEE IN THE FUTURE, BUT MAYBE THERE'S DATA THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE TRENDS.

HOW IS THIS COMING? YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE CHIEF HAS, HE CAN SEE CRIME TRENDS AND HOW MAYBE IN 10 YEARS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO INCREASE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BY X NUMBER OF OFFICERS OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK CAN BE LOOKED AT.

BUT I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

THANK YOU.

STEVE, CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE? IS DOES THE BALLOT FORMAT LOOK LIKE THAT? YES.

OR IS IT GONNA BE ONE LONG SENTENCE? IT WOULD LOOK JUST LIKE THAT.

YOU GET BULLET POINTS IN THE BALLOT, WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, GARY.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY.

I THINK WE HAVE REALLY GONE OVER THIS AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, AND WE'VE GOT ALL SORTS OF OTHER CITIES THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST COUNTY THAT HAVE THE SALES TAX, UH, LOCAL SALES TAX OR, UH, HAVE, ARE PROPOSING INCREASES.

SO WE'RE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE OUT OF THE BALLPARK HERE.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

ACTUALLY, ALL, ALL FOUR EAST COUNTY CITIES HAVE A SALES TAX MEASURE CURRENTLY ON THE BALLOT.

UM, AND THE SAN DIEGO TAX PAYERS ASSOCIATION IS ENDORSING THREE OF THOSE FOUR.

SO WE'RE, AND WE'RE ONE OF THOSE HAVE I LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, STEVE.

I, UH, MICHELLE, TO YOUR POINT, HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING? YES, 11% OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES RETURNED TO US VERSUS 29% FOR CARLSBAD.

THAT'S AN INEQUITY RIGHT THERE FOR, FOR THE, ALL THE EQUITY ARGUMENTS.

ONE OF THE POOREST CITIES IN ALL OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY GETS 11% OF ITS PROPERTY TAX EARNED, WHICH IS ON A LOWER VALUE, THE AVERAGE HOME SALE IN EL CAJON VERSUS CARLSBAD.

SO THEY KEEP 29%.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED THERE IS WE MIGHT WANT TO PARTNER WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE SAME POSITION AND SAYING, THAT IS POTENTIAL NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE IF THAT WERE TO BE REFORMATTED.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO BUILD THOSE OR, OR INQUIRE WITH OTHER CITIES WHO ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.

WHY ARE, WHY ARE OTHER CITIES DOING A SALES TAX? VERY SIMPLE.

THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS HAS GONE UP.

THE, THE COST OF WAGES, UH, TO RUN GOVERNMENT, WE'RE STILL AT THE MIDPOINT IF THAT FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY AND OTHER THINGS.

AND 72% OF OUR BUDGET IS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT IS LEAN.

THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO.

WHY ARE THE OTHER CITIES DOING A HALF CENT TO A CENT? THEY'RE IN THE SAME POSITION.

THEY'VE HAD WAGES GO UP AND THE COST OF, OF KEEPING THINGS RUNNING, KEEPING THE SEWER PIPES CLEANED OUT, KEEPING THE WATER, UH, THE STORM WATER RUNNING, KEEPING EVERYTHING, THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS HAS GONE UP AND, AND THE REVENUE HASN'T KEPT UP WITH IT.

THAT'S JUST A VERY SIMPLE BUSINESS VIEW FOR ME.

ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR QUESTION, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC PERSPECTIVE TO TAKE AND, AND, AND REVIEW.

UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL RELISHES EXTENDING ATTACKS.

I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF THOUGH.

I DESPISE THE IDEA OF EXTENDING ATTACKS.

IT, IT GOES AGAINST, YOU KNOW, MY CORE VALUES OF, UM, INCREASING PEOPLE, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO, TO MAKE A LIVING AND, AND, AND A FREE ECONOMY.

UM, BUT THERE ARE PRACTICAL REALITIES WHEN IT COMES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

WE'RE NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHERE WE CAN JUST PRINT MONEY.

AND WE'RE NOT THE STATE, STATE GOVERNMENT WHERE WE JUST MISMANAGED MONEY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THE PROBLEMS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ROLLED DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, YOUR LOCAL, UM, UH, GOVERNMENTS, AND WE'RE LEFT TO CLEAN UP A LOT OF THE MESS THAT HAS RESULTED FROM POOR POLICY FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.

AND, UM, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

UM, IT'S WHEN YOU CALL, IT'S 9 1 1, IT'S POLICE AND FIRE.

IT'S YOUR ROADS, IT'S YOUR SEWER, IT'S YOUR STORM WATER.

UM, YOU CAN GO EVEN FURTHER.

IT'S YOUR WATER.

AND SO, UM, THERE ARE PRACTICAL REAL TIME THINGS.

IF YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WERE TO SHUT DOWN, YOU'D KNOW WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES IF YOUR STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WERE TO SHUT DOWN, YOU'D PROBABLY NEVER EVEN NOTICE.

UM, AND SO, UH, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? I KNOW THAT, THAT THE, THE CITY HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, UM, BEING LEAN, CUTTING STAFF, UM, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAVE MONEY THROUGH EFFICIENCY AND INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY.

UM,

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AND EVEN STILL THE CITY'S LOOKING AT PARKWAY PLAZA, UM, AS A FORM OF REVENUE THAT WAS A LARGE GENERATION OF TAX REVENUE WHEN IT WAS THRIVING, BUT MALLS ARE DYING.

SO WE'RE TAKING A, A LEADERSHIP ROLE TO REVITALIZE THAT.

AND HOPEFULLY IT SEEMS LIKE FROM THE PRESENTATION, FROM HUNTING PARTNERS THAT COULD MAKE UP A LARGE PORTION OF THIS TAX REVENUE SHOULD IT BE COMPLETELY REDEVELOPED.

BUT THAT'S A, A VERY LONG ROAD.

SO I'LL END THIS AS I STARTED.

I DON'T ENJOY THIS, BUT THERE ARE PRACTICAL REALITIES AND, AND, UM, IF THE GOVERNMENT, IF OUR GOVERNMENT IS GONNA CONTINUE FUNCTIONING, UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, OUR CALL LOGS COULD USE MORE FUNDING , UM, BASED OFF OF POLICE AND FIRE CALL CALL LOGS.

THEY'RE BEING WORKED TO THE BONE.

UM, SO, UH, I, I, UH, I I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS.

UM, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THAT, UM, NONE OF US, UM, WOULD LIKE TO BE FORCED IN THIS POSITION.

WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT BEING IN PUBLIC OFFICE, SOMETIMES IT'S VERY EASY TO, TO MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE, I WILL ALWAYS, OR I WILL NEVER.

AND THAT SOUNDS GOOD WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

BUT THE PRACTICALITIES OF RUNNING A A GOVERNMENT OF THIS SIZE IS THAT IT VERY RARELY WORKS OUT THAT WAY.

THINGS COME UP THAT CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND CHANGE YOUR CALCULUS.

UM, IF I THOUGHT THAT WE IN ANY WAY WERE DOING THIS IN A FRIVOLOUS WAY THAT WOULD GIVE US A PAD OF MONEY THAT WE COULD FRITTER AWAY AND WASTE AWAY ON, ON MEANINGLESS PROGRAMS, I WOULDN'T BE INVOLVED.

UH, IF I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD, UH, DONE A POOR JOB OF MANAGING AND STEWARDING OUR MONEY, I WOULD BE EMBARRASSED TO BE ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION.

I'M NOT EMBARRASSED TO BE ASKING FOR EXTENSION.

I'VE BEEN IN THIS GOVERNMENT NOW SINCE 2004, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE LEVEL OF RESTRAINT AND SOBERNESS IN THIS CITY COUNCIL AND IN THIS GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL.

I CAN TELL YOU, I SAY WITHOUT, WITHOUT REGARD.

UH, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STRETCH THOSE PENNIES AS FAR AS WE CAN.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE, WE WANT US TO NOT BE POLITICAL.

THEY, THEY WANT US TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED UPON WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.

AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD THROUGH THE POLLING, UM, IN ALL OUR DISCUSSIONS OVER THE YEARS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THIS CITY COUNCIL, EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO, DO, BUT WE HAVE TO DO.

AND SO AS A RESULT, I'M HAPPY TO GO AGAINST THINGS I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, WHICH IS NEVER MORE TAXES.

AND I, I GLAD TO TELL YOU I'VE GROWN UP A BIT SINCE THEN, AND I, AND I'M, I'M WILLING TO, TO SAY IN THIS CASE, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THE EXCEPTION.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION IF ANYBODY IS WILLING TO GIVE ONE UNLESS THEY WANT MORE DISCUSSION.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE.

UH, THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE NEXT RESOLUTION.

DO I NEED TO ENUMERATE? OKAY.

THE ADOPTS THE NEXT RESOLUTION.

IN ORDER TO CALL FOR A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, SUBMIT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE ATTACK, UH, UH, ORDINANCE THAT CONTINUES THE CURRENT HALF CENT SALES TAX.

CONSOLIDATE THE ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE ELECTION.

FORMALLY REQUEST THE COUNTY TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION AND DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE MEASURE.

SECOND.

ALRIGHT, MOVED AND SECONDED, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

ALRIGHT, LIZ AND GENTLEMEN, THAT BRINGS US TO ADJOURNMENT, THE JOINT SPECIAL MEETING.

UH OH, I'M SORRY.

WE HAVE THE OTHER, WE HAVE THE RESOLUTION AND INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDINANCE.

OH, I APOLOGIZE.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE, UH, ANOTHER RESOLUTION.

I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT OR ADOPT THE OTHER RESOLUTION THAT EXPRESSES THE CITY COUNCIL'S INTENT TO INDU INTRODUCE THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND PLACING MEASURE J ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 BALLOT.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND PLEASE VOTE.

OH, I SEE.

MOTION CARRIES BY ANONYMOUS VOTE.

AND THE TITLE TO THE ORDINANCE IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY.

IT'S NOT, OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE HAVE TO PROVE A MOTION FOR THE CITY CLERK TO READ THE ORDINANCE BY TITLE I I MOVE THAT AT THIS POINT.

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MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

AND NOW THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON IMPOSING A TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION.

ALRIGHT, THIS THEN BRINGS US TO ADJOURNMENT, THE JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ELON CITY COUNCIL AND EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY HELD THE SIXTH DAY OF AUGUST, 2024 IS ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.