What to know about taxes, bonds on the ballot

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- This election cycle the propositions and measures asking voters to allow the government to spend more and tax more are all over the ballot. Proposition 2 is asking voters to authorize bonds for public schools and community college facilities.

“Roof is caving in or the plumbing needs to be fixed. The bathrooms need to be fixed, you need to improve the drinking water,” said Richard Barrera, a member the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education.

Board member Barrera says this bond is urgent as the district is facing tough cuts already.

“If there’s not money coming in from the state bond you might have to dip into your general fund. So now you are making a choice between having enough teachers and counselors in your classroom versus having quality facilities for your students,” Barrera said.

Prop 4 authorizes bonds for safe drinking water, fire prevention and protecting communities and natural lands from climate risks. Prop 5 is asking to authorize a bond to help pay for affordable housing and public infrastructure.

“Voters aren’t as adverse to bonds because they don’t have to pay for it and get the stuff now and they don’t pay for it immediately,” said Carl Luna, a political professor from USD.

But Luna says tax ask hits voters a bit differently.

“Taxes though, like sales taxes, you get a couple of those measures on like county and a city, that could cause voters to say, 'hey I’ve had inflation prices are going up I’m just to going to say no to all of this,'” Luna said.

Measure E is the public service one-cent sales tax. If passed it would be slated to invest in neighborhood upgrades, fixing potholes, repairing streets sidewalks and streetlights improving parks and libraries.

Measure G is a half-cent sales tax countywide, that if passed would be used to support infrastructure transportation and safety projects.

Professor Luna says voters might be a little overwhelmed by all the propositions and measures.

“They would have done better if they had split them all up,” Luna said.

Voters will make their final voices heard Nov. 5.