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San Clemente voters will decide on a sales tax to pay for more sand
Erosion has also shut down train traffic through San Clemente State Beach.
(
Jill Replogle
/
LAist
)
Topline:
San Clemente residents will vote on a sales tax increase on the November ballot to help fund sand placement after an initiative recently garnered enough signatures and the City Council accepted the initiative.
What’s the tax: If approved, the 1% tax increase will bring the city’s sales tax to 8.75% and generate around $15 million annually.
How we got here: Coastal erosion has left some of the city’s beaches with only a narrow strip of sand — cutting off public access in some areas and threatening to interrupt the beach-front train service that connects Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Beach access is also a major reason why people visit San Clemente, fueling the local economy.
The context: The premium sand needed — not too fine and not too coarse — comes at a cost. The money will be earmarked for sand placement as well as wildfire prevention efforts.
Background: This isn’t the first time residents will be voting on a sales tax increase to truck in sand. In 2024, a similar measure to increase the sales tax by 0.5% failed.
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