Get ready to vote

• What opponents say
• Further reading

Santa Ana’s 1.5% sales tax increase — dubbed Measure X when it was approved by voters back in 2018 — is set to decrease in 2029. And that means the city expects to lose out on about $30 million in revenue a year. Voters will be asked whether to let it sunset or make the tax permanent via a new measure: Measure N.

What’s at stake

The Measure X sales tax hike currently brings in about $84 million every year. These funds support city maintenance, police and other municipal functions. If the tax goes away as planned, city officials say they will need to make major cuts to services and programs to make up the difference.

Why now

When voters first approved the 1.5% sales tax back in 2018, Measure X proponents said it would be a temporary fix for the city’s financial woes. And it came with a deadline: The tax rate would drop to 1% by 2029, then completely go away in 2039. The fall general election is seen as the city’s opportunity to make that tax revenue permanent, before it reduces or expires.

Official title on the ballot: Measure N — Santa Ana Streets, Public Safety, Essential City Services Measure

Official language on the ballot:

"To maintain city services, such as fixing potholes; keeping streets, sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds safe and clean; removing graffiti and litter; providing fire protection, paramedic, crime prevention, and 911 emergency response, shall City of Santa Ana’s ordinance be amended to maintain the 1.5 cent sales tax without sunset providing approximately $84,000,000 annually for services until ended by voters, with independent audits, resident oversight, and all money locally controlled?"

What your vote means

• A "yes" vote means: The sales tax remains the same and will be in effect until voters say otherwise in a future election. 
  
• A "no" vote means: The rate of the sales tax will go down to 1% in a couple of years and officially expire by 2039. 

What supporters say 

• Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua said police and fire response, graffiti removal, pothole maintenance and more services could be on the chopping block if the sales tax rate decreases. And if the tax is eliminated in 2039, she added, “Whoever’s sitting up here, good luck, because I don’t know how you’ll keep the lights on.” 
  
• Key supporters include the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and Santa Ana City Councilmembers Thai Viet Phan, Phil Bacerra and Benjamin Vazquez. 

What opponents say

• Santa Ana Councilmember David Penaloza said the city’s problem is fiscal responsibility: “I’ve seen the waste from department to department of how much money we’re just throwing out there and misspending, and it needs to stop. We can’t just continue to raise our sales tax and turn to the voters every time that we’re in financial trouble."

• Key opponents include Penaloza and fellow city councilmember Jessie Lopez.

Follow the money

LAist's Voter Game Plan guide will include more campaign financing information as we get closer to Election Day.

Further reading

• Santa Ana voters to decide whether to make sales tax increase permanent
• Santa Ana’s multi-million-dollar deficit shrinks to $85. Here’s what they want to cut
• More on the original sales tax measure.