San Diego, CA
San Diego’s stormwater system needs major work. Are voters willing to pay for it?
San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera announced plans Wednesday to ask voters for more revenue to fund stormwater infrastructure and disaster recovery efforts.
The announcement at a meeting of the council’s Rules Committee came nine days after a heavy storm overwhelmed the city’s stormwater channels and caused flash flooding on freeways and in neighborhoods including Southcrest, Mountain View and Encanto.
San Diego officials have long been aware of the deep backlog of repairs to stormwater infrastructure. A report released in January found the city would need an additional $1.6 billion to fully fund all its stormwater needs. That deficit has more than doubled in the past five years and is now larger than the unfunded needs of the city’s roads, streetlights and sidewalks combined.
“Today, I can think of no more pressing need than stormwater infrastructure and disaster recovery,” Elo-Rivera said. “Those storms will keep coming, and the climate won’t stop changing, while we get bogged down by politics and bureaucracy. The time for action is now.”
Elo-Rivera’s office said he is still developing the details of his proposal, such as what the city would tax and by how much. But it would likely need the approval of six city councilmembers to be placed on the November ballot.
The threshold of approval that the measure would need from voters is still unclear. For decades, California law has required a two-thirds majority for voters to approve local taxes dedicated to a specific purpose.
But a statewide proposition set for the Nov. 5 general election would lower that threshold to 55% if the taxes would fund affordable housing or public infrastructure. The proposition states that if it’s approved, the lower threshold would also apply to local tax measures that appear on the same Nov. 5 ballot.
Whether the inclusion of “disaster recovery” in a local stormwater tax measure would count as public infrastructure is unclear.
In February 2022, San Diego’s Stormwater Department released the results of polling to test the viability of a local tax measure to fund stormwater infrastructure. The poll asked voters whether they would support a tax of 4 cents, 4.5 cents or 5 cents per square foot of a property’s impermeable surface. That would scale the tax to how much stormwater runs off a property, while exempting gardens or yards where water can be absorbed by the earth.
All three tax options won support from more than 55% of voters, even when respondents were fed critical statements about the measure. The two-thirds threshold was cleared only after voters were read favorable statements, and even then, two-thirds support was within the margin of error.
When asked what priorities were most important to them, 87% of respondents said protecting the local supply of clean drinking water was either important or very important. Only 66% said the same for maintaining stormwater channels or preventing flooding.
At least one other local tax measure will be on the Nov. 5 ballot: a countywide half-cent sales tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure. That measure qualified for the ballot via a signature gathering campaign, meaning it needs only a simple majority to pass.
Councilmember Raul Campillo is also seeking to ask voters for a sales tax increase that would boost the city’s general fund and help overcome its chronic budget deficits. Such a tax measure would need only a simple majority to pass because the funds would not be dedicated to a specific purpose.
Here is some of the dining news from across San Diego County, as well as some upcoming events for foodies.
Cala café opens in La Jolla: From 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Amy de Leon will host the grand opening of her new restaurant Cala La Jolla Café in La Jolla’s historic Arcade building. Cala will offer what she calls an “omakase” coffee and matcha experience, breakfast and lunch menus and fresh-made pastries. De Leon, a real estate agent, also owns a coffee shop on the UC San Diego campus. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. 7910 Girard Ave., La Jolla. 858-333-8610, calalajolla.com.
Board & Brew opens in Midway District: This sandwich-and-draft beer quick-service restaurant chain has opened a new location near the USS Midway Museum. Founded in 1979, the company now dozens of locations in California, Arizona and Texas. Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 825 N. Harbor St., Suite 109, San Diego. boardandbrew.com.
Vincenzo debuts pasta program: Vicenzo Cucina & Lounge in Little Italy has introduced an in-house pasta program powered by its new artisan pasta-making machine that guests can see churning out different varieties of pasta in the restaurants’ front window. The handmade pasta wil be served with lunch and dinner entrées. 550 W. Date St., Suite A, San Diego. vincenzosd.com
Urban Plates new summer menu: Urban Plates, with 22 locations statewide including Carlsbad, Del Mar and La Jolla, has unveiled new drinks and dishes this month for its summer menu. New dishes include a BBQ jalapeño cheesebuger, Southwest grilled chicken salad and a superfood grilled chicken salad. There’s also a new lineup of refreshing fruit-based “cooloer” drinks priced at $4.50. They include strawberry basil lemonade, pineapple coconut lime, organic lemonade and dragon fruit and strawberry. urbanplates.com
Del Mar festival lineup announced: This year’s Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, returning with seven events Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, has unveiled some of the culinary headliners who will be cooking at the event. They are Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman; cookbook author and TV food show judge Aarti Sequeira; Camelback Mountain executive chef Beau MacMillan; “Top Chef” victor and now chef/co-owner of Huson in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood, Buddha Lo; cookbook author and Weelicious.com media platform founder Catherine McCord; L.A.-based chef Jackson Kalb; Pei Wei culinary executive, Food Network host and contestant and cookbook author Jet Tila; Clutch Chicken restaurang group founder and TV cooking show contestant Kelsey Murphy; chef, author TV personality and Morph Hospitality Group co-founder Maneet Chauhan; and James Beard-nominated chef of the Colorado restaurant Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawa McQueen. Tickets are now on sale at delmar.wine
Lion’s Share + Animae family-style collab: On July 9, two downtown restaurants will collaborate on ANIMAENIACS, a family-style dinner for parties of six. The Lion’s Share chef Dante Romero and Animae chef Tara Monsod will create a multicourse meal that draws on Romero’s Mexican heritage and Monsod’s Filipino heritage. The all-inclusive meal will include three beverages per person including cocktails, beer or non-alcoholic, and an after-party. Seatings are available at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. July 9. $1,080 for a party of six. The Lion’s Share, 629 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Reservations at exploretock.com/the-lions-share-san-diego.
Tiki Oasis returns: The annual Tiki Oasis convention, which takes place each summer at the Town & Country Resort in Mission Valley, has announced its 2026 dates and theme. This year’s 26th convention, titled “Psychadelic Tiki,” will run Aug. 5-9. This year’s convention will include an art exhibition, more than 40 seminars, a 150-vendor marketplace, live entertainment and more. There will also be a sunset luau dinner at The Catamaran Resort. Details at tikioasis.com.
Pam Kragen, Union-Tribune
The San Diego State Aztecs are exuding a vibe that is catching recruits’ attention both on and off the field.
The latest is Travon Garrison, a 1,000-yard receiver at Damien High in La Verne, who announced his commitment to the Aztecs on Tuesday afternoon.
“I thank God for this opportunity. Grateful to all the coaches who helped me through this process. I’m excited to announce my commitment to San Diego State University!” he posted on X.
On3.com posted a picture of Garrison, some family members and SDSU coach Sean Lewis at Snapdragon Stadium. Garrison is wearing sunglasses and a sign in the picture reads, “Speed Limit None,” with the interlocking SD logo forming the “S” in Speed.
Why Travon Garrison committed to SDSU
“I’ve been on campus at San Diego State a lot,” Garrison said in an interview with on3.com. “Every time I go, I feel more comfortable, more at home. The city of San Diego is great, there’s a lot to do, the weather is nice and it feels like a place I can see myself living and growing in for the next few years.”
He added that he “really clicked well” with wideouts coach Matthew Middleton, and that he thinks he will “fit in really well with the offense. It’s very similar to what we run at Damien, so I feel comfortable with it and believe it will allow me to play fast and showcase my strengths.”
BREAKING: La Verne (Calif.) Damien WR Travon Garrison has committed to San Diego State and broke down why he chose the Aztecs
“Everything about SDSU, the coaches and the environment made it the right place for me.”
Intel: https://t.co/GW6CDqLW6Y pic.twitter.com/e2YajRQjGy
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) June 23, 2026
The 6-foot, 185-pound Garrison told the recruiting website that it was a tough decision after making official visits to SDSU and Washington State, which is part of the reconfigured Pac-12 that the Aztecs will officially join on July 1.
“I had to think about what was best for me, but in the end San Diego State felt like home,” Garrison told on3.com. “Everything about the program, the coaches, and the environment made it the right place for me.”
The three-star had an impressive list of offers that, besides SDSU and WSU, included bids from Kansas, UCLA, Washington, Utah, West Virginia and Colorado State.
As a junior, he had 46 passes for 978 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had four 100-yard games and one three-touchdown game.
How Garrison could fit in at SDSU
Garrison is at least the fifth wideout from the class of 2027 to commit to the Aztecs, which should make for some lively competition a year from now.
The Aztecs currently have an intriguing wide receiver room. Although the group was hit by injuries last year, when the Aztecs had an impressive turnaround season that ended with a 9-4 record, they do return all three starters and their top four pass catchers.
The most eye-catching development in spring was when Bert Emanuel Jr. switched from backup quarterback to wide receiver. That will allow him to showcase his big-play skills while sharing the field with returning starting quarterback Jayden Denegal. They are both seniors.
The wideout corps is senior-heavy.
Follow
-
Oklahoma2 minutes agoWhat Houston Does Better Than Oklahoma State and Why It Matters
-
Oregon7 minutes agoMarion County may join 6 other counties to control garbage, recycling
-
Pennsylvania14 minutes agoThe Dish: Caesar salad with a twist from Rivertown Taps in Phoenixville, Pa.
-
Rhode Island17 minutes agoRI becomes first state to establish grocery self-checkout limits
-
South-Carolina22 minutes agoSpartanburg’s Riley Vaughn named Gatorade Girls Track and Field Player of Year in SC
-
South Dakota29 minutes agoSouth Dakota Supreme Court upholds Box Elder burglary, assault convictions
-
Tennessee32 minutes agoMiddle Tennessee man facing 64-count indictment involving child sex crimes, police say
-
Texas37 minutes agoA Judge Issued a Rebuke to the Texas GOP’s Claims About the East Plano Islamic Center
