Voters in El Cajon will consider renewing a half-cent sales tax and decide who should fill one City Council seat on Nov. 5. A 20-year, half-cent sales tax was passed by El Cajon voters in 2008. Measure J will extend the tax another 20 years, expiring on March 31, 2049, and local retail taxes would remain at 8.25 percent. In the District 4 City Council race, incumbent and retired businessman Steve Goble, 63, faces challenger Courtney Hall, 35, a data and research analyst with the County of San Diego. District 2 representative Michelle Metschell and District 3 representative Phil Ortiz are running unopposed. According to city staff reports, El Cajon collects more than $13 million annually from the 2008 sales tax, representing 14 percent of general fund revenues. El Cajon attempted to extend and increase the sales tax to a full cent in 2022, but the measure failed with about 61 percent of voters opposed. The argument in support of Measure J states that failing to extend the tax will result in the elimination of nine firefighters/paramedics and 20 police officers. Ending the tax also threatens park maintenance, recreation centers, the July 4th fireworks display, graffiti abatement and the events America on Main Street and Hauntfest, according to the argument. Supporters include El Cajon Fire Capt. John Oslovar, El Cajon Police Officers Association President Melad Tilko and San Diego County Taxpayers Association President and CEO Haney Hong. Opponents include Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio, San Diego County Tax Fighters Chairman Richard Rider and California Latino Voter Alliance Chairman Stevie Esparza. The argument on file against the measure says the city is not required to spend the money on services it claims will be funded and proceeds from the tax will be diverted to cover “bloated and overly generous pension payouts to city workers.” In emails to The San Diego Union-Tribune, Goble wrote that he supports Measure J and Hall wrote that she supports it with reservations. El Cajon City Councilmember Steve Goble is running for re-election to represent District 4 in the Nov. 5, 2024 election. “First, we need to secure our future funding for fire and police by passing Measure J,” Goble wrote about his priorities. “No other city in the county spends more per capita on emergency response than El Cajon. It’s 75 percent of our budget. If we don’t get that half-cent sales tax continued, we will need to cut at least 20-30 police officer and 9 firefighter/paramedic positions along with positions in other city departments. “It’s not a scare tactic,” he continued. “It’s reality. Without $13 million of revenue in today’s dollars, we’ll have to make cuts to balance the budget.” Hall wrote, “I support Measure J with reservations. It’s crucial for maintaining core services in El Cajon, especially since our city receives a smaller share of property tax revenue compared to other cities. Courtney Hall, a a data and research analyst with the County of San Diego, is running for El Cajon City Council in the Nov. 5, 2024 race. “While Measure J does exempt state-mandated items like food, diapers, and prescription drugs from taxation, I believe we should further protect working families by limiting the tax on other everyday essentials, such as laundry detergent and over-the-counter medications,” she continued. “If elected, I will ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and explore ways to reduce the financial burden for our residents. Both candidates were asked to name their top priorities in the city. Besides securing funding for fire and police through Measure J, Goble said addressing homelessness and ensuring roads and underground pipes are in good condition were his priorities, and Hall said homelessness, economic opportunity and representation in the city were hers. “We must continue addressing the impacts of homelessness both through compassion and correction,” Goble wrote. “Our partnership on the tiny homes project has resulted in a 68 percent placement rate into better housing for women and children who were formerly homeless. At the same time, we were one of the first to be tough on encampments because we offered a shelter option. We’ll continue to do both.” Hall was critical of the city’s approach to homelessness. “We need a practical, research-based approach to tackle homelessness by addressing housing shortages, rising rents, and improving support services,” she wrote. “The approach taken by Mayor Wells and the current City Council has been overly harsh and, in some cases, illegal. Worse, it hasn’t addressed the root problems. I’ll focus on solutions that provide help where it’s needed, ensuring safety and real impact.” Goble also said the city must continue to maintain a regular maintenance and replacement program to ensure the cost of roads and underground pipes don’t balloon. In his candidate’s statement, Goble wrote that during his term in the past four years, the city has added 10 police officer positions, repaved streets, replaced aging sewer lines and helped businesses recover from the pandemic with more than $4 million in grants. Hall wrote in an email that El Cajon has “untapped potential to support local businesses and create jobs. By streamlining processes for starting and growing businesses and modernizing how we work, shop, and live, we can revitalize key areas like Parkway Plaza and strengthen the local economy.” Addressing representation in the city, Hall wrote that the City Council should “better reflect the people it serves,” adding that she was running to bring to the city more voices, including renters, young families and women.