Blog Posts

Thank You, San Diego: Measure A Defeated

June 3, 2026

San Diego voters have rejected Measure A. Thank you to the voters who read the fine print, asked the right questions, and said no to a flawed $10,000 home tax. Now City Hall should focus on real housing solutions — not risky tax schemes and new bureaucracies.

Election Day! - Vote No on Measure A!

June 2, 2026

Today is Election Day. Measure A is a $10,000 home tax, a new City Hall bureaucracy, and another risky scheme with no guarantee of lower rents or new affordable housing. Make sure your vote counts — and vote No on Measure A.

Tomorrow Is Election Day: Vote No on Measure A

June 1, 2026

Election Day is tomorrow. Measure A is a $10,000 home tax, a new City Hall bureaucracy, and another risky scheme with no guarantee of lower rents or new affordable housing. Make sure your vote counts — and vote No on Measure A.

Ten Reasons to Vote No on Measure A

May 31, 2026

Election Day is almost here. Before voting, San Diegans should remember what Measure A really does: it creates a $10,000 tax, sends the money to the General Fund, puts the burden of proof on homeowners, creates a new bureaucracy, and does not guarantee lower rents or new affordable housing. Here are 10 good reasons to VOTE NO!

The City Doesn't Even Know Who is Subject to Measure A - And That's Why You Need to Vote No!

May 30, 2026

City Hall says Measure A is narrowly targeted. But the City’s own report admits its estimate is based on limited self-reported data used as a proxy. They do not really know who will get caught, the rules come later, and homeowners may have to prove they are exempt. With Election Day approaching, San Diegans should remember to vote — and vote No on Measure A.

San Francisco’s Vacancy Tax Was Struck Down and Cost Taxpayers Millions. Why Would San Diego Risk the Same Fight?

May 29, 2026

San Francisco tried a vacancy tax. It was challenged in court and struck down. Now San Diego politicians want voters to approve Measure A — another risky vacancy tax that could drag taxpayers into the same kind of costly legal fight.

County Assessor Jordan Marks Is Right: Measure A Would Hurt Families in Crisis

May 28, 2026

San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Jordan Marks has urged San Diegans to vote No on Measure A, warning that the measure could punish disaster victims, grieving families, widows, and heirs with a $10,000 tax during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Toronto and Ottawa Show What Happens When You Have to Prove You Live at Home

May 28, 2026

Vacancy taxes sound simple until regular residents get caught in the paperwork. In Toronto and Ottawa, homeowners were forced into annual declarations, audits, confusing forms, erroneous tax bills, and bureaucratic fights just to prove they lived in their own homes. San Diego should not repeat that mistake.

The Vancouver Warning: Privacy Invasion, Bureaucracy, and No Rent Relief

May 27, 2026

Vancouver is one of the cities Measure A supporters point to as a model. But the actual record is a warning: invasive data collection, costly bureaucracy, residents forced to prove they live in their own homes, renters pulled into audits, and no real rent relief.

The Idea Behind Measure A Has Been Tried Before. It’s Never Worked.

May 26, 2026

Vacancy taxes like Measure A have already been tried in other cities. The results are not encouraging: lawsuits, wasted taxpayer money, invasive bureaucracy, residents forced to prove they live in their own homes, and no clear decrease in rents or housing costs. San Diego should not make the same mistake.

Memorial Day: Honoring Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

May 25, 2026

Today, we pause the campaign discussion to join San Diegans in honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice preserves the freedoms we cherish, including the right of every citizen to vote and participate in our democracy.

City Hall Was Wrong on the Trash Tax. They’re Wrong on Measure A Too.

May 24, 2026

The Union-Tribune editorial page says San Diegans can fight City Hall — and the trash-fee settlement proves it. City Hall pushed a flawed trash-tax scheme, got it wrong, and had to back down. Now the same City Hall is asking voters to trust them with Measure A’s $10,000 home tax bureaucracy. They're just as wrong on Measure A too!

A Plain Read of Measure A Shows that All Owners Are at Risk

May 24, 2026

Measure A supporters say primary residences are exempt. But that does not mean regular homeowners are completely protected. If City Hall’s records are wrong, if your life circumstances change, if you inherit a home, or if you just run afoul of a City bureaucracy whose rules haven't even been written yet, you could still pay Measure A’s $10,000 tax.

How Would City Hall Track Whether You Stayed in Your Own Home?

May 23, 2026

Measure A gives City Hall broad power to decide whether a home is “empty,” audit property owners, demand records, and require San Diegans to prove they do not owe a $10,000 tax. The measure does not clearly tell voters how far the City will go to track occupancy — but examples from other cities show just how invasive these taxes can become.

Measure A Creates an Occupancy Bureaucracy

May 22, 2026

Measure A does not just create a $10,000 tax. It creates a new City Hall bureaucracy to track home occupancy, review exemptions, process paperwork, issue tax bills, handle appeals, conduct audits, and decide whether San Diegans have proven they do not owe the tax. Tracking the occupancy of over 500,000 homes will take a huge new department that will likely consume a big chunk of any revenue collected. We call it the "Occupancy Bureaucracy."

Letting Family Stay in Your Home? Measure A Makes That City Hall’s Business

May 21, 2026

Measure A does not just tax “empty homes.” It puts City Hall in the middle of family housing decisions. If you let a child, parent, sibling, or other family member stay in a home you own, you may have to prove who stayed there, how long they stayed, whether they qualify under the measure, and whether your paperwork satisfies City rules that have not even been written yet.

Measure A FAQ: Why Renters Should Be Concerned Too

May 20, 2026

Measure A may not directly tax renters, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be gravely concerned. Renters will still be affected through higher housing costs, more paperwork, landlord occupancy checks, tenant privacy concerns, and no guarantee that the tax money will actually go to affordable housing or rent relief.

Out of Town for Work or Family? Measure A Could Still Hit You

May 19, 2026

Measure A does not just punish wealthy out of towners. If you are away from your San Diego home for an extended period because of a temporary work assignment, caring for a sick or dying relative, or trying to sell a home, our rebuilding after a disaster, you'll still get caught in the City’s new $10,000 tax bureaucracy.

Measure A FAQ: What Is a “Bona Fide Lease for Occupancy” — and Why Does It Matter?

May 18, 2026

Measure A says a home may avoid the $10,000 tax if it is leased under a “bona fide lease for occupancy.” But the measure does not clearly define what that means. Instead, City Hall gets to decide later what that means, what paperwork is required — and whether your lease or your occupancy is good enough to satisfy their directives.

Measure A FAQ: Who Has the Burden of Proof?

May 17, 2026

Under Measure A, the burden of proof is on the property owner. You have to file proof every year you're entitled to any of the exemptions or exclusions. And the rules and paperwork haven't even been decided yet. That comes later. If the City decides you owe the tax, you may have to prove you qualify for an exemption, prove the City is wrong, and navigate a new bureaucracy just to avoid a $10,000 tax. And guess what? They REALLY want that $10,000!

Measure A Is a $10,000 Tax on Homes

May 16, 2026

Measure A would impose a $10,000 annual tax on homes the City decides are “empty.” And because it is a flat tax per unit, a small condo could pay the same $10,000 tax as a $10 million mansion in La Jolla.

UT Says Measure A Is City Hall’s Latest Reckless Gamble

May 15, 2026

The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board has endorsed No on Measure A, warning that the measure continues City Hall’s pattern of rushing into risky decisions without proper due diligence. The editorial gets it right: Measure A is a reckless tax scheme with serious legal, financial, and enforcement risks.

Who Says Vacancy Taxes Don't Lower Rents or Housing Costs? The City's Own Report!

May 15, 2026

Measure A is being sold as a housing affordability solution. But the City’s own Independent Budget Analyst report says research on vacancy taxes shows that Vancouver’s vacancy tax did not lower average rents or increase new housing construction.

Measure A Sends the Money to the General Fund - Not a Dedicated Housing Fund

May 14, 2026

Measure A is being sold as a housing solution, but the fine print tells a different story. The tax money is not locked into a dedicated affordable housing fund. It goes into the City’s General Fund, where City Hall politicians can spend it on whatever they want.

Measure A in Plain English: Their Goal May Sound Popular, But It's a Horribly Flawed Proposal

May 13, 2026

Supporters of Measure A want you to think it's simple: tax "vacant" homes and use the money to help with housing. But the actual 28-page ordinance creates a new tax bureaucracy, sends revenue to the City’s General Fund instead of housing, puts the burden of proof on you, and leaves major enforcement questions unanswered.

Upcoming Series: The Fine Print in Measure A

May 8, 2026

Starting next week, we'll be walking voters through the fine print and details of Measure A to show you what it really does, what it doesn't do, and just how bad this would be for San Diego.

New Ad Highlights Why San Diegans Should Vote No on Measure A

May 4, 2026

Check out the latest video that highlights why you should vote No on Measure A!

No on Measure A Campaign Kick Off

April 1, 2026

No on Measure A kicks off campaign on April 1 warning voters not to be fooled by Measure A!