City of Chula Vista
Home MenuFrequently Asked Questions
- How much is the new sales tax?
The new sales tax is a half-cent. The sales tax increase will be collected starting April 1, 2017. The total tax rate in Chula Vista will be 8.25%. All residents, visitors and tourists will pay the sales tax. For every $100 in taxable items the increase in sales tax is 50¢. Sales tax is not charged for groceries and prescription medicine.
- How will funds be used to improve Chula Vista?
The half-cent sales tax will be dedicated to high priority infrastructure projects including:
- Paving, maintaining and repairing neighborhood streets and fixing potholes
- Upgrading or replacing aging police, fire and 9-1-1 emergency response facilities, vehicles and equipment
- Replacing storm drains to prevent sinkholes
- Upgrading irrigation systems to conserve water and save energy
- Making essential repairs to older libraries, senior center and recreation centers
- Improving our traffic signal systems
- Repairing our sports fields and courts and park infrastructure
The temporary half-cent sales tax will provide local funding that will directly support Chula Vista’s priority projects. The Infrastructure Facilities and Equipment Expenditure Plan outlines how the funds will be used. The Plan was approved by the City Council on December 6, 2016. The funds can only be spent in the City of Chula Vista and cannot be diverted to other local or state agencies. A Citizens Oversight Committee is being formed to review proposed expenditure plans and all audits. - What is the Citizens Oversight Committee?
The Measure P Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) will review and report on all Measure P expenditure plans, financial reports and audits. The framework for the COC, which was outlined in the ballot measure, specifies that 11 of the COC members serve as “Designated Members.” Designated Members were nominated by local organizations and individuals such as the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, Chula Vista Youth Sports Council, Chula Vista Growth Management Oversight Commission, and the Chula Vista Police and Fire chiefs. The remaining five members are “At-Large Members” selected from a pool of applicants who applied directly to the City. There is at least one “At-Large Member” appointed from each of the four City Council districts. The City Council interviewed and appointed each of the 16 members.
The Measure P COC roster consists of Designated Members: Lileana Robles, nominated by Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; Zulema Maldonado, nominated by Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce; Robert Ziomek, nominated by Chula Vista Fire Chief; Donald Hunter, nominated by Chula Vista Police Chief; Leon Firsht, nominated by Chula Vista Director of Public Works; Michael Lengyel, nominated by Chula Vista Growth Management Oversight Commission; Thomas Doyle, nominated by Chula Vista Parks & Recreation Commission; David Garcias, nominated by San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Union; Todd Voorhees, nominated by San Diego Taxpayers Association; Robert Coleman, nominated by Chula Vista Sustainability Commission; and Silvestre Vigilante, nominated by Youth Sports Council. At-Large Members are: District 1, Paula Whitsell; District 2, Christopher Redo; District 3, Jason Prater; District 4, Christopher Sheridan; and At-Large - Any District, Mona Freels. -
What was the Measure P ballot question?
Voters approved Measure P on the November 2016 ballot with the intent to address high priority infrastructure needs. The ballot question voters approved is:
“To repair neighborhood streets and sidewalks, replace storm drains to prevent sinkholes, update police, paramedic and 9-1-1 equipment and facilities, improve parks, repair recreation facilities, and for general city services and infrastructure, shall the City of Chula Vista adopt an ordinance enacting a temporary ½ cent sales tax, generating an estimated $16 million per year, expiring in 10 years, with no further increases without voter approval, with all funds staying in Chula Vista, requiring citizen oversight and independent audits?”
Residents, visitors and tourists will all pay the increased sales tax. For every $100 in taxable items the increase in sales tax would be 50¢. Sales tax is not charged for groceries and prescription medicine.
- How do I know that funds will be spent appropriately?
Measure P puts in place strict accountability provisions, such as annual audits and the establishment of the Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) to ensure that all funds are spent appropriately. The COC will review proposed expenditure plans and annual audits Applications for the 16-member COC are now being accepted. More information on the COC applications here.
Events
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Measure P - Citizens' Oversight Committee
01/23/2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Measure P - Citizens' Oversight Committee
04/24/2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Measure P - Citizens' Oversight Committee
07/24/2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
- What is the AMPAC?
To help identify the needs of our community and to evaluate the state of our infrastructure, the City formed the Asset Management Program Advisory Committee (AMPAC) in March 2014. The committee includes local leaders and residents from throughout our community and is critical to helping identify our infrastructure needs and prioritizing improvements. The committee continues to provide input into setting priorities for the Asset Management Program.
- How can I get more information?
Visit the City's Measure P page and sign up to receive the monthly Community Connection newsletter with updates about infrastructure projects and other City events and activities.
- What is the process of improving the City’s public alleys? Financing of concrete alleys is provided through the formation of an assessment district (Resolution 2013-232/Council Policy No. 505-01). In order to initiate an assessment district, you will need to obtain the signatures of at least 60 percent of the property owners on a petition. Under assessment district procedures, the City will take care of design and other staff costs and any utility relocation, while the property owners will need to pay their share of construction costs. At least 50 percent of the weighted vote of property owners (based on assessment amounts) will need to be in favor of the assessment district for the project to be constructed.
- What is the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for streets/pavement rehabilitation?
The City has an annual CIP allocation consisting of major and minor pavement rehabilitation. Major Pavement Rehabilitation projects consist of street overlays and reconstructions throughout the City, and are identified with the prefix “STM.” Minor Pavement Rehabilitation projects are mainly for street preservation and are identified with the prefix “STL.” Pavement maintenance includes the use of ARAM, slurry, chip and other types of seals.
The selection of street segments for both types of projects comes from a five year list of streets selected to match each year’s funding appropriations. Priority is given to high volume and high speed streets classified as collectors and arterials as approved by the City Council’s Resolution number 2007-080.
This new Pavement Rehabilitation Project (STL) is funded by Measure P and is intended to be active until 2027. This project will focus on the rehabilitation of residential streets with PCI's ranging from 0 to 25. The street selection for this project varies in that the streets in worst condition, though unlikely to be prioritized in other programs, will be repaired first.
- How are the street/pavement repair and preservation funded?
The following funding sources (approximately $5 million/year) are generally used for maintenance and rehabilitation of pavement with PCIs between 40 and 84:
- TransNet: Half-cent sales tax for local transportation projects
- Gasoline Tax: Includes excise tax and sales tax
- General Fund: Also known as Maintenance of Effort
- Grants
A new funding source in 2017 is Measure P, which includes approximately $24 million over a 10-year time frame to rehabilitate local streets with PCIs between 0 and 25. Chula Vista voters approved a temporary ten year half-cent sales tax to fund high priority infrastructure needs, including pavement rehabilitation.
- What is the City’s streets/pavement network and condition?
Currently the City is monitoring a total of over 3,000 (2017) street sections with 1,176 (2017) in total lane miles. The City’s average PCI is 74 (2017) compared to an average PCI of 62 (2014) for the State of California.
- What is the Pavement Management System (PMS) evaluation process?
Every three to five years, the City hires a consultant to update its PMS database in order to provide an objective assessment of the pavement condition citywide. The consultant conducts an expert evaluation of the pavement surface of all City streets, ranks each street based on a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) between 0 and 100 (with 100 being “like new”), and recommends an appropriate maintenance strategy based on street PCIs. Below is a summary of the pavement condition and rehabilitation strategies for the City’s streets.