Kat Piantka | Newsroom Manager & Head Editor
November 15, 2024
The city of San Clemente introduced Measure BB to voters this past November 5th election. Measure BB is a ballot initiative which according to ocvote.gov would “restore/keep sand on the beach, maintain beach access for residents, reduce beach erosion, protect ocean water quality” and would include funding for other beach improvement projects through a ½ cent City sales tax.
While on the surface the ballot may seem to benefit all civilians of San Clemente and not only protect but also rehabilitate the state of our coastal environment, Save Our Beaches, San Clemente, CA, reports it would increase the taxes of all citizens ranging from “½ to 1 percent.” This could be opposed by some, as San Clemente residents already have to pay a very high local tax rate of 7.75% in addition to paying state and federal taxes.
Many argue that the cost of living here is becoming increasingly too high for residents and now only the wealthy can afford to live in this once small and quaint beach town, which is changing the culture of this beloved city. If this trend continues, San Clemente could transform into a commercialized vacation destination, forcing some locals to relocate.
Senior Grace Pratt believes that San Clemente must “protect our environment as a coastal community” but understands the concern and perceived opposition as there would be “increased taxes coming out of San Clemente citizens’ pockets.”
However, since it is a dedicated sales tax, the city would not be allowed to spend the funds on items not “identified in the language of the measure,” as many residents feared that the estimated revenue of “$6.75 million per year” would go into the deep pockets of the city or be used on other non-coastal improvements not explicitly stated in the ballot.
Even with the increased tax rate producing $6.75 million each year it would not cover the estimated $10 million needed each year to “improve and maintain coastal resources in San Clemente.” Therefore, additional funding will need to be acquired from the county, state, and federal governments to be able to place “100,000 [to] 200,000 cubic yards [of sand] on the beach per year.”
While Measure BB does mention “clean ocean measure [plans]” and wildlife protection, the measure does not explicitly determine how this city plans to do this. Rather it aims to counteract the effects of climate change on our beaches in the hope of saving the culture and economy of our city.
To the city’s dismay, Measure BB is currently falling short of the two-thirds mark needed to pass. According to ocvote.gov, the unofficial results show that 64.37% or 23,163 of voters are in favor of the measure. On the contrary, 35.63%, or 12,821 citizens have voted against it. As of now, it will not pass because a majority of 66.7% of the city’s citizens will have to vote in favor despite the fact it seems to have the popular majority vote.
Without Measure BB the future state of our beaches could look a lot different due to the lack of funding and increased coastal changes brought about by climate change. The beach trail and bridge accesses could continue to be closed affecting many walkers and avid runners including the SCHS’ cross country team that relies on the beach trail to complete their workouts. Junior Caiya McAlister explained how difficult it can be to find alternative running routes when “[we] can’t run on the beach trail.” She is similarly concerned that without Measure BB the environment will not be “take[n] care of” and ocean life will continue to regress.
Measure BB has proven to receive varying support from the citizens of San Clemente some are concerned about increased taxes and the effectiveness of the measure, while others are worried about the future of our beaches. As they play an important role in our local tourism, economy, and beach culture. As of now, Measure BB has not been approved.
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