San Diego Metropolitan Transit System: transactions and use tax: voter initiatives.

Education Elections Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Alvarez
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about when or how often voter initiatives can be proposed.

San Diego Transit Tax: Voter Initiatives

This law allows voters in San Diego County to propose and approve a tax for public transportation through initiatives, while also setting rules about how this tax interacts with other local taxes.

What This Bill Does

Allows the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) to ask voters if they can collect up to a half-cent sales tax for improving public transit services.
Permits qualified voter groups to propose and pass these taxes through initiatives without needing MTS approval.
Exempts the proposed 0.5% tax from counting towards the total limit of 2% on combined local taxes in San Diego County.
Requires state reimbursement if the bill adds new duties for county election officials.

Who It Names or Affects

Voters in San Diego County who can propose and vote on transit-related taxes.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) which could collect these taxes to fund public transportation improvements.
County elections officials responsible for handling voter initiatives related to the tax.

Terms To Know

Transactions and Use Tax: A type of sales tax that can be used by local governments to fund specific projects or services, like public transportation.
Voter Initiative: A process where citizens can propose laws or taxes directly through a ballot measure without needing approval from the government first.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify when or how often voters could propose these initiatives.
It is unclear what happens if the state decides not to reimburse local agencies for additional duties imposed by this law.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
2026-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and L. GOV.
2026-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2484, as amended, Alvarez.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System: transactions and use tax: voter initiatives.
The Mills-Deddeh Transit Development Act establishes the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board, also known as the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), governed by a 15-member board with specified powers and duties related to the operation of public transit services in the southern portion of the County of San Diego. The act authorizes MTS to impose a transactions and use tax of up to 0.5% for public transit purposes within its jurisdiction, or a portion of its jurisdiction, pursuant to the Transactions and Use Tax Law and subject to voter approval and various other requirements.
This bill would also authorize those taxes to be imposed by a qualified voter initiative. To the extent that the bill would impose additional duties on a county elections official, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The Transactions and Use Tax Law limits the combined rate of all taxes that may be imposed in accordance with that law in any county to 2%.
This bill would prohibit the tax rate of 0.5% described above that may be imposed by MTS or a qualified voter initiative from being considered for purposes of the combined rate limit under the Transactions and Use Tax Law.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF