El Cajon is asking downtown property owners to approve a larger, longer-running tax district that would generate nearly $800,000 in first-year assessments, while the public still has a fuzzy picture of where the current district’s millions have gone. The ballot question is not just about cleaner sidewalks; it is about whether a private nonprofit should collect and steer a new stream of special assessments for up to 20 years.
The current property-based improvement district expires at the end of 2026. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the proposed replacement would cover about 427 parcels owned by roughly 300 landowners, with ballots scheduled to be mailed on Thursday and votes to be tabulated at a Sept. 15 public hearing. Central city landowners could be charged at least $16 million over two decades, with annual increases built into the plan.
A Bigger District With A 20-Year Clock
The city’s proposed management plan sets the first-year assessment at $793,225 and gives the new Community Benefit District an initial 20-year term. The city’s management plan earmarks about $476,000 for sidewalks, safety and cleanliness; $119,000 for district identity and placemaking; $174,000 for administration and program management; and $24,225 for contingencies.
The menu includes routine sweeping, steam cleaning, enhanced trash pickup, graffiti removal within 72 hours, tree and landscape work, public-space maintenance, events, security teams, branding and social-media promotion. The plan also permits assessments to rise by as much as 7% annually, if approved by the district’s management board…