CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- The Chula Vista City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday night to put a half-cent sales tax increase on the June Primary ballot.
Voters approved Measure P and its half-cent sales tax increase in 2016.
A city spokesperson told 10News the sales tax increase would be used to hire 43 new Chula Vista Police personnel, 29 of which would be sworn officers.
The city would also hire 36 more Fire Department personnel. 35 of those hires would be actual fire fighters.
Measure P moved Chula Vista’s overall sales tax rate up to 8.25%. An additional half-cent increase would bump that up to 8.75%, which would tie for highest in the county.
Chula Vista Police officials have steadfastly said they are roughly 40 officers away from where their staffing level should be at for a city this size.
Firefighters have a similar argument.The spokesperson said health care costs and pensions prevent Chula Vista from hiring the new personnel under its current budget.
