SAN MARCOS (KGTV) — Nearly $24 million in Measure Q sales tax revenue is funding a new fire station and a series of infrastructure and park projects in San Marcos.
Measure Q passed in 2024 with more than 60% of the vote, raising the city's sales tax from 7.75% to 8.75% for 10 years. City officials say the funding makes up about 20 to 25% of the city's overall budget and is aimed at keeping the city financially stable while improving local infrastructure.
The future Fire Station 5 will be built at the former Karl Strauss Beer Garden on Armorlite Drive and Las Posas Road. Construction has not yet begun, but $17.3 million from Measure Q has been allocated to the project so far.
Mike Sannella said:
"What our residents told us they wanted us to use that money for were things like public safety and parks and rec and keeping the city clean and up to speed and focusing on our infrastructure and so we've been doing that ever since Measure Q passed and this most recent round of budgets that we did on Tuesday night."
Groundbreaking on the fire station is expected in the December-January timeframe. Three new parks are set to open in San Marcos within the next 9 to 12 months, and a redesign and reconstruction of San Marcos Boulevard is scheduled to break ground next week.
Sannella said:
"We have a new fire station that's going to be breaking ground later this year around the December January time frame. We're going to be opening up 3 new parks here in San Marcos in the next 9 to 12 months and just next week we're going to be breaking ground on a redesign and reconstruction of San Marcos Boulevard to help keep traffic flowing better for our community."
Other projects funded by Measure Q include road and sidewalk repairs, playground replacements and maintenance of the city's drainage system.
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