Carlsbad residents would start paying a half-cent more in sales tax on most purchases under a county ballot measure whose supporters declared victory Nov. 5 with a growing lead.

San Diego County Measure B, the San Diego Health & Safety Act, held 51.74% of the vote, with 398,703 yes votes to 371,938 no votes, according to Patch, citing the county Registrar of Voters. A companion charter-reform measure, Measure A, led with 51.83%, or 389,062 yes votes to 361,611 no votes.

The margins on both measures have widened since election night. All results remain unofficial until the canvass is complete on or before Dec. 3, according to Times of San Diego.

What Measure B means at the register

The tax would raise the county sales tax rate from 7.75% to 8.25% on most purchases. Groceries and prescription medications are exempt, according to Fox 5 San Diego.

Alan Gin, an economics professor at the University of San Diego's Knauss School of Business, told Fox 5 that on $100 in taxable goods, the increase amounts to 50 cents. Measure B supporter Courtney Baltiyskyy said during a Politifest debate that the campaign estimates the measure would cost a family of four less than $200 a year, according to Voice of San Diego.

The county auditor's office estimates the tax would generate $400 million to $450 million a year, Voice of San Diego reported. The ballot language states the tax would last until ended by voters. It has no sunset clause.

Where the money goes

According to the measure's text, up to 60% of the revenue, an estimated $240 million to $270 million, would fund health care, nutrition and family services. Up to 22.5%, roughly $90 million to $100 million, would go toward addressing Tijuana River sewage pollution. Up to 17.5%, about $79 million, would fund public safety, wildfire prevention and emergency response, Voice of San Diego reported.

A 12-member citizen oversight committee would conduct annual spending audits and report to the Board of Supervisors.

Measure A: ethics commission and longer terms

Measure A would rewrite the county charter to create an independent ethics commission, a budget analyst and a program auditor reporting to the Board of Supervisors. It would also extend supervisor term limits from two four-year terms to three. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the measure would also give supervisors the ability to confirm and remove a wider number of positions in county government.

Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, who proposed the reforms, declared victory for Measure B following the Nov. 5 vote update. She has faced criticism for authoring a measure that could extend her own time in office. Lawson-Remer is termed out in 2028 under current rules but could serve until 2032 if Measure A holds, the Union-Tribune reported.

Supporters and opponents

Supervisors Paloma Aguirre, Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe voted in May to place Measure A on the ballot. Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond opposed it.

Desmond said he supports an ethics commission, program auditor and budget analyst but called a possible three-term limit for supervisors "the worst form of politics and self-serving politicians," NBC San Diego reported.

The conservative organization Reform California also opposed Measure A. Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California, said proposing a tax increase while costs are rising was foolish, NBC San Diego reported. DeMaio said at a Republican watch party on election night, "I believe when all the votes are counted, we will defeat Measure A and force politicians to live under term limits," according to KPBS coverage published Nov. 5.

John Clark, president of San Diego County Firefighters Cal-Fire Local 2881, supported the measures. "Clear accountability and modern oversight help ensure resources are used effectively to keep people safe," Clark said, according to Patch.

The Registrar of Voters has until Dec. 3 to certify final results.