Measure B and school bonds: what San Diego County's election means for homeowners

by Mance Rieder

Measure B and school bonds: what San Diego County's election means for homeowners

Quick answer: What do the November 2026 ballot measures mean for San Diego County homeowners?

As of early Nov. 4, 2026, Measure B, a half-cent countywide sales tax, was ahead with roughly 51% of the vote, and the count isn't final. Nine San Diego County school and college bonds were also on ballots, at estimated rates of $13 to $58 per $100,000 of assessed value.

Key takeaways

Measure B would raise the county base sales tax from 7.75% to 8.25%, and it needs a simple majority.
School bonds need 55%, and most of this year's bonds extend rates owners already pay.
Bond taxes are figured on your assessed value, not today's market value.

You voted (or didn't), and now you're seeing headlines about sales taxes and billion-dollar school bonds. Here's what each one could mean for what you pay as a San Diego County homeowner, and why the results aren't settled yet.

What is Measure B, and where does it stand?

Measure B is a countywide half-cent sales tax. California Choices says it would take the county base rate from 7.75% to 8.25%, with any city add-on taxes stacked on top. It needs a simple majority to pass.

According to KPBS (Nov. 3, 2026), supporters estimate it would raise about $400 million a year, split 60% to health care and related services, 22.5% to Tijuana River sewage fixes, and 17.5% to emergency response and wildfire prevention. Opponents point out it has no end date.

Early Wednesday, Voice of San Diego reported Measure B ahead by roughly 15,000 votes at about 51%. That's close enough that late ballots could still move it.

How do school bonds show up on your property tax bill?

School bonds don't change your base 1% Prop 13 tax. They appear as a separate line on your bill, charged per $100,000 of your assessed value. If you've owned for years, your assessed value is likely well below what your home would sell for, so the bond line is smaller than you might expect. (It works much like a Mello-Roos special tax, a separate line item, though the rules behind each are different.)

Here's what was on the ballot, per the KPBS and Voice of San Diego bond guide (updated Oct. 20, 2026):

San Diego Unified, Measure M: $3.5 billion at about $32 per $100,000; the district says the rate stays the same.
Vista Unified, Measure N: up to $543 million at about $58 per $100,000, extending an existing rate in Vista.
La Mesa-Spring Valley, Measure AA: up to $131 million at about $22 per $100,000, extending an existing rate.
Santee, Measure BB: up to $30 million at about $13 per $100,000, extending an existing rate.
Grossmont-Cuyamaca, Measure G: $624 million at $24.67 per $100,000, extending Measure R.
Julian Union High (J) and Mountain Empire (L): new rates of $30 and $38 per $100,000.
Fallbrook Union Elementary (K) and Jamul-Dulzura (H): about $30 per $100,000, which the guide describes as no increase to current rates.

Each bond needs 55% to pass, KPBS reports. The sources we reviewed hadn't posted bond results as of Wednesday morning.

What could this cost you?

My own math, using the rates above. These are examples, not your actual bill:

Measure M: a home with a $600,000 assessed value pays about $192 a year at $32 per $100,000. Because the district says the rate isn't rising, most owners shouldn't see a new increase from it.
Measure N: the same $600,000 assessed value in Vista Unified works out to about $348 a year at $58 per $100,000, again extending a rate owners already pay.
Measure B: buying a home isn't subject to sales tax, but appliances, furniture, and many remodel materials are. At an extra 0.5%, $10,000 of taxable purchases adds about $50.

If you're buying, your property tax line, bonds included, rolls into your monthly payment through an impound account. You can plug in a full tax estimate with our mortgage calculator to see the real monthly number.

When will the results be final?

Times of San Diego reports the Registrar of Voters' next scheduled update is Thursday, Nov. 5, and that results stay unofficial until the canvass is certified on or before Dec. 3. Close measures like Measure B can shift as mail ballots come in.

If you own in East County, including Santee, check your district's bond line on next year's bill so you know what's an extension and what's new.

Bottom line

Measure B was narrowly ahead early Wednesday, and the school bond counts are still coming in. For most owners, this year's bonds extend rates you already pay, and every bond is figured on your assessed value, not your market value.

Want to know what this means for your home or your search? Call or text me at (858) 295-0556, or book a quick call at https://calendly.com/mance-riederhomes/strategycall.

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Mance Rieder | Broker Associate, DRE #02050930 | Rieder Homes Group | REAL Broker, LLC