SAN DIEGO — On April Fool's Day, opponents of San Diego's proposed Measure A brought a pointed message to City Hall: "Don't Be Fooled."

Leaders from across the county gathered Wednesday to mark the official launch of the "No on Measure A" campaign. Measure A, which will appear on the June 2 ballot, would impose an $8,000 annual tax on more than 5,000 residences in the City of San Diego deemed "non-primary homes," increasing to $10,000 in 2028. Corporate owners would face an additional $4,000 surcharge.

The measure affects only city of San Diego properties, but East County property owners and real estate professionals are watching closely as similar measures have been proposed or discussed in other jurisdictions across California.

The rally featured Shane Harris, No on A spokesman; Mark Kersey, President of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association; Karen Van Ness, President of the San Diego Association of Realtors; and Rick Gentry, former San Diego Housing Commission CEO, among others.

Opponents argue the tax revenue would flow into the city's General Fund rather than a dedicated housing fund, and that similar measures in other cities have had little effect on rents or housing production. They also point to a 2022 San Francisco empty homes tax that was declared unconstitutional and unenforceable two years after passage.

Adding fuel to the opposition's case: San Diego Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman recently ordered the city to rebrand the measure from the "Empty Homes Tax" to the "Non-Primary Homes Tax," ruling the original name was fundamentally misleading because a home could be occupied for 182 days per year — nearly half the year — and still be subject to the tax.

Proponents argue the measure could generate $24 million annually and discourage investors and absentee owners from sitting on vacant homes during a severe housing shortage. The City of San Diego voted 8-1 to place the measure on the ballot in March.