You Won’t Believe What Just Happened at the Board of Supervisors

Yesterday was one of the strangest days I’ve had on the County Board of Supervisors.

I brought forward two common-sense proposals:

1. Stop the gas tax increase set to hit Californians on July 1st.

2. Hold Mexico accountable for the millions of gallons of raw sewage they dump into our ocean every single day.

Let’s be clear—Californians already pay the highest gas taxes in the nation, and a recent report warns that gas prices could exceed $8 per gallon. And our beaches? Imperial Beach has been closed for over three years, and Coronado beaches have been closed for more than three weeks—all because of Mexico dumping their sewage into the country.

Here were my comments on the Gas Tax:

Both items should’ve been no-brainers. Yet somehow, they both failed.

Apparently, my colleagues were more concerned with avoiding criticism of Mexico than protecting our people.

That’s outrageous.

Mexico has polluted our beaches and waterways for 50 years with zero consequences. And why would they stop? We’ve never enforced a single penalty. No fines. No restrictions. Nothing.

Here were my comments on the Tijuana Sewage crisis:

That has to change.

California families are being crushed by rising costs—soaring gas prices, skyrocketing utility bills, unaffordable housing, and relentless inflation. Seniors on fixed incomes are being forced to make impossible choices just to get by. And yet, our leaders refuse to act on the most basic proposals to bring relief.

I won’t stop fighting for common sense. I won’t stop standing up for working families, for clean water, and for accountability—no matter how bizarre things get at the Board.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond | June 4, 2025

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