San Diego City Clerk Liz Maland on Saturday said that the Chargers "secured enough valid signatures for the team’s proposal to raise local hotel taxes for a downtown stadium and convention facility to appear on the November ballot," according to David Garrick of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Chargers Chair Dean Spanos "expressed his appreciation to those who signed the petitions." Spanos: "We gathered more than 110,000 signatures in less than six weeks, an extraordinary result that demonstrates the high level of community interest in a new multi-use stadium and convention center facility downtown." Garrick noted the initiative "would raise the city’s tax on hotel stays" from 12.5% to 16.5% to finance a $1.8B stadium/convention center next to Petco Park. The Chargers "would contribute" $650M for the stadium portion of the project, using $300M from the NFL and $350M from the team, "licensing payments, sales of 'stadium-builder' ticket options to fans, and other private sources." The city would raise $1.15B by selling bonds that "would be paid back with the higher hotel tax revenues." Many prominent local Republicans "have come out against the proposal, and polls this spring showed weak support." A coalition of opponents that includes politicians, business organizations and neighborhood groups "has vowed to defeat the initiative." Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a Republican, "has raised many questions about the initiative, but hasn’t yet taken a position" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/10).
