From The Linda Vista Update / April 9, 2026
San Diegans are following news of the City’s desperate quest for more tax revenue. Various solutions have been either implemented or planned in order to come up with the cash necessary to balance our local government’s balance sheet.
Paying for parking at Balboa Park, and special event parking rates around the Petco Park area are already in the implementation phase, while the idea of taxing homeowners who own vacant second homes (vacant for more than 183 days) is still being debated, and will probably be placed on the June 2 ballot for a City-wide vote.
This “vacant second home” tax proposal, advocated by Councilmember Sean Elo Rivera (4th District) is based on the concept that threatened by more taxes, homeowners will be more likely to rent out these homes and thereby help alleviate the rental home shortage. This may seem like an unfair tax to pay, but as Councilmember Kent Lee (District 6) has said…”If someone can afford to own a second home and not use it for any purpose, they can absolutely afford to pay that tax, and they should.” (If you think that’s a wild concept, wait till you read our suggestions listed below)
We at the Linda Vista Update understand the importance of tax dollars. … Accordingly, we spent the past week hard at work in numerous brainstorming sessions, coming up with even better ways to reach into our San Diego citizens’ wallets and take their hard earned money.
We took the underlying idea of taxing homeowners with “vacant” homes, and the concept of penalizing citizens for leaving things empty or unused, and blended this into our own proposals, which are ready to be shown to our readers to get their opinions. While keeping an open mind, we invite all readers to take a look at these tax revenue proposals and imagine how effective they might be. Pick your favorite ones and then write your elected representatives and advocate for their adoption.
Tax Idea # 1: Vacant Space in Garage – Property owners who do not park their cars in the garage and leave vacant space, or who only have one car and a two-car garage will be taxed. It is hoped this tax will encourage property owners to stop using their garage space to store clutter, and free up parking space on the street.
Tax Idea # 2: Vacant Space in Car – Car owners who drive to work alone will be taxed for every empty car seat. This tax should encourage drivers to start car pools and thus alleviate rush hour traffic congestion.
Tax Idea # 3: Vacant Space in New Trash Cans – Property owners who do not completely fill up their new City furnished trash cans to the brim on each weekly trash pick-up day will be taxed. A tax rate will be developed per trash can cubic inch space left unfilled each week. This tax threat doesn’t alleviate any shortage or congestion, but since the City has provided these new trash cans, they might as well use them to collect more money from us—that’s called efficiency!
Tax Idea # 4: Vacant Space in Refrigerator – Property owners who leave too much vacant space in their refrigerators (more than 50% empty rate) will be taxed. NOTE: Property owners who leave vacant space in refrigerators located inside vacant second homes will be taxed at a special luxury tax rate. Every property owner will be required to install a computer chip in their refrigerator that will measure vacant space on a real time basis and report the data online back to the City Treasurer.
Tax Idea # 5: Empty Pinata Tax – Property owners who display empty decorative Mexican pinatas without any candy inside will be taxed. WARNING: This tax may disproportionately impact Mexican restaurants.
Tax idea # 6: Unused Pelotons or Treadmill Exercise Machines Tax – According to a NY Post article, approximately 25% of the 4.5 million Pelotons and Treadmills made since 2019 go unused. This tax could motivate people to get in better shape.
Tax Idea # 7: Unused Paid Parking Time: If you pay for parking at Balboa Park and there is unused time when you are ready to depart the premises, you will pay a 5 cents a minute tax on any unused time. This tax will serve as a “two-fer” for the City’s tax revenue stream.
Tax Idea # 8: Vacant Space at SDSU Football Games – We don’t think property owners, drivers and Mexican restaurants should entirely bear the brunt of paying additional taxes for vacant space. Accordingly, we propose San Diego State University pay a tax for every vacant seat at Aztec football home games. Based on attendance during the past few seasons, this should be a big moneymaker for the City.
Okay, readers. Take some time and think about these proposals. Select the best ones, and then email your councilmember/mayor with your thoughts. The City needs money and creative ideas for getting that money, so do your patriotic duty and contact them. And remember, if you are rich enough to own two empty pinatas, you can afford to, and should pay that tax.
What about the vacant space in our mayor and Councilmembers’ heads? This would make them pay up as well, and there is a lot of empty space there!
These are great funny ideas! If vacant second homes are to be taxed, then by the Counsel’s logic every one that has a second car or a motorcycle should also pay a tax since they can afford a second vehicle. Kent Lee deciding who can afford more taxes is laughable for a guy who has never worked in the private sector. The City needs to learn to balance their budget instead of taxing more of our hard earned wages.
Love it! Satire is the best political commentary.