Salinas advances a Measure G tax extension to appear on the November ballot.

Measure G, a 1-cent sales tax voters passed in 2014 in Salinas, started as an additional source of revenue to fix streets and sidewalks and maintain city services. It has now become a critical source of revenue, generating $34.5 million during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

The measure is set to phase out in 2029, prompting City Council to vote 7-0 on Tuesday, March 24 to start the process of putting an extension on the ballot this November.

Mayor Dennis Donohue says it’s a similar approach as Measure E, which voters approved in 2012. It has no sunset date and replaced Measure V, a half-cent sales tax with a 10-year limit.

Donohue said an extension is critical for the city’s future and to show stability for potential investors.

City officials have painted a gloomy picture for the city’s finances without a replacement measure, looking at a 21-percent reduction, or nearly $48 million, in the 2030-2031 budget.

“It funds so much critical staffing regarding public safety, infrastructure,” City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval says.

Currently, the measure funds 106.5 staff positions, including 29 for the Police Department and 38.3 for Public Works. It has also funded various projects in the city, including Northgate Dog Park, Boronda Road traffic relief and the Cesar Chavez soccer field.

Probolsky Research, a market research firm based in Newport Beach, was hired to poll the likelihood of an extension passing. They interviewed 400 Salinas residents via phone and online in English and Spanish; nearly 58 percent said they would support it. To pass, the measure needs 51 percent of the votes.

In June, the council will officially vote on whether to place a Measure G extension to the Nov. 3 ballot.

In 2024, Sandoval, along with then-councilmember Anthony Rocha, advocated to put an extension on the ballot that year, but City Manager René Mendez said they needed more time and suggested delaying it for a couple of years. At that time, the council postponed it to 2026, which has now arrived.