Salinas’ mayoral candidates have differing views on rent stabilization, tax measures.

Salinas voters will have four options to choose from for the mayoral seat in November: current Mayor Dennis Donohue, caregiver Hezekiah Gonzalez, construction worker and rapper Daniel Muñoz and retired educator Peter Szalai.

Only Donohue is a seasoned politician. He first served as mayor from 2006-2012 and was re-elected in 2024. If Donohue is again re-elected in November, he would serve his fifth two-year mayoral term.

Muñoz and Szalai have become more civically active in recent years, attending and commenting during council meetings. The former is leading the recall efforts against District 1 representatives Supervisor Luis Alejo and Councilmember José Luis Barajas.

Lack of housing and street and sidewalk repairs remain the City’s main issues. This election cycle, two Salinas measures are on the ballot. The first is Measure H, a “no” vote to keep, or a “yes” vote to repeal the rent registry, rent stabilization and tenant protection ordinances.

Muñoz, Gonzalez and Szalai are in favor of keeping these four ordinances, but Szalai has reservations.

Donohue is the only mayoral candidate who isn’t taking a stand on the measure; however, he voted to repeal the ordinances before voters called for a referendum and the council opted to let voters decide the ordinances’ fate.

“I’m not taking a public position on H because as the mayor, I think it’s important to let the community weigh in and decide,” Donohue says, adding housing is a supply-and-demand issue.

“I don’t believe this is good housing policy in the long run,” Szalai says, agreeing with Donohue.

The other measure on the ballot is Measure G, a 1-cent sales tax Salinas voters passed in 2014 that is set to phase out in 2029 if it isn’t renewed. This measure is a vital source of income for the city, and last fiscal year it generated $34.5 million.

The candidates have mixed feelings on Measure G. Muñoz and Gonzalez oppose Measure G, while Donohue and Szalai support it. Both Szalai and Muñoz say Measure G’s renewal will likely fail, as local tax measures in recent elections have had a tough time at the polls. Muñoz acknowledges the City needs Measure G revenue, but believes officials should increase transparency about how they spend these funds. “I understand we need the money, I’m not foolish,” he says. “I’m just saying no this year, [until] we can gain some trust back.”