Tax measures and a plan to boost council pay in P.G. trail in early election results.

About a dozen members and friends of the Pacific Grove Progressives were crowded around a couple of tables sharing pizzas and sipping craft beers at Hops and Fog Brewing Co. on the evening of Tuesday, June 2 in downtown P.G., in part to reward themselves after weeks of campaigning in support of Measure C, a proposal to increase compensation of city councilmembers. They had also hoped for a celebration but it was not to be: The early election results based on mail-in votes showed the measure trailing by more than 400 votes.

It was not totally unexpected. Shortly before the results were released the speculation among the group was that the California governor’s race would impact smaller races.

“My sincere hope was that the Democrats were waiting until the last minute,” says John Mothershead, president of the P.G. Progressives, referring to voters statewide holding off until the last minute to see which Democratic gubernatorial candidate was in the lead. Members theorized that as Democratic ballots are counted, Measure C would have a chance of winning.

If the measure pulls through, the monthly compensation for councilmembers would rise from $420 to $987, and from $700 to $1,645 for the mayor. As of midnight on the morning of June 3, it is behind by 500 votes, a 56-44 margin.

Two parcel taxes to fund emergency and fire services in South County also faced negative results on election night, with voters possibly souring on paying more taxes in the face of higher gas prices and a weakened economy.

Soledad’s Measure A was losing 677 to 633 as of June 3. In Gonzales, Measure B was losing 327 to 293.

A proposed sales tax in Monterey, Measure D, was also behind – 2,600 to 2,374, or 52 percent to 48 percent. If it passes, it would raise the city’s sales tax by 0.375 percent, to a total of 9.625 percent. The money would be funneled into the general fund to pay for services that are currently in danger of being cut due to an estimated $12 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year. The increase could bring in as much as $4.5 million annually.