Facts on Sales Tax and Stormwater Fees Ballot Measures Town Hall // May 4, 2026

The City of Monterey held a town hall meeting on May 4, 2026, to discuss two ballot measures: a proposed sales tax increase (Measure D) and a stormwater fee. City officials detailed the city's $10 million structural budget deficit driven by rising expenses such as labor agreements, insurance premiums, and operational costs outpacing revenue growth. They outlined efforts to reduce expenses, including budget cuts, frozen positions, and reallocations, while emphasizing the need for increased revenue through the sales tax measure to maintain core services like public safety and library hours. The stormwater fee was presented as a reinstatement of a previous fee to fund maintenance and regulatory compliance for the city's aging stormwater infrastructure, with costs scaled by property size and collected via the county tax roll. Public comments raised concerns about tax impacts, service levels, and transparency. No specific contract awards or vendor selections were discussed, but the meeting focused on budgetary challenges, revenue measures, and the implications of the proposed fees for city services and infrastructure maintenance.