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Monterey City Council Vote Tonight May Influence Continued Street, Sidewalk, and Stormwater Repairs
Tonight (September 15, 2026), the Monterey City Council is scheduled to vote on approving a $1 million contract funded by the city's Measure S sales tax for on-call minor sidewalk repair projects. It will also vote on directing staff to "bring forward a major sidewalk repair pilot program at the second council meeting in December." See Item 11 at Monterey City Council - Sidewalk Repair Programs.
These votes occur as City of Monterey voters are about to consider renewing the Measure S sales tax, first approved by 74% of voters as Measure P and then renewed four years later by 82% of voters as Measure S. As required in the California Constitution through Proposition 13 (1978), local "special taxes" designated for specific purposes rather than the general fund require two-thirds (66.67%) voter approval.
Despite those results in 2014 and 2018, there is uncertainty in 2026 about whether 66.67% of city voters will approve a proposed continuation of an existing sales tax for "repairing roads, potholes, and sidewalks; improving street safety and ADA-compliant accessibility for senior citizens and disabled residents; and repairing and upgrading the aging storm drain system." Polls in June 2026 showed 70%-75% support for renewal of Measure S, but in the past couple of months Measure S has attracted formal opposition, driven by homeowners who want the City of Monterey to use Measure S funds to pay for all sidewalk repairs (minor and major) on private residential property.
With its vote tonight, the Monterey City Council is attempting to respond to concerns of these homeowners. But a non-binding commitment for a vote in December on complete Measure S funding of major sidewalk repairs is not a guarantee for homeowners that they'll never have to pay for sidewalk repairs.
What's the Chamber's perspective on maintaining this sales tax? Deteriorating streets present a highly-visible negative impression to some outsiders who are important for local economic development: (1) tourists, (2) groups looking at Monterey as a potential site for conferences among many competing locations, and (3) officials who are thinking about potential base closures that could save money for the U.S. Department of Defense.
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