8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 5-11, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS To beautify the city of Seaside and encourage local entrepreneurs to open up shop downtown, City Councilmember Alexis García-Arrazola is proposing placing a commercial vacancy tax on the November ballot. “I’ve done these business tours since 2020 when I was first elected, and the thing that kept coming up was that there are a lot of vacancies downtown and we need to stir up more business,” García-Arrazola says. He first floated the idea of a combined vacant commercial and residential tax in 2022, which he says ultimately withered on the vine due to the residential side of the initiative. This time around, he says the proposed tax would only apply to empty business space. The details of the potential measure are still in the works as the Seaside City Council mulls a report about the roughly 30 commercial vacancies in the city, requested by GarcíaArrazola and set to be presented on Thursday, Feb. 5. “I know people are going to push back, but sometimes, this is what needs to happen,” GarcíaArrazola says. “People want a community that’s vibrant.” With the revenue generated by a commercial vacancy tax, GarcíaArrazola hopes to provide seed money for affordable housing projects in the city. Darryl Choates, owner of Deja Blue on Broadway, says he supports the tax, which he sees as a way to reduce blight and force out-of-town property owners to pay their fair share of city services like police and fire. “Some of them don’t care if the properties are rented or not because they have so much property,” Choates says. “But here in Seaside we want the area to grow and we want everybody to participate.” Just Lease It Seaside Councilmember Alexis García-Arrazola is on a mission to fill vacant commercial spaces. By Aric Sleeper The video circulating on social media shows a man’s face as he addresses the camera in Spanish, warning fishermen to avoid federal roads while going to Lake San Antonio in South Monterey County. He says he is in the Tijuana airport waiting for a flight to Guerrero; he says he was detained in South County by a U.S. Army soldier, then later handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading to his deportation. He says at least seven others experienced the same. While the Weekly has been unable to independently confirm his account, his story aligns with other reports of federal law enforcement contacts on federal lands that led to immigration enforcement on a stretch of Jolon Road through the U.S. Army’s Fort Hunter Liggett. Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez addressed the issue during a board meeting on Jan. 27, noting that residents might not even be aware they are traveling onto federal land. “The thought that my kids would be torn for me simply for having chosen to take them fishing with a broken taillight is absolutely horrendous,” Lopez said. Sheriff Tina Nieto says, “We have had ICE activity in our South County area on federal properties,” noting the sheriff doesn’t have primary jurisdiction on federal lands. (Fort Hunter Liggett officials didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Weekly has filed a U.S. Freedom of Information Act request seeking additional information.) Since December, the volunteer group Monterey County Solidarity Network, which tracks immigration enforcement, reported that at least eight Monterey County residents have been detained or turned over to ICE in South Monterey County, including one on Jolon Road on Jan. 16 and at least 15 more near Lake San Antonio on Dec. 30 and 31 (eight were San Luis Obispo residents). On Monday, Feb. 2, the County of Monterey shared an interactive map and a list of federally managed areas across the county. The county statement, issued by an ad hoc committee appointed to address immigration issues, urges the public to be aware of the jurisdiction and follow all laws. It suggests that before visiting, people should: “Check which agency manages the land; Review rules and regulations; Respect closures, fire restrictions, and safety notices; Consider avoiding these areas entirely.” Various areas across Monterey County are multi-jurisdictional, meaning different agencies may conduct traffic stops or conduct law enforcement investigations. People may be subject to different laws when on federal land. For example, possession of recreational or medicinal marijuana is illegal in national parks, post offices and federal buildings, although it is legal for adults 21 and older in California. People could also be subject to immigration enforcement. The county’s list includes Fort Hunter Liggett, Camp Roberts, Fort Ord National Monument, Naval Postgraduate School, Los Padres National Forest, Pinnacles National Park and more. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, says her staff is in touch with local authorities and gathering information about this matter. “I’m committed to ensuring all federal agents are following the law,” Lofgren says via email. County officials released a map (online at bit.ly/federal-lands-us) and a list of areas under federal jurisdiction, including recreational lands and military installations. Territory War Following immigration detentions, county officials issue an advisory urging caution on federal land. By Celia Jiménez Alexis García-Arrazola’s reflection in an empty window on Seaside’s Broadway Avenue. He is proposing a tax on vacant commercial properties in hopes of pushing owners to rent them out. “We have had ICE activity in our South County area on federal properties.” ARCGIS HUB RENDERED BY ESRI LANDSCAPE DANIEL DREIFUSS
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