12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 10-16, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 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.” After eight years serving as mayor of Seaside, Ian Oglesby is seeking another term because he says he still has work to do and wants to see long-term projects through, such as the Campus Town and Main Gate developments. “We have Campus Town, now officially called Pacific Landing, which we are working to finish,” Oglesby says. “And we just put out a RFP (request for proposals) for our Main Gate area where we are looking for a potential hotel alongside the courthouse and more retail for our residents.” Promoting economic development in Seaside is one of Oglesby’s main priorities, with hopes to increase tax revenues that can then be invested in the city. “My priorities are driving economic development, keeping us safe, repairing our roads and parks and supporting small business owners,” he says. Oglesby is proud of his many endorsements such as those from Assemblymember Dawn Addis, and the other three members of the Seaside City Council, with the obvious exception of Councilmember Alex Miller, who is running against him. Miller says that the City of Seaside is ready for a change in leadership and that he was inspired to run for mayor after the term limits changed from two to four years with the passage of Measure BB in 2024. “I lose a lot of votes 4-1 or 3-2, and I can’t do this for four more years,” Miller says of his time on the council. Economic development is a priority for Miller, with a focus on improving downtown by filling commercial vacancies. Miller also wants to increase citizen involvement and improve the quality of life in the city. “That means supporting public safety, making sure that developers are accountable with their affordable housing unit numbers, working on homelessness and exploring the possibility of putting up tiny homes,” he says. Miller says that his campaign has been “an absolute joy” and that he hopes Seaside residents will give him a chance to prove his dedication to the city. Full Slate Salinas’ mayoral candidates have differing views on rent stabilization, tax measures. By Celia Jiménez NEWS KEEP IT CLEAN Help clean Salinas during an event within District 2. Amor Salinas is an effort that focuses on citywide beautification. 8:30am-noon Saturday, Sept. 12. Los Padres Elementary School, 1130 John St., Salinas. Free. Sign up at tinyurl. com/D2Cleanup. (831) 758-7096. IN THE PUBLIC Salinas City Council meets to discuss city business. Public comment is accepted. 4pm Tuesday, Sept. 15. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7381, cityofsalinas. org. ON THE ISSUES Hear from candidates running for Pacific Grove mayor and council. The Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters of Monterey County host a forum. 6pm Tuesday, Sept. 15. Pacific Grove Middle School, Performing Arts Center, 835 Forest Ave. Free. (831) 373-3304, pacificgrove.org. RESERVE YOUR THOUGHTS The Elkhorn Slough Reserve wants to hear from the public on how it is meeting its obligations under the NOAA Coastal Zone Management Act. Share your thoughts with NOAA and Reserve officials at a meeting. 6pm Tuesday, Sept. 15. Castroville Library, 11160 Speegle St., Castroville. Also virtual. Free. (831) 728-2822, elkhornslough.org. BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS Salinas residents and groups interested in applying for a neighborhood beautification grant are invited to attend an information session, which will go over the guidelines and what projects are eligible. Noon-1pm Wednesday, Sept. 16. Virtual via Zoom. Free. Applications are due 5pm Friday, Sept. 18. bit.ly/NBG26-27. CUE THE QUESTIONS The City of Marina is asking voters to consider a 7-percent utility users tax on the November ballot. Ask questions of your own to city staff at upcoming meetings. 6pm Wednesday, Sept. 16. Virtual via Zoom at bit.ly/MeasureQSept16. 6pm Wednesday, Sept. 30. Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. cityofmarina.org/measureq. WRITE TO RUN The nomination period to qualify as a write-in candidate for the November election is now open. Candidates must meet the requirements of the office and file nomination forms. Nomination period runs through Oct. 20. Schedule an appointment at (831) 796-1499 or candidateservices@countyofmonterey.gov. countyofmonterey. gov/elections. Heads Up Seaside councilmember faces off against incumbent for the mayor’s seat. By Aric Sleeper Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue faces three other candidates in the November election as he vies to keep his seat for a fifth, non-consecutive term. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “It’s important to let the community weigh in and decide.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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