City of Salinas
Tax Measure Tracking Survey
Results Presentation
September 2026
Opinion Research onElections and Public Policy
PROBOLSKY RESEARCH
100 Pine Street, Suite 1250 San Francisco CA 94111
Newport Beach
(949) 855-6400
San Francisco
(415) 870-8150
Washington DC
(202) 559-0270
City of Salinas – Tax Measure Tracking Survey
Survey Methodology*
Survey Details
Mode
Phone (landline and mobile)
Online (email and text to web)
Language
English and Spanish
Length
12 minutes
Target
Respondents
City of Salinas likely voters
Survey Fielding
August 31 – September 8, 2026
Margin of Error
+/-5%
Survey
Participants
400
Sample
The sample was developed from the voter file originally compiled by the Monterey County Registrar of Voters. We matched the demographics of City of Salinas likely voters.
Data Collection Explained
Interviews were conducted with live interviewers by phone (19%) and online survey methods (81%). Phone participants were interviewed through landline (9%) and mobile (91%) calls. Online participants were invited by email (38%) and text message (62%) to access the survey by computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Respondents in all modes chose their preferred language, English (79%) and Spanish (21%).
Security measures precluded individuals from completing the survey more than once. *Due to rounding, totals shown on charts may not add up to 100% Probolsky Research is a Latina- and woman-owned market and opinion research firm with corporate, election, government, and nonprofit clients. 1 Transportation/traffic/roads stand out as the top-of-mind issue mentioned in Salinas Question 1: In your own words, what do you feel is the most important issue facing Salinas today?[OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]* 2 *Open-ended responses reflect what is top of mind for voters without prompts.
84% rate the overall quality of life in Salinas as good or fair Question 2: How would you rate the overall quality of life in Salinas? 3 83.8%
51% are unsatisfied with the job the City is doing at providing services to residents Question 3: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with the job the City of Salinas is doing in providing services to residents? 4 72% are satisfied with the fire and paramedic emergency response services and response times Question 4: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with fire and paramedic emergency response services and response times? 5 56% are satisfied with police services
Question 5: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with police services, including patrols, investigations, and emergency response? 6 71% are unsatisfied with street maintenance, street sweeping, streetlights, and stormwater and drainage services Question 6: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with street maintenance, street sweeping, streetlights, and stormwater and drainage services? 7 66% are satisfied with parks, open space, trails, recreation facilities, and community programs Question 7: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with the parks, open space and trails, recreation facilities, and community programs? 8 58% are unsatisfied with code enforcement efforts
Question 8: Are you satisfied or unsatisfied with code enforcement efforts, including addressing unsafe buildings, illegal dumping, overgrown weeds, and nuisance issues? 9 61% disagree that the City manages taxpayer money responsibly Now we have some statements. For each one, please indicate whether you agree or disagree.
Question 9: Agree or disagree: The City manages taxpayer money responsibly. 10 55% disagree that the City operates transparently
Now we have some statements. For each one, please indicate whether you agree or disagree.
Question 10: Agree or disagree: The City operates transparently. 11 79% think the City has a need for additional funds to maintain the level of City services and facilities Question 11: Do you think the City has a great need, some need, a little need, or no real need for additional funds to maintain the level of City services and facilities? 12 Maintaining streets and sidewalks, responding to homelessness, and providing effective public safety are the most important issues for voters Question 12: Now we have a list of issues that may be relevant to residents of Salinas. Please select all the ones that are very important to you personally. 13 Voters are most satisfied with public safety and parks Question 13: Thinking of the same list of issues, please select all the ones that you are personally satisfied with. 14 The largest gap between importance and satisfaction is in maintaining streets and sidewalks at 71% Question 12: Now we have a list of issues that may be relevant to residents of Salinas. Please select all the ones that are very important to you personally.
Question 13: Thinking of the same list of issues, please select all the ones that you are personally satisfied with. 15 Initial vote: the measure has majority support
Please consider the following measure that will appear on the November ballot. Please indicate if you would vote yes or no.
Question 14: Without raising taxes, shall the City of Salinas renew Measure G maintaining the existing 1¢ local sales tax providing approximately $30,000,000 annually until ended by the voters to continue funding street and sidewalk repairs and other long-term infrastructure projects, parks, youth and senior programs, police, fire, and emergency response, homeless reduction, and other general city services, with independent citizen oversight, annual audits, and all funds dedicated to and remaining in Salinas? 16 *February ballot language: “Shall the City of Salinas renew Measure G, without raising taxes, a 1% local sales tax that funds police, 911, fire and emergency response, homelessness reduction, street and sidewalk repairs and other long-term infrastructure, parks, youth and senior programs, support for additional affordable housing, and other general city services, generating approximately thirty million dollars annually, with independent citizen oversight and annual audits; all funds remain in Salinas, until ended by voters?”
Funding services drive support for the measure
Question 15: Why would you vote yes on this sales tax measure?[IF ANSWERED 'VOTE YES' TO Q14][OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE] Question asked of respondents who would vote yes on the measure, representing 64% of the total sample or 258 individuals. 17 Mismanagement and lack of results is the main reason they would vote no Please consider the following measure that will appear on the November ballot. Please indicate if you would vote yes or no.
Question 16: Why would you vote no on this sales tax measure? [IF ANSWERED ‘VOTE NO' TO Q14]
[OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]
Question asked of respondents who would vote no on the measur, representing 24% of the total sample or 97 individuals. 18 68% are more likely to vote yes knowing every dollar from the sales tax would stay in Salinas and can’t be taken by Sacramento or Monterey County We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 17: Every dollar generated by this sales tax stays in Salinas and cannot be taken by Sacramento or Monterey County. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 19 initially vote no
initially said unsure
62% are more likely to vote yes knowing that independent oversight and audits would continue We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 18: This sales tax measure includes an independent citizens' oversight committee, requiring regular independent financial audits, and public yearly reporting on how every dollar is being used. The committee is already operating and if this measure passes, they will continue their work. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 20 initially vote no
initially said unsure
62% are more likely to vote yes knowing the sales tax would be extended, not increased We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 19: This sales tax measure will extend the current sales tax until it is ended by voters – it will not increase taxes. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 21 initially vote no
initially said unsure
71% are more likely to vote yes knowing the measure would fund needed street repairs We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 20: Many streets in Salinas need repair, and the longer repairs are delayed, the more expensive they become. Measure G provides local funding to repair and maintain City streets. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 22 initially vote no
initially said unsure
67% are more likely to vote yes knowing Measure G funds essential City services We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 21: If Measure G expires, the City would lose millions of dollars in annual funding, resulting in cuts to essential City services, including police and fire protection, road maintenance, and parks and recreation. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 23 initially vote no
initially said unsure
64% are more likely to vote yes knowing Measure G does not increase taxes and simply continues the existing local sales tax rate We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 22: This local sales tax measure does not increase taxes - it just continues the existing local sales tax rate. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 24 initially vote no
initially said unsure
54% are more likely to vote yes knowing visitors and commuters who shop in Salinas also help pay for City services We have some additional information about the sales tax measure. Please consider each message and indicate whether it makes you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax. If it makes no difference to you, just say so.
Question 23: Because Measure G is a sales tax, visitors and commuters who shop in Salinas also help pay for City services. Does knowing this make you more likely to vote yes or more likely to vote no on the renewal of the City’s existing local sales tax? 25 initially vote no
initially said unsure
26 Message Effectiveness
Positive messages
Percent More Likely to Vote Yes
Many streets in Salinas need repair, and the longer repairs are delayed, the more expensive they become. Measure G provides local funding to repair and maintain City streets.
70.5%
Every dollar generated by this sales tax stays in Salinas and cannot be taken by Sacramento or Monterey County.
68.0%
If Measure G expires, the City would lose millions of dollars in annual funding, resulting in cuts to essential City services, including police and fire protection, road maintenance, and parks and recreation.
67.3%
This local sales tax measure does not increase taxes - it just continues the existing local sales tax rate.
63.5%
This sales tax measure will extend the current sales tax until it is ended by voters – it will not increase taxes.
62.0%
This sales tax measure includes an independent citizens' oversight committee, requiring regular independent financial audits, and public yearly reporting on how every dollar is being used. The committee is already operating and if this measure passes, they will continue their work.
61.5%
Because Measure G is a sales tax, visitors and commuters who shop in Salinas also help pay for City services.
54.0%
Informed vote: the measure retains majority support
Knowing what you know now, if the election were held today, how would you vote on this ballot measure? Question 24: Without raising taxes, shall the City of Salinas renew Measure G maintaining the existing 1¢ local sales tax providing approximately $30,000,000 annually until ended by the voters to continue funding street and sidewalk repairs and other long-term infrastructure projects, parks, youth and senior programs, police, fire, and emergency response, homeless reduction, and other general city services, with independent citizen oversight, annual audits, and all funds dedicated to and remaining in Salinas? 27 *February ballot language: “Shall the City of Salinas renew Measure G, without raising taxes, a 1% local sales tax that funds police, 911, fire and emergency response, homelessness reduction, street and sidewalk repairs and other long-term infrastructure, parks, youth and senior programs, support for additional affordable housing, and other general city services, generating approximately thirty million dollars annually, with independent citizen oversight and annual audits; all funds remain in Salinas, until ended by voters?”
53% agree with Gomez that continuing the sales tax avoids service cuts Question 25: Here are statements made by two Salinas residents. Please indicate which statement you agree with more.
Gomez says, “I don’t love taxes, but Salinas already relies on this sales tax to pay for things like police, fire, and keeping the City running. If the Measure G sales tax funding goes away, there will be huge cuts in services, and I don’t think that’s smart.” Duran says, “Everything is already expensive, and I feel like we’re taxed too much already. The City should figure out how to balance its budget without extending the Measure G sales tax.” 28 Fiscal responsibility/wasteful spending is the most frequently mentioned concern at 8%, while 40% had nothing else to add Question 29: Is there anything we did not cover in the survey that you would like to share about the City? [OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]
29 Demographics
30 Respondent demographics by gender, age, ethnicity, education, and party 31 Respondent demographics by city council district, vote propensity, zip code, mode, and language 32 Questions?
Adam Probolsky, President
O: 949-855-6400 | M: 949-697-6726
E: [email protected]
Sergio Martinez, Senior Research Analyst
E: [email protected]
Opinion Research onElections and Public Policy
PROBOLSKY RESEARCH
100 Pine Street, Suite 1250 San Francisco CA 94111
Newport Beach
(949) 855-6400
San Francisco
(415) 870-8150
Washington DC
(202) 559-0270