[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6487917,"mediaKeyId","5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010","parentId",5499788,"title","Salinas council directs Prop. 218 notices for proposed sewer rate increase to $16.35 a month","audioSeconds",1730,"startMs",4768000,"endMs",6498000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010&start=4768&end=6498","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010/thumbnail_4768000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6487917/Salinas/Monterey-County/California/Salinas-council-directs-Prop-218-notices-for-proposed-sewer-rate-increase-to-1635-a-month","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487917-29a43cd6554520b760fc5231186b7028/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138670&Signature=F-KVRGgif7pXL0-s3TwLcgceFM3pSfaHelCF4Xff77ik~eCBGOB5ysQRjmYgJp2ucf~eg1~4~aFvgu3zN~xG6AIP126Fx3YqPiMn8NBGVLGtvvIKz~iUP~p2nLHUerJ72rPLIm-U3QQFXpeg4o6O02vx-elk0~LAqZ2nUGdw1oLSdaT~aYIF5c~Lo-wgUfmWOSgjW8qdeXHbNPsU~9KtPxduYqoACWmawe4S6cffDcJ4n0ok5nTuUBA0HiXvJJ~F37YC1bUy3v8hBKGcUimZmFXIiOZ0-CBvTWZfacBIo6RCRUqPmg2jNOc7DjWWmMwQYVAjFomz9S04RNqNuqQEfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","thesalinaschannel","date","2025-07-29T21:05:01Z","article","City staff presented an updated sewer rate study on July 1 and the Salinas City Council approved a resolution directing staff to distribute Proposition 218 public hearing notices for proposed sewer rate increases.

Adriana Robles, city engineer, described the sanitary system and the capital program outlined in the city's 2023 sewer master plan. She said the sewer fund has an operating shortfall and the city has experienced system failures that were handled as emergency repairs. Robles said the fund has been under-resourced after the residential sewer service rate remained at $5.45 per month per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) since 2012.

Andrea Rees, the consultant who updated the sewer-rate study, told the council the updated model allocates operation, maintenance and capital costs across approximately 61,700 EDUs in the service area and includes a recommended operating reserve. The study recommends a first-year increase to $16.35 per month per EDU for FY 2025–26 with a 2% annual escalator for five years, and that the council revisit rates at the end of that period. Rees said the 10-year capital improvement program totals roughly $115 million and that the proposed rates are intended to support both operations and long-range capital needs.

The rate study also added a separate category for “special users” after discussions with Monterey One Water; those users are billed on a flow basis and were modeled differently than flat-rate customers. City staff emphasized the distinction in outreach materials.

Council members asked about outreach and customer-assistance options. Staff said the city has budgeted $150,000 for an assistance program and will draft options for council review in August and September. The outreach plan includes a mailed Proposition 218 notice (delivery anticipated July 11), bilingual informational flyers, a July 31 community meeting focused on sewer infrastructure, social media, and attendance at community events. The formal protest period ends Aug. 25; a majority protest would legally prohibit the council from adopting rates at the public hearing. The council scheduled the public hearing for Sept. 23, 2025; if the rates are adopted then they would take effect Oct. 1, 2025.

At the July 1 meeting the council voted to proceed with the Proposition 218 mailing and public-notice schedule. Public comment included objections to the size and timing of the increase, requests for clear bilingual outreach and calls for a phased approach so households have more time to absorb higher utility charges.

Council direction at the meeting included approving the public-notice distribution and returning in late summer with draft assistance-program options for council consideration ahead of the public hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","07.01.25 Salinas City Council Meeting of July 01, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff updated a sewer rate study and the council directed staff to mail Proposition 218 notices proposing an increase in the monthly sewer rate for a single-family equivalent from $5.45 to $16.35, with outreach and a protest period running through Aug. 25 and a Sept. 23 public hearing scheduled.","taxTitle","Salinas, Monterey County, California","taxId",4681,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6487920,"Salinas council approves annual levies for six landscape and lighting districts",1396,3340000,4736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010&start=3340&end=4736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010/thumbnail_3340000.jpg","/articles/6487920/Salinas/Monterey-County/California/Salinas-council-approves-annual-levies-for-six-landscape-and-lighting-districts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487920-ffa988c8314124430fabc9664639c6aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138670&Signature=fY1vgcUn~7aBxcvuHih29njlnXoFXxERevzmbg76WBDtY2qOayGC3wT62Gba50LtFVpjHf0rsvoUFXxDf~f5cXAxS~Hxe8olfQefDrMuOmzx9~riibfr1IGal7-RrrAEiLLbMzepWaovCeX4wdfMb5f0rB6WeLpPfvSZ0x4t04c4m~OEfo~VljpI0ulf6knRW95sxcjhjna5aaY12h10kWGTN3HgWaJw56d6UZKkeSePT-eQMc5vibU3uVq5AcRjknw~YH9Y2VYtrNJ~HxR48NLLJs3pEJEHtZswuuny1i5AIBW04P2zxHBcmP9F9uwsyXDE-t2s1pqjVVEvl8Tfgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salinas City Council on July 1 voted unanimously to adopt the annual levy of assessments for the city’s six landscape and lighting maintenance districts for fiscal year 2025–26.

Donna Segura, the assessment engineer with Harris & Associates working for the city, told the council the assessments fund ongoing maintenance for landscaping, parks and open space within each district and are required under state law and the city code. Three districts — Airport Business Center, Vista Nueva and Hardin Ranch — retain flat-per-parcel rates that were set when those districts were formed (Airport Business Center at $217.49 since 1987; Vista Nueva $600 since 2011; Hardin Ranch $66.72 since 1991). Those flat rates do not contain automatic inflators and would require a property-owner vote to change.

For the other three districts staff proposed modest adjustments tied to established inflators. Miramonte would rise by 0.87% to $615.39 per parcel, Northeast Area would see a small adjustment in certain density classes (low-density to $217.62; medium-density to $134.19; high-density to $92.78), and Montebello would stay at the prior year’s level within its authorized maximum.

Christina Gonzales, public works administrative supervisor, and additional public-works staff answered council questions about how residents can track expenditures. Gonzales noted the city maintains pages on its website that publish quarterly and annual expenditures for each district and urged residents to use the city's service request system (CityConnect) to report maintenance concerns.

Council members raised concerns echoed in public comment from residents in several districts who said lighting and tree-trimming had lagged and that some districts — specifically Hardin Ranch and Airport Business Center — lacked mechanisms to raise assessments to match rising maintenance costs. City staff said certain districts were capped at historic flat rates and that lack of a means to increase revenues has produced reduced maintenance levels in some places.

The formal motion to approve the engineer's reports and related levy resolutions carried on a unanimous roll call. The council also directed staff to continue outreach and to post district-level information online to help residents understand the services covered by each assessment.

Because the assessment diagrams and levy amounts are set in engineer's reports, the council noted that any future changes to a district's rate methodology (for example, switching a flat historic rate to an inflator) would require property-owner approval where the underlying formation documents require a vote.

Council action: resolution approving the assessment engineer's reports and levying assessments for fiscal year 2025–26. Vote: unanimous.","City staff recommended levies for six landscape and lighting districts; council approved the engineer's reports and assessment levies required by state law, with small rate changes for three districts and flat rates retained for three others.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6487925,"Volunteers say they gathered 9,000+ signatures to force Salinas vote after council repealed renter protections",264,2605000,2869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010&start=2605&end=2869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5499788-4c758e3d24125dfb590aceeec4251010/thumbnail_2605000.jpg","/articles/6487925/Salinas/Monterey-County/California/Volunteers-say-they-gathered-9000-signatures-to-force-Salinas-vote-after-council-repealed-renter-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487925-bc8fe5271c0b330683bb3590e3c2fbc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138670&Signature=DR-9~QA8YPs73XxS3-tgopjpzj~-IDJIYzIlgetBi5YqS69PizjydSeS~Fr-A3qoQ5kEC7Y8Uv1WDmZ-d3werhXMsFQKqibbiUs4nBjNLSwHgONNv-Bp1BLGw5aI4UgrJ2WkTGNMFhodkq8l5sxOe43XIDvGHSJyOVnmiNSBNwypmDcsVhQOAHsrE7oVqXw2w0nvr0XkjFN33Sp7FRjmWP0-6Cg6RupaijaeoI8P~EpM1rVyqX9dwvgni4auqj4O8xgd9MpMkVn2vmwzIkxUieaU7eNIRItrBPNgpr6wM0Mik~G-jy~n7LA-RpxCtwVlruYGdqWdUjhgphVdtE454Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A volunteer group supporting renter protections told the Salinas City Council on July 1 that it has gathered more than 9,000 valid signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot challenging the council’s recent repeal of rent-stabilization measures.

Protect Salinas Renters campaign representatives said at the start of the public-comment period that more than 200 volunteers helped collect the signatures and urged the council to reverse its repeal. “We are proud to share that we have gathered over 9,000 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot in response to the uninformed and harmful decision that five of you made last month to repeal rent stabilization, renter protections, and our newly established rental registry,” the group told council members.

The petitioners said the repeal ended two years of community engagement and technical work involving tenants, landlords, nonprofits and city staff. Speakers urged council members who supported the repeal to “do the right thing” and restore the earlier ordinances rather than leave the ballot decision to voters.

Several individual residents also addressed the council during public comment. Maria Chavez, who identified herself as from District 4 and said she is one of the volunteers, told the council the petition drive would continue: “We have 9,000 signatures, and we’re still going to continue looking for more signatures and getting more. Nothing’s going to stop us.” Jaime Rodriguez, who said he represents North Salinas and works in agriculture, appealed to council members to consider living conditions for farmworkers’ families if rents rise.

Not all public commenters supported the renters’ petition. David Masenev said he personally opposes rent stabilization but supports placing the question on the ballot so voters can decide. Other speakers recounted individual housing problems and urged the council to weigh constituent concerns.

The council did not take formal action on the petitions at the July 1 meeting. Under state election and local referendum procedures, campaign organizers now must submit their petitions to the city clerk for verification. If verified and certified, the referendum would appear on a future municipal ballot and could either reinstate or permanently eliminate the previously adopted ordinances depending on the voters’ choice.

The speakers who addressed the council on this subject emphasized different remedies — some asked the council to rescind its repeal immediately, while others said they preferred a ballot decision that would let residents decide the policy. Council members did not debate or vote on a reversal at the meeting; several members later acknowledged hearing widespread concern at public comment.","A volunteer campaign told the Salinas City Council it has collected more than 9,000 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot after council members voted to repeal recently adopted rent-stabilization ordinances and a rental registry.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Salinas council directs Prop. 218 notices for proposed sewer rate increase to $16.35 a month

Salinas council approves annual levies for six landscape and lighting districts

Volunteers say they gathered 9,000+ signatures to force Salinas vote after council repealed renter protections