A CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR PACIFIC GROVE

Mayor Nick Smith and the Council chose a June special election costing $63,000 for a single measure (Measure C) to increase the pay of seven elected officials. The Monterey County Registrar of Voters stated that if the same measure had been placed on the November municipal election ballot, the additional cost would have been "negligible."

Our City Charter Amendment anticipated this exact kind of City Council self-dealing and was designed specifically to prevent it. That is why the amendment requires voter approval of City Council pay and benefits only at general municipal elections, where voter participation is highest, and ballot measure costs are negligible.

In August 2025, we specifically requested that the referendum measure (Measure C) be placed on the November 2026 ballot and stated that a Charter Amendment was necessary to prevent future self-dealing. Mayor Smith and the Council ignored our request.

UPDATE: On June 2, 2026, Pacific Grove voters rejected Measure C by a margin of 56% to 44%. This Charter Amendment establishes permanent voter control over City Council pay and benefits. It transfers approval authority from the Council and puts it into the hands of the people, where it belongs.