Budget

Retired fire chief urged fiscal action: both recent tax measures failed, so the city must cut spending — and floated an admissions tax on the Aquarium and bringing back the Dennis the Menace locomotive.

Disappointed the budget was balanced by deferring costs to future generations, but praised the council's approachability.

Urged that NCIP funds be used only for repairing neighborhood sidewalks.

Of the Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association, urged passing the budget and getting to work on the structural deficit.

Of the Monterey County Hospitality Association, supported passing the budget and reducing the structural deficit.

Of the Monterey Fire Fighters Association, opposed freezing fire department positions.

Of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, stressed the need for economic development in Monterey.

Emphasized the city's significant deferred maintenance challenges.

Of General Employees of Monterey, urged the council not to contract out work that could be done in-house at lower cost.

Of First Night Monterey, asked the council to continue supporting the event.

Of the Monterey Police Association, opposed freezing police department positions.

Of Gathering for Women, urged continued funding of the rental inventory and rental assistance program.

Urged continued funding of the rental assistance program.

Urged continued funding for the rental assistance program, the Library, and Parks and Recreation.

Chamber rep backed pairing tax requests with real spending cuts, warned the city is repeating its 2019 fiscal emergency cycle, and questioned staying in the same liability insurance pool as Santa Monica.

A former city engineer, he blamed unfunded state mandates and property tax losses from nonprofits, questioned the property tax forecast, and said it makes no sense to freeze engineer positions funded through NCIP.

Called the deficit a slow-motion train wreck, said the city can't wait two years to cut, questioned why presentation slides weren't in the agenda packet, and asked about hiring contractors instead of staff.

A public policy professor, he acknowledged the emergency fix but pressed that almost nothing in this year's plan is structural, and warned he'll hold the city to its promise that next year will be different.

Warned against privatizing the conference center, explaining it's the city's top economic engine despite appearing as a deficit on the books.

The taxpayers association president announced the $3.3 million water fee refund win, then argued the deficit is really $4 million not $10 million, warned against new taxes, and told the council to find spending cuts first.

Questioned the polling's 'until ended by voters' language, noted only 19% definite support, said taxpayers will run an opposition campaign, and urged the council to ask staff for $4 million in cuts first.

Echoed Heuer's points, argued the survey is message-testing before real spending reform, and cited rising PG&E and CalAm bills that households already face.