Morgan Hill City Council Targets 2028 Ballot for Tax Measure

City leaders step back from 2026 ballot, citing need for more time to gauge voter appetite and conduct outreach.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 8:23pm

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of the Morgan Hill City Council Chamber, with warm sunlight streaming in through the windows and deep shadows cast across the room, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and civic responsibility.The Morgan Hill City Council Chamber, a site of civic debate and decision-making, reflects the city's cautious approach to addressing its fiscal challenges.Morgan Hill Today

Morgan Hill city leaders have set their sights on 2028 as the target election date for a potential new revenue measure, stepping back from any possibility of asking voters for more money as soon as this November. The decision came during a council discussion of the city's long-term fiscal sustainability, with the city manager emphasizing that while the situation is not urgent, placing any new revenue measures on the ballot is a process that requires lead time for polling, legal work and community outreach.

Why it matters

Morgan Hill, like many California cities, is facing budget challenges and a structural deficit that is expected to worsen over time. The decision to target 2028 for a potential tax measure reflects the city's desire to take a measured approach, gather community input, and ensure any proposal has the best chance of passing.

The details

During the April 1 city council meeting, City Manager Christina Turner and Finance Director Dat Nguyen walked the council through the state of the General Fund, projected shortfalls and options for closing the structural deficit. They noted that the city's general fund reserve is not expected to drop below the minimum 15% level until fiscal year 2029-30, meaning significant service reductions are not recommended at this time. However, the council agreed that placing a new revenue measure on the ballot requires substantial lead time, and they were not prepared to act quickly enough to make the 2026 ballot.

  • The city will host a town hall meeting on the budget on May 16, 2026.
  • The city will release the draft recommended budget on May 1, 2026.
  • The city council will receive a presentation on the budget on May 6, 2026.

The players

Christina Turner

Morgan Hill City Manager.

Dat Nguyen

Morgan Hill Finance Director.

Mark Turner

Mayor of Morgan Hill.

Yvonne Martinez Beltrán

Morgan Hill City Councilmember.

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What they’re saying

“'Based on where we're at, our current economic conditions, our general fund reserve is not expected to drop below our minimum reserve level of 15% until fiscal year 2029-30. As such, significant service reductions are not recommended at this time.'”

— Christina Turner, City Manager

“'There's really no time to try to get this figured out. There's still greater conversations that we need to have to decide whether or not we're going to do a tax measure, and if so, what is that tax measure? We're not going to get that done by the timeframe needed for 2026.'”

— Mark Turner, Mayor

“'We've been talking about this for over a year. To say that it comes down to being about time just doesn't really measure up. My worry is, I've been on this council for a while and I know what the polling has been, and I see where it is now for a tax revenue measure, and that's what makes me so nervous.'”

— Yvonne Martinez Beltrán, City Councilmember

What’s next

The budget conversation will continue with the formal release of the draft recommended budget on May 1, 2026, followed by a presentation to the city council on May 6, 2026. The city will host a town hall meeting on the budget on May 16, 2026.

The takeaway

Morgan Hill's decision to target the 2028 ballot for a potential new revenue measure reflects a cautious, deliberative approach to addressing the city's long-term fiscal challenges. By taking the time to gauge voter sentiment and conduct community outreach, the city hopes to craft a measure that has the best chance of passing and providing much-needed funding for public services.