Morgan Hill:
The $4M question.

Plus: Garlic Queen is back, Sharks Ice hits a wall, and a new pub on First Street.

📍 The Lead

Morgan Hill Pushes Tax Decision to 2028 as $4M Budget Gap Grows

Morgan Hill is running a structural $4 million deficit. That's the headline from the April 1 city council meeting, where City Manager Christina Turner and Finance Director Dat Nguyen laid out the numbers. Right now the city's $27.1 million general fund reserve looks solid, but without new revenue, it's projected to fall below the 15% minimum by fiscal year 2029-30.

The council's response: punt. They've moved any potential ballot measure to 2028, stepping back from November 2026. Councilmember Yvonne Martínez Beltrán pushed back, arguing they have time to get a 2026 measure done, but the majority chose to wait. A community survey found 60% of respondents opposed a proposed 0.25% sales tax increase. When residents were asked what services they'd cut instead, they said no to cuts in parks, recreation, police, and fire.

This hits every homeowner, every family, every business in Morgan Hill. Property taxes, city services, public safety, the parks your kids use. Two years to figure it out. Two years to decide what matters most.

📋 The Rundown

What's happening this week.

🏡 Real Estate Pulse

Your home is
still worth a lot.

Both cities show price resilience but longer time on market. If you're selling, pricing right matters more now than it did a year ago.

Morgan Hill prices up 5% year-over-year, but homes are sitting 17 days longer on the market than last year (77 to 94). Gilroy's holding steady on time, but price per square foot is down 4%. Translation: your home's equity is solid. But buyers are taking their time. Translation for agents: listings that are priced right from day one win. Everything else lingers.

🗓️ What's Happening

Five events. Five reasons to get out.

The next two weeks in the valley.

🍽️ Bites & Sips

Pop's Public House Opens on First Street

Gilroy natives opened Pop's at 1300 First Street, right where The Claddagh Irish Pub used to be. Chef Josh Dixon's running the kitchen. It's a New American restaurant and pub, full renovation from floor to ceiling. The concept is simple: good food, good drinks, built by people who care about downtown Gilroy.

There's a larger story here. Downtown Gilroy is shifting. New ownership, new restaurants, real investment. If you haven't walked First Street in a year, you're missing something.

popspublichouse.com →  ·  Yelp →  ·  Gilroy Dispatch →

💼 Community Partner

Pop's Public House

A new American restaurant and pub opened by Gilroy natives. Chef Josh Dixon is in the kitchen. Full renovation, everything from scratch. Located at 1300 First Street in downtown Gilroy. New ownership investing in downtown. Worth your time.

If you're tracking downtown Gilroy's transformation, Pop's is part of the story. Stop by.

1300 First Street, Gilroy, CA 95020

👋 The Wrap

Spring in the valley is doing its thing. The Wildflower Run was packed. The Queen is coming back. People are trying new places. That energy is real, and it matters. It's the kind of momentum you can feel when you're downtown.

What's your favorite downtown spot in Gilroy or Morgan Hill? Hit reply. We read every message.

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