Measure G Oversight Panel Delivers First Report
The citizens committee says its startup year is over and real oversight of the sales tax begins now.
NAPA: The citizens committee charged with watching over Napa’s Measure G sales tax revenue has delivered its inaugural annual report to the City Council, closing out a startup year and pledging to shift toward active oversight of how the money is spent.
Vice Chair Benjamin Horn presented the report at the council’s Aug. 31 meeting, noting that the document covers only the first months of tax collections, since the levy took effect on April 1, 2025.
Because measure g only went into effect on 04/01/2025, the report was based on a relatively short period of financial activityBenjamin Horn, vice chair, Measure G Citizens Oversight Committee
Napa voters approved Measure G on Nov. 5, 2024, raising the city sales tax by one cent, from 7.75 percent to 8.75 percent. The city estimates the tax generates about $22 million a year, until ended by voters, for services the state cannot take away: street repairs, parks, public safety and other essential services.
The report was based on a relatively short period of financial activity.
The oversight committee was required by the ballot measure itself, whose language mandated independent audits and citizen oversight of every dollar collected. Members were appointed in May 2025 and held their first meeting in July 2025, according to Liz Hapkirk of the city manager’s office. Jill Tekel serves as chair, with Horn as vice chair.
A foundation year
The committee spent its first year on startup tasks: adopting bylaws, building reporting structures, setting a meeting schedule and learning the city’s budgeting and financial tracking systems. Because collections began in April 2025, the inaugural report covers roughly one quarter of fiscal-year activity.
Going forward, the panel’s stated responsibilities include reviewing the annual independent audit of Measure G revenues and expenditures, confirming that spending aligns with council priorities, receiving presentations on Measure G-funded projects and reviewing financial reports at the council’s request.
When the council placed the measure on the ballot, it identified priorities including repairing potholes and streets, maintaining parks and recreation and senior and youth programs, protecting water quality, supporting police with a mental health response team for nonviolent calls, upgrading fire stations with lifesaving equipment, cleaning up homeless encampments, constructing essential facilities and enhancing fire protection.
The city has published its first Measure G annual report online, inviting residents to see how early collections have been put to work on road repairs, parks and public safety, and what projects are planned next. The committee told the council it will now move from establishment work to ongoing oversight as a fuller year of revenue data becomes available.
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