Unofficial results released Wednesday morning showed Twentynine Palms voters approving Measure G, a new 1% sales tax within city limits, with 1,547 yes votes to 1,001 no votes — a 60.71% to 39.29% margin. The county registrar of voters office made the tally available the morning after Election Day, though the count does not yet reflect every mail and provisional ballot.
A Measure Years in the Making Clears a Wide Margin
The vote total, as reported by Hi Desert Star, lands well above the margin suggested by a pre-election survey, in which 55% of roughly 300 respondents said they planned to vote yes. City officials had pitched Measure G as a direct response to what a staff report earlier this year described as a severe and increasing structural deficit, with expenses growing faster than revenues. Twentynine Palms City Manager Kevin Cole called the measure excellent for the city's citizens, according to the newspaper's reporting.
Countywide election tracker Desert Trumpet reported on election night that Measure G appeared likely to pass even as mail and provisional ballots were still being processed, noting that all 2,066 precincts in the county had reported by that point. The same count showed a separate measure, Measure I — an existing countywide half-cent transportation sales tax — being extended with 68% of the vote, a sign that tax measures broadly found favor with county voters this cycle.
Where the Money Could Go
Cole has estimated the 1% increase could generate about $2 million in additional funds annually for the city, a figure based on historical transaction data from election consultants. He has said increased tourism could push that number even higher. The city plans to account for the new revenue separately even though it will formally become General Fund money, per the reporting cited by the Hi Desert Star.
Officials have said the funds could be directed toward one or more priorities: animal-shelter improvements, parks, road repairs and law enforcement. Cole has identified the local animal shelter as a high-priority need for upgrades. That framing echoes earlier survey findings reported by Z107.7 FM, in which 86% of respondents agreed the Palms-N-Paws shelter plays a vital role in the community and 75% agreed the city needs more funding overall.
Next Steps Before Shoppers See the Change
Before the tax can take effect, Twentynine Palms must file documents with the state. Cole has said the new sales tax will likely begin appearing in April 2027. The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters' impartial analysis of the measure outlines that proceeds may only go toward local services and priorities, a list that in the city's own framing includes the animal shelter alongside parks, roads and law enforcement.
Twentynine Palms Mayor Dan Mintz said he was excited about the vote, adding that he thought the result showed local voters believe in the city's work and want it to proceed. Mintz said voters want more progress and consider the animal shelter a priority. The results remain unofficial pending final certification by the county.
