Dennis Donohue

Candidate for Mayor, Salinas · City of Salinas Mayor

Dennis Donohue is president of European Vegetable Specialties Farms Inc. in Salinas and has spent much of his career in agriculture and agriculture technology, including work with Cultiva Global, River Ranch Fresh Foods, Fresh Express Farms and Fresh Western Marketing. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of San Francisco and a master's degree in religious education from Gannon University. He previously served as Salinas mayor from 2006 to 2012, then returned to a career in agriculture technology before being elected mayor again in November 2024 and taking office that December. He has served on governing boards including the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, the Salinas Chamber of Commerce and the Steinbeck Innovation Foundation.

Donohue voted with the council minority to repeal four renter-protection ordinances covering rent stabilization, just-cause eviction, tenant anti-harassment rules and a rental registry, rather than let voters decide them directly, and instead proposed rental assistance and other initiatives. The council voted 4-3 to place the measures on the November 2026 ballot over his objection; he and Councilmember José Luis Barajas had pushed for repeal instead. He says the city is "increasing opportunities for affordable rental housing while working to grow the City's overall housing supply." He has also emphasized adopting new technology to deliver city services more efficiently and improve transparency.

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