Santa Cruz’s proposed “Workforce Housing Affordability Act,” led by Mayor Fred Keeley, is a top-down, consultant-driven tax plan that lacks genuine community input, writes activist Hector Marin. He argues the $96 parcel tax and tiered real estate transfer tax are regressive, with unclear enforcement and little assurance they will deliver true affordable housing. The initiative, he writes, fails to meet the real needs of working families seeking homeownership and stability and the public should reject it in November.
Hector Marin
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Hector Marin for Santa Cruz City Council District 2: We need more Latino representation in government
Hector Marin argues that Santa Cruz needs his “community first” principle and that the city’s Latino residents need better representation. He advocates for “true” affordable housing at the very low-income level and says his experience as a renter is important for the council.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Who are Santa Cruz’s District 4 city council candidates? None has held public office before
None of the three District 4 candidates — Greg Hyver, Hector Marin and Scott Newsome — has held elected office before. They all acknowledge they have much to learn, and each has a unique vision of Santa Cruz’s needs. Hyver advocates for direct democracy, Marin is a Latino activist who seeks change, and Newsome calls himself a political pragmatist. Here, each briefly answers two Lookout questions to help voters understand them better.