California rightly does not treat every criminal conviction as a lifetime ban on public service. But the standards might need to be different when an elected position carries responsibility for children. The Pajaro Valley school board race has exposed gaps in both eligibility standards and candidate verification. Lookout’s editorial board believes AB 2691 should pass — and that lawmakers should keep working to get the balance right.
Lookout Editorial Board
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Coral Street toilet shortage a stark contrast to local pandemic response – why doesn’t public health matter more?
Portable toilets miles away aren’t enough to solve the loss of public bathrooms and showers on Coral Street in Santa Cruz, the Lookout Editorial Board writes. Our local leaders actively took on public health issues when they confronted COVID-19. Now, they must end the slow and bureaucratic response to the Coral Street crisis before we have a public health emergency.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Renee Golder for Santa Cruz City Council District 6
Local government works best when experience, relationships and institutional knowledge are already in place on Day 1. In the race for Santa Cruz City Council District 6, Renee Golder offers that readiness in a way that stands out, the Lookout Editorial Board writes in its endorsement.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Our June 2 endorsements
The Lookout Editorial Board writes endorsements because we believe a strong, trustworthy, independent and nonpartisan local news organization owes its community a stand-back, whole view of the candidates before us, based on extensive one-on-one interviews. And, on your behalf, we look for four factors in making our recommendations: voting and other decision-making records, experience, judgment and political skills – and how the candidacy meets the moment.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Scott Newsome for Santa Cruz City Council District 4
Santa Cruz City Council’s District 4 race offers voters a choice between two candidates who reflect different strengths – and different limitations. In the end, the Lookout Editorial Board gives a light endorsement to Scott Newsome over Hector Marin.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Bryan Hackett for Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge
The role of a Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge demands more than legal knowledge – it requires fairness, sound judgment and a steady commitment to applying the law without bias or outside influence. The Lookout Editorial Board believes Bryan Hackett brings the kind of deep legal experience and courtroom familiarity that is essential for that responsibility.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Ryan Coonerty for Santa Cruz mayor
The Lookout Editorial Board endorses Ryan Coonerty for mayor of Santa Cruz. The mayor’s race will help usher in the next Santa Cruz – shaped by new housing mandates, changing expectations around public space and ongoing decisions about how our community grows while holding on to what makes us special, the board writes. Coonerty is the candidate best prepared to help guide that transition.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Tony Nuñez for District 4 Santa Cruz County supervisor
Santa Cruz’s South County is facing a moment when residents are asking for more than routine governance – they are asking for leadership that is present, prepared and accountable in a direct way. In this race for District 4 county supervisor, Tony Nuñez stands out to the Lookout Editorial Board as the candidate offering a clear break from business-as-usual politics and a stronger focus on engagement, responsiveness and long-term community vitality.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Una Lookout View: Tony Nuñez para supervisor del Distrito 4 del condado de Santa Cruz
El sur del condado de Santa Cruz está enfrentando un momento en el que los residentes están pidiendo más que una gestión rutinaria: están pidiendo un liderazgo presente, preparado y directamente responsable ante la comunidad. En esta contienda para supervisor del condado por el Distrito 4, Tony Nuñez se destaca para la Junta Editorial de Lookout como el candidato que ofrece una clara ruptura con la política tradicional y un enfoque más sólido en la participación comunitaria, la capacidad de respuesta y la vitalidad de la comunidad a largo plazo.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Watsonville Community Hospital is too important to fail — but it can’t survive without transparency
Watsonville Community Hospital, a critical community lifeline, is under increasing financial strain and is actively seeking a major health care partner to help it evolve into a stronger regional hub. As those pressures grow, Lookout’s editorial board sought to better understand how leadership is managing the hospital, but found a level of transparency that falls short of what the public deserves. We see no indication of wrongdoing, but with physician shortages, aging infrastructure and heavy reliance on Medi-Cal funding, the stakes are rising quickly. Saving the hospital will require not only financial investment, but also trust, accountability and greater openness.
