Lookout politics columnist Mike Rotkin weighs in on what the early election results say about Santa Cruz County. For him, one message is clear: “Don’t do anything that stands in the way of constructing more housing in Santa Cruz.” He also looks at why it’s taking so long to get full results.
Mike Rotkin
Mike Rotkin is a former five-time mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. He serves on the Regional Transportation Commission and the Santa Cruz Metro Transit board and teaches local politics and history classes at UC Santa Cruz.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
We have to say no to M to keep local control of how we build; a primer on state affordable housing law shows why
Lookout politics columnist Mike Rotkin unpacks the deluge of state affordable housing laws passed in recent years and uses them to buttress an argument against Measure M. He says if M passes Tuesday in the city of Santa Cruz, the state will get even more control over local building projects.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Santa Cruz City and County need more funds — vote yes on Measures K and L
Lookout politics columnist Mike Rotkin is in favor of both sales tax increases on the ballot March 5. “If you look around you,” he writes, “it is not hard to see that our city and our county are in desperate need of additional funding.”
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Students deserve a better transportation system – regardless of what caused the fatal December bus crash
Lookout politics columnist Mike Rotkin, who sits on the Regional Transportation Commission and the Santa Cruz Metro board of directors, weighs in on the problems of buses at UC Santa Cruz and the sad death of UCSC bus driver Dan Stevenson. Rotkin, who teaches a course at UCSC through Merrill College, says students deserve better service for the $171 quarterly fees they pay. He thinks a merger with Metro is necessary, but wonders how the transit agency will manage such a complicated deal, given CEO Michael Tree’s imminent departure.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Prospects for local politics in 2024: Metro advances, more women in office and El Niño
Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin offers a sneak peek into the big issues he sees locally for 2024. There are bright spots, he says, like the exceptional work at Santa Cruz Metro, which, he thinks, will soon make riding a bus faster than driving a car to get across the county. He rejoices at the prospect of a more diverse county board of supervisors and worries what an El Niño year will mean for West Cliff Drive, Pajaro, Capitola Village and rural county communities. And he wonders how we will continue to tackle our two biggest issues: homelessness and affordable housing.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Gaza military attack is going nowhere useful; it’s an international tragedy
The Middle East might be this century’s greatest quagmire, says Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin, who served as Santa Cruz mayor five times. It’s also dividing the local progressive community. Here, Rotkin unpacks the complicated history of the region and laments the continued bloodshed and absence of obtainable strategic goals by either party.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
RTC needs to support Metro’s visionary plans for Santa Cruz County
This week, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will make a decision that will affect the future of public transportation in the county. Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin, who is a member of the RTC and on the board of directors of Santa Cruz Metro, unpacks the importance for us and explains why support is essential.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Here’s some good news: The Santa Cruz bus system is aiming for zero carbon by 2036
The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District is expecting $66.7 million dollars in state and federal grants and Volkswagen settlement money that will allow the district to move more quickly to a completely carbon-free transportation solution. This is the largest purchase of hydrogen cell buses in the nation’s history. Lookout columnist Mike Rotkin, who is a member of the Regional Transportation Commission, breaks down the numbers and explains the significance.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Remember Measure D? Santa Cruz train planning has now left the station
Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin gives us an update and a timeline on the Regional Transportation Commission’s work to establish an electric rail line and trail between Watsonville and Santa Cruz. One year ago, the community was still recovering from the divisive ballot initiative Measure D that tried to replace the rail-trail option with a trail-only plan. Rotkin serves on the RTC board.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Time for a Prop 13 haircut — we need to better support K-12 schools in California
California’s public schools are in trouble and the key problem is inadequate funding, writes Lookout political columnist Mike Rotkin. Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color feel the sting most acutely, he says. His answer? Reform of Proposition 13, the 1978 property-tax relief law. He says increased revenue could bolster school funding and not harm homeowners who receive Proposition 13 tax relief.