Santa Cruz County is falling far behind its housing goals, with most jurisdictions on pace to meet barely half their targets – or less, write housing advocates Rafa Sonnenfeld and Janine Roeth. The problem, they write, isn’t a lack of planning; it’s that high costs, fees and delays make building financially unworkable. Proven solutions such as faster approvals and lower barriers are already on the table, but action keeps getting pushed years into the future. Every delay deepens the shortage, drives up prices and pushes more residents out, they write.
Opinion from Community Voices
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
We can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of 2009: California must protect Medi-Cal dental benefits
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to cut Medi-Cal dental benefits risks repeating California’s costly 2009 mistake, when preventable issues turned into medical emergencies, writes Laura Marcus, CEO of Dientes Community Dental Care. Marcus argues that the proposed budget savings would actually shift higher costs onto hospitals and vulnerable communities. Expanded dental coverage has improved health outcomes and access to care for thousands, she writes, but that progress is now at risk. She says lawmakers face a clear choice: protect preventive care or pay more later for crisis-driven treatment. The vote will happen by June 15.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Justin Cummings: Jimmy Panetta has done much to help Santa Cruz County
In a letter to the editor, Supervisor Justin Cummings praises Rep. Jimmy Panetta for his efforts on behalf of Santa Cruz County.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Stop using outdated, hurtful language
In a letter to the editor, an Aptos resident takes issue with language used in a Lookout newsletter.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: On Earth Day, let’s consider the cost of war to our planet
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident decries the environmental impact of war.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: No more Iran war without Congress’ authorization
In a letter to the editor, an Aptos resident pushes for Congress to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s war against Iran and urges readers to press their representatives on the issue.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Drowning in plastic: How modern farming is reshaping the Pajaro Valley
Former farmworker, teacher and local activist Woody Rehanek is stunned when he looks out at the Pajaro Valley and considers the miles of plastic blanketing lush local farmland. He dubs our age “the Plasticene,” for the millions of pounds of farm plastics in use. Recycling, he writes, lags far behind the scale of the problem. Here, he traces how modern agriculture fuels a growing tide of local pollution and then points to a different future, one rooted in soil health, organic practices, and change underway at a few forward-looking companies.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
If Santa Cruz County wants to hike sales tax above 10%, here’s what we need fixed first
Santa Cruz County might soon be asking voters to pay more in taxes – but what, asks local activist Kevin Norton, should residents expect in return? The county has a growing budget deficit and taxes are often the quickest fix. But is the money being well spent? Norton questions the county’s reliance on highly paid, outsourced consultants and suggests some of that funding might better go toward investing in local staff and initiatives that build community.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
What Santa Cruz County should look for in California’s next governor – the poll leaders aren’t right for us
Santa Cruz County shouldn’t rely on early polls or political hype when choosing its next governor, writes Casey Beyer, former CEO for the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce. With a crowded field, volatile race dynamics and many undecided voters, front-runners might not reflect local priorities. Instead, Beyer believes our focus should be on candidates who address housing, jobs, homelessness and climate resilience. He sees Betty Yee and Matt Mahan as contenders who will be most aligned with the county’s needs, despite trailing in statewide polls.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
The real cause of gentrification in Santa Cruz isn’t new housing
OPINION: Have we built too much housing in Santa Cruz or not nearly enough? Housing activist and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane reminds us that Santa Cruz spent decades limiting growth.