Letter to the editor: Keep housing solutions fair

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

As a longtime Santa Cruz local, I support efforts to make housing more affordable, but Measure C goes too far. It burdens most property owners with a $96 parcel tax and adds a new transfer tax that could make it harder for many families, including seniors, to sell their homes. For some that extra cost could be a breaking point.

Measure B takes a smarter approach. It focuses on high-end transactions, protects everyday homeowners and funds both housing and climate initiatives responsibly. Best of all, it was written by residents not political insiders.

We can support first-time buyers without penalizing long-term homeowners.

John Flaniken

Member of Santa Cruz County Housing Advisory Commission, Santa Cruz realtor