Santa Cruz’s Measure Z, the first soda tax passed in the U.S. since 2018, delivers a rebuke to the beverage industry’s $1.7 million opposition campaign. With legal battles looming, the measure’s success could signal a turning point in using such taxes as a tactic for public health advocacy.
Election 2024
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Measure X: Scotts Valley business tax passes with strong support
Measure X, Scotts Valley’s updated business tax, appears to have passed, having received 72.1% of the vote with most ballots counted. The measure was ahead 4,962 to 1,917 after Tuesday’s update on the vote count.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Measure Y: Capitola sales tax increase passes with over two-thirds support
Capitola’s sales tax increase, Measure Y, has passed with more than two-thirds support after the final batch of ballots were counted Tuesday.
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley Unified School District: Newcomers Turley, Medina and Carrasco win
After Tuesday’s 4 p.m. vote update, Carol Turley, Jessica Carrasco and Gabriel Medina secured seats on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board against Georgia Acosta, Adam Scow and Oscar Soto respectively.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Measure Q, climate resilience bond, passes with over 60% of vote
Measure Q, the Santa Cruz County Water and Wildfire Protection Initiative, has passed, with 60% of the vote.
Posted inEducation
School district ballot measures: Most districts secure victories, Live Oak falls short
The majority of Santa Cruz County school district bond and parcel tax measures secured victories after a 4 p.m. Tuesday voting update. Live Oak School District’s Measure N was the only bond measure to fail.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville residents pass Measure V, Measure W
Watsonville residents look to be passing Measures V and W after Tuesday’s updated vote count, with Measure V receiving 7,434 votes (57.9%) and Measure W receiving 7,485 votes (58.6%) in support. Each needs a majority vote to pass.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Jimmy Dutra secures another term in Watsonville City Council, defeating Coffman-Gomez
Incumbent Jimmy Dutra was ahead by more than 10% and 200-plus votes after a Tuesday update from the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and looks set to keep his District 6 seat on the Watsonville City Council, beating out real estate broker and former councilmember Trina Coffman-Gomez.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Scotts Valley City Council: Lind, Clark and Jett win
With Tuesday afternoon’s round of vote tallies, Donna Lind, Steve Clark and Krista Jett won three seats on the Scotts Valley City Council. Corky Roberson, Mercedes Molloy, John Lewis and Dustin Lopez were unsuccessful.
Posted inEducation
Scotts Valley Unified School District: Newcomers Espinola, Redenbacher and Turzak win
After a 4 p.m. Tuesday vote drop, Stephanie Espinola, Gary Redenbacher and Erica Turzak won seats on the Scotts Valley Unified School District governing board. Michael Schulman, Mitali Weiglein and Tuka Gafari were unsuccessful.