After more than 30 years, Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat is opening up. Over the next week, the spirited battle to win the Democratic primary comes to Santa Cruz, with appearances by House members Katie Porter and Adam Schiff; Rep. Barbara Lee is expected by year’s end. It’s an unusual stretch for Santa Cruz as Schiff and Porter converge for fundraisers — and the voter appraisal of who can best represent California going forward.
Election 2024
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Field begins to coalesce in races for three Santa Cruz County supervisor seats
Incumbent Manu Koenig is facing a challenge from pro-rail Lani Faulkner in District 1, while the retirement of Zach Friend in District 2 has so far seen three candidates — Kristen Brown, Kimberly De Serpa and Douglas Deitch — file paperwork. Monica Martinez and Christopher Bradford are running to replace Bruce McPherson in District 5, with Sheriff Jim Hart still seen as a possible candidate.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Zach Friend won’t seek fourth term as supervisor, ushering in a new era for Santa Cruz County politics
District 2 Supervisor Zach Friend’s decision to not seek a fourth term means a new chapter for the five-member Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, after four multiterm supervisors have retired or announced plans to retire over the past year.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Watsonville Community Hospital’s board takes another step toward pursuing bond measure
Pajaro Valley Health Care District voted Wednesday night to push ahead with plans to raise money to purchase the Watsonville Community Hospital’s land and buildings. The health care district purchased the hospital’s assets for more than $65 million. But it does not own the real estate, which it continues to lease from Alabama-based Medical Properties Trust for $250,000 a month.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz handed its planned 2024 housing bond to the community to lead. Now what?
A broad coalition appears to be crucial to persuading Santa Cruz voters to pass some kind of bond or parcel tax, but despite interest in the process and in the goal of building more affordable housing from players around the city’s political scene, “we are way past the point of someone needing to claim this as their own,” says one planning commissioner.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Bruce McPherson will not seek reelection to Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 2024
Friday’s announcement that Bruce McPherson — whose Fifth District includes the San Lorenzo Valley, much of Scotts Valley and part of Santa Cruz — won’t pursue another term on the county board of supervisors cracks open the 2024 field in an already competitive race for county power in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Keeley’s grassroots vision for Santa Cruz’s housing bond has been messy and complicated
Mayor Fred Keeley wants Santa Cruz community members to take the lead in drafting a housing bond measure to put before the city’s voters in 2024. But to this point, the process for this “citizen legislature” has been an uneven one.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz now eyes June 2024 for affordable-housing bond election after community members request more time
After initially aiming for a March 2024 vote, community members participating in drafting a long-sought affordable-housing bond measure in the city of Santa Cruz said Wednesday they wanted more time. Now, sights are set on a June 2024 special election.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County foresees a future of budget deficits and slimmed services
As Santa Cruz County begins building out its budget for 2023-24, leaders warn that the county might have to tighten its belt in coming years to stave off a potential deficit fueled by a possible recession, disappointing income from cannabis and disposable-cup taxes and expenses related to natural disasters.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley will leave it to residents to figure out 2024 affordable housing bond
Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley says he plans to let community members lead on organizing the housing bond he has touted since he was on the campaign trail.