Proposition 5, which would lower the threshold for public approval of affordable housing and infrastructure to 55% in California makes sense, writes Elaine Johnson, executive director of Housing Santa Cruz County. Right now, the threshold is 66.7% and she says it’s too high to get crucial housing built in our state.
Election 2024
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California ballot measure promises ‘mass treatment’ for drug crimes. Can counties provide it?
Proposition 36 pledges to send more people convicted of drug possession to treatment instead of prison. Behavioral health directors say that’s easier said than done with workforce shortages across California.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Lookout, CalMatters event will tackle state ballot questions
Lookout Santa Cruz will partner with CalMatters to host a forum on California’s statewide ballot questions from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bookshop Santa Cruz. CalMatters will break down, analyze and answer questions about this year’s ballot propositions.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Vote 2024: Your guide to the Santa Cruz County general election
Get all the information you need on Santa Cruz County candidates, local measures and important election dates as we inch toward the general election on Nov. 5.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Former U.S. labor secretary on what pulled him into soda tax fight a decade ago
As Santa Cruz tries to pass a tax on sugary beverages, Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, tells Christopher Neely what he learned in Berkeley’s 2014 effort.
Posted inEducation
Raw sewage and bursting pipes: Why California community colleges are asking voters for repairs
This November, California voters will decide on Proposition 2, a $10 billion education bond. Some community colleges are counting on the money to fix critical buildings and protect the safety of students.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
At critical time, San Lorenzo Valley Water District will vote on trustees, new fee structure
At a critical time for the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, four candidates are competing for two open board seats this fall, while voters will also consider Measure U, a proposed overhaul of the district’s fee structure.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Not a normal campaign’: Santa Cruz’s Measure Z soda tax tests the limits of grassroots vs. industry titans
Santa Cruz’s Measure Z proposes a 2-cents-per-fluid-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages that could bring in an estimated $1.3 million in revenue, but it’s drawn a fierce battle between Big Soda opposition and local supporters. As the city tests the limits of California’s tax laws, broader implications could follow for other communities.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Yes on Q: Our forests, rivers, coast and community need more climate resilience – and we need local funding to do it
Santa Cruz County needs more ways to fight “weather whiplash,” and advocates believe Measure Q is the answer. The measure on November’s ballot establishes a dedicated fund for proactive work to protect our natural water sources, ocean and beaches, as well as investments in wildfire risk reduction, wildlife habitat enhancement and improvement of parks. It has widespread support from elected leaders and environmental groups. Sarah Newkirk, executive director at the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, retired water resources manager John Ricker and Jared Childress, program manager for the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association, argue that it will help us better prepare for an uncertain future of climate-induced change.
Posted inLatest News
Garvey, Schiff clash on abortion, guns and Trump in only one-on-one debate
In their only TV faceoff before Election Day, Steve Garvey and Adam Schiff also tussled over immigration and other issues as they vie for California’s open U.S. Senate seat.