A campaign funded by some of the country’s biggest soft drink companies to defeat Measure Z, a proposed sugary drink tax in the City of Santa Cruz, has spent more than $1.2 million so far, according to campaign finance reports filed this week. With less than two weeks before the Nov. 5 election, supporters of the measure had reported spending only $43,000.
Santa Cruz
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City of Santa Cruz defends efforts to prevent and track sexual assault and domestic violence
The Santa Cruz City Council has filed a formal response to a civil grand jury report criticizing the city’s efforts to prevent and track sexual assault and domestic violence, disagreeing with most of its conclusions and rejecting more than half of the report’s recommendations.
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A Lookout View: Yes on Z – let’s stand up for community health
Measure Z, the “sugary drink tax,” has raised high emotion and big money in the city of Santa Cruz and is a potential litmus test for the state’s 2018 Keep Groceries Affordable Act. The Lookout Editorial Board endorses a yes vote. We think it’s good for overall community health and for the city’s needy coffers.
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Santa Cruz hopes to trade deeply affordable housing for height limits in downtown expansion
The Santa Cruz City Council endorsed a plan on Tuesday that would offer developers incentives to limit building height to 12 stories in the South of Laurel neighborhood, including reducing the number of units developers are required to offer to very low-income renters.
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Browder to head United Way Bay Area after stepping down as Santa Cruz CEO
Former United Way of Santa Cruz County CEO Keisha Browder will lead the significantly larger United Way Bay Area after stepping down from her position in Santa Cruz earlier this month.
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Santa Cruz police to up downtown patrols for Halloween
From the evening of Thursday, Oct. 31, to the morning of Monday, Nov. 4, more than 100 uniformed officers from the Santa Cruz Police Department and other neighboring agencies will be patrolling the area around downtown, which typically draws large Halloween crowds.
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United Way of Santa Cruz County CEO Keisha Browder leaving
United Way of Santa Cruz County CEO Keisha Browder is leaving after 12 years with the organization and six as its top leader. The organization announced Friday that Browder will be accepting a CEO position of a different United Way organization.
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‘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.
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Santa Cruz City Council rejects plan to loosen accessory dwelling rules
The Santa Cruz City Council voted against easing restrictions on accessory dwelling units Tuesday, fearing lax ADU rules could invite investors, increase demand and drive up prices. Some councilmembers argued that the changes were needed to provide more flexibility amid a housing affordability crisis, while others demanded more data on the potential impacts before proceeding.
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Man dies after falling from Palomar Inn onto crowded downtown Santa Cruz sidewalk
Police shut down a swath of downtown Santa Cruz Saturday after a man fatally fell from a window at the Palomar Inn onto a busy Pacific Avenue. The death remains under investigation.