Longtime political observers see a shift in Watsonville’s political landscape as the 2026 election cycle gets underway. Lookout spoke with current and former elected officials and community leaders about where South County politics is heading.
Watsonville City Council
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council pushes discussion of extending term limits to March
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday pushed back a discussion on extending term limits for elected officials. The proposal would allow city councilmembers to serve more than the current limit of two terms.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council to consider proposal to extend term limits
Watsonville City Councilmember Eduardo Montesino plans to propose extending current term limits for city councilmembers, who currently are termed out after two consecutive four-year stints.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville becomes first city in Santa Cruz County to restrict feds from using its facilities for immigration enforcement activities
Watsonville is the first city in Santa Cruz County to prohibit the use of city-owned facilities for federal immigration enforcement. It follows in the footsteps of cities such as San Jose and Santa Clara, which have adopted similar policies.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville City Council to hear initial plans for making Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians, cyclists
The Watsonville City Council will receive a report on conceptual plans to make Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians and cyclists at its Tuesday meeting.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council moves forward with changes to its oversized vehicle ordinance
The Watsonville City Council has approved changes to a local law that could ban RVs and semitrucks from parking along public streets citywide. The ordinance is slated for a second hearing Feb. 10 before being formally adopted.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In reversal, Watsonville reinstates labor pact with unions, adds exemptions for some projects
The Watsonville City Council reversed its earlier decision to scrap the city’s project labor agreement with trade unions, adding changes that would allow certain projects to be exempt from having to use unionized workers.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council wants more say in county’s battery storage ordinance
As Santa Cruz County officials work on battery storage facility regulations, members of the Watsonville City Council say they want their concerns to be heard.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council moves to scrap project labor agreement, despite pushback from trades council
The Watsonville City Council voted Wednesday to scrap its project labor agreement, which sets standards for wages, benefits and working hours on city projects. Following the vote, city staff and the local trades council will go back to the drawing board to create a new set of rules.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Ask Lookout: What is Watsonville’s project labor agreement that has trade unions up in arms?
Why did nearly 150 union workers pack Watsonville City Council chambers earlier this month to urge the city not to rescind a longstanding labor agreement that sets the employment terms for major city infrastructure projects?