Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Digest

Many local governments see voter majorities approve bond measures without reaching the two-thirds required. A new effort to reform that system would drastically improve the ability of local governments to fund housing and infrastructure projects.

Deitch, 74, told the Sentinel he previously ran for the 2nd District role in 1996, 2000 and 2012. He also ran for the 3rd District in 2010 and has made several more attempts at other federal and statewide office positions.

“I’ve got family that has worked in community service-oriented professions for a long time,” the Capitola councilmember says.

UC Santa Cruz student Joe Thompson announced his candidacy for Santa Cruz City Council District 5 seat, which will be decided in a runoff election in March 2024.

Thirteen Republican state attorneys general have sent a cautionary letter to the CEOs of the 100 largest U.S. companies, highlighting the potential legal ramifications of using race as a factor in employment practices.

Rep. Katie Porter was the choice of 19% of likely voters, just ahead of Rep. Adam Schiff at 16% and Rep. Barbara Lee at 13%, a June survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found. PPIC also found that in the race for the White House, 50% of the state’s likely Republican voters support former President Donald Trump.

California lawmakers tried nine times to stiffen penalties for trafficking of a minor. The latest effort appeared to die — until a social media campaign forced Democrats to reconsider.

In a video message to the public, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley announced he has a tumor on his bladder.

The first-in-the-nation measure to add caste to state anti-discrimination laws, which passed the state Senate, survives the Assembly judiciary committee. The bill’s author refused to water down the measure further.

The election will feature districts 1, 2 and 5 and comes with the board's balance of power already in a state of flux.

After a prolonged transition, the Central Coast Democrat will be sworn in as Assembly speaker today, taking over from Anthony Rendon. They’re ideologically similar so the differences may be more in leadership style than policy.

An obscure 1910s-era labor board once regulated everything from canneries to film sets to sheep farms. Why is California trying to bring it back now?

The Santa Cruz County native and Live Oak resident said he’s proud of his track record since taking a seat behind the five-member dais.

From pensions to housing to the the use of city facilities by nonprofits, the Scotts Valley City Council addressed various issues at its last regular meeting before the summer break, which begins in July.

Robert Rivas tells anyone who will listen that his rise from farmworker housing on the rural Central Coast to Assembly Speaker is wholly unexpected. But many who have watched the Democrat’s climb from an outgoing high-schooler to a San Benito County supervisor to the holder of one most powerful political offices in the state are not surprised.

Most of what Californians experience with homelessness occurs along public spaces and city streets. But what happens when a city council member loses her home? Ojai’s Suza Francina is finding out.

Legislators threatened to reject Newsom’s infrastructure package if he won’t remove the Delta water tunnel. The issue could be ammunition as the budget deadline looms.

California lawmakers are poised to consider HR 47, which would rename room 317 in the Capitol as the “Speaker Anthony Rendon Press Room.” The resolution highlights Rendon’s lengthy time as speaker—the longest since California set term limits for state lawmakers.

The arguments made by the Los Angeles Unified School District to fight a 2021 lawsuit attempting to reopen schools sparked a campaign to enshrine a constitutional right to a high-quality education. Let the politics begin.

California’s state budget is the product of a multi-month, multi-step process that involves the governor, the Legislature, lobbyists, interest groups and the public. Here are the key dates along the way.

Democratic leaders in the Legislature unveiled their California budget agreement, but Gov. Newsom must sign off for a final deal. There are some significant differences with what Newsom proposed in May.

The state’s 2023-24 budget has been subject to a lot of political wrangling this year as California faces a $31.5 billion spending gap. The constant push and pull of balancing the budget means that if one program, agency or proposal receives funding, something else could lose out. The Legislature is expected to pass its budget [...]

The state Assembly has passed legislation to require large cities, counties and school districts to use independent commissions to redraw districts for their governing boards, but the measure exempts five major counties.

In May, a video featured a young woman named Brooklyn imploring viewers to tell the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation about the importance of EarnIn, part of a relatively new app-based industry that provides cash advances to people based on their wages.

The defamation lawsuit that helped decide last year’s contest for Monterey County sheriff has been partly settled but there could be plenty of action ahead.

California is considering banning the use of “reverse search warrants,” which compel tech companies to disclose the identities of individuals based on the location of their phone and internet search history. Abortion activists call it vital.

The deadline for bills to pass their first house in the California Legislature has come and gone. Most made it. A few failed. And a handful of intriguing bills that didn’t pass may resurface because their authors aren’t giving up.

About 50 community members showed up for the second meeting of three at the Santa Cruz Police Department community room to help Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley and city officials create a funding source for affordable and supportive housing projects.

In their twice-a-year exercise, legislators killed hundreds of California bills in the process known as the suspense file. They included ones on abortion access, climate and homelessness. The state budget deficit also made an impact.

California may be a Democratic stronghold, but it has also become a hotbed of right-wing, white supremacist and antisemitic activity, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL report found more incidents and collaboration between groups.

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley and councilmembers Scott Newsome and Sandy Brown presented a motion to begin study on a potential bond measure to pay for affordable housing and permanent supportive housing projects in the city.

The International Workers’ Day Rally, also known as “May Day,” served both as the official launch of the UC Divest Coalition at UCSC, and as an opportunity for several groups to petition the administration directly.