Santa Cruz County Government News

SEIU employees plan to strike Oct. 17-21

Boulder Creek and Brookdale residents served by the Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District will be voting on a parcel tax measure on the November ballot. The synopsis of the measure reads: To improve and build large capital and infrastructure …

It’s been a wild ride for Scotts Valley over the past several years, as it’s watched its future pension costs skyrocket, drop down slightly and then start to rise again. Since fiscal 2013, the City’s “Unfunded Accrued Liability” (the difference …

Despite promises of a fast-track process, most fire victims who want to rebuild legally are waiting for permits.

For years, consumer advocates and some legislators have been battling to rein in escalating health care costs. Now the state has created a new agency to limit future growth in health care costs — and it will have the power …

WATSONVILLE—New Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez stepped into the leadership role on July 1.  Just three days later he was driving Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra through the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade in a Chevrolet Corvette, and, …

WATSONVILLE—Near the tail end of a largely uneventful first read-through of the proposed budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year on June 14, Watsonville City Council members gave themselves a nominal pay increase that sparked a discussion about how their compensation …

July 1 is shaping up to be a big day for California. That's when the Golden State's sky-high gas prices are set to tick up even more due to a scheduled increase to the excise tax rate, which will tack …

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday got a first look at a half-cent sales tax which, if approved by voters in the Nov. 8 election, would fund city parks, recreation programs such as after-school and anti-gang programs and fund road …

Much has been made about the persistent disagreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers over how to put money back in the pockets of Californians reeling from high gas prices and the rising cost of living, but what about …

Organizations like Community Bridges and those similar in size face losing a considerable amount of county assistance

Depending on whom you ask, the $300-billion-plus budget bill California lawmakers passed on Monday either was developed largely behind closed doors, ignores the state's biggest problems and fails to provide urgent relief amid skyrocketing inflation — or offered ample opportunity …

In-person voting centers are open throughout Santa Cruz County for the June 7 Primary Election

The suspense file allows lawmakers to shelve proposals that are too expensive. It also allows them to silently euthanize those that are controversial, opposed by powerful interest groups, or politically inconvenient.

Plus: Road, park, facilities improvements on tap

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Air Resources Board are boasting about California's shift to zero-emission vehicles but the reality of making it happen is daunting.

Following months of struggling to find a new city clerk, after the previous occupant of the role, Tracy Ferrara, announced her retirement, Scotts Valley appointed a veteran school board official to the post. And in an interview with the Press …

Plus: Affordable housing project and military equipment list approved.

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council appointed Rene Mendez, the current chief executive for the city of Gonzales, as Watsonville’s new city manager during its Tuesday meeting.  Mendez has three decades of experience in state, county and city government and has spent …

Eight projects across California’s 20th District totaling $5.9 million have been included in the $1.5 trillion omnibus bill signed by President Joe Biden Tuesday.