Page 397 – Good Times

Another PVUSD Bond Measure Might Be on the Horizon

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June 25, 2021

Another PVUSD Bond Measure Might Be on the Horizon

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday received an update on various Measure L projects, some of which were completed over the past few months.

The presentation included the completion of the long-awaited Pajaro Valley High School sports complex, and the refurbishing of the Watsonville High School cafeteria. Athletic field restorations at Watsonville and Aptos high schools, not funded through Measure L, were also presented to the board.

Chief Business Officer Clint Rucker also presented five projects that are slated for the next two years. That includes the renovation of the E.A. Hall Middle School field and Aptos Junior High School’s multipurpose room this summer, and the modernization of the parking lots at Bradley and Hall District elementary schools next summer. Mintie White Elementary School next summer will also see aging portables replaced, Rucker said.

“[It’s] exciting, being from Watsonville, attending those schools … it’s great news, especially for Mintie White,” said trustee Daniel Dodge, Jr. “Those portables have been there since 1980-something, at least. I attended first grade in one of them.”

The district also passed its 2019 audit of the bond measure funds, Rucker said.

The district has allocated the vast majority of its funds from the $150 million bond measure approved by area voters in 2012. Pajaro Valley High ($18.4M), Watsonville High ($13.2M) and Aptos High ($13.2M) were tabbed to receive the largest portion of those funds, according to the report.

There are still schools that have not yet decided how to spend their remaining Measure L funds, Rucker said, and some won’t have enough funding to complete their entire wishlist.

Answering questions as to whether there was a possibility of a new bond measure being put on a future ballot, Rucker said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for those measures to be approved—he pointed to Cabrillo College’s near miss last year, among others.

But he said the district is working on a facilities needs analysis in the case that the board should choose to ask the taxpayers to fund further district-wide improvements.

“The amount of improvements needed, we probably do have to go out for a bond in the near future,” said trustee Maria Orozco, “but I think before we consider that, we need to deliver on all of our projects, and really highlight that to the community, of where all those tax dollars went.”

Welcome back

The meeting, held at Landmark Elementary, was the board’s first in-person gathering in more than a year.

It was the first time some trustees met Oscar Soto, who was elected to the Area III seat in November 2020, face-to-face.

“Everybody has been seeing me as a little cut-out on a screen for the last six, seven months, but I do exist—I’m right here,” Soto quipped.

Before the meeting, more than 100 people rallied in front of Landmark for classified employees—bus drivers, cafeteria workers, mechanics and other similar positions—who are currently in labor negotiations with the district. The trustees received an update on those negotiations during their closed session.

Representatives for the local California School Employees Association chapter say they want their “fair share,” but declined to give further details, citing ongoing negotiations.

Joining forces, again

The trustees also approved a deal with the city of Watsonville allowing the municipality to use the athletic fields at E.A. Hall Middle School and Ann Soldo and Landmark elementary schools when class is not in session.

The joint-use agreement between the two institutions started in August 2020, but the pandemic—and the restrictions on youth sports that came with it—made it tough to gauge the plan’s effectiveness and shortcomings. The deal approved on Wednesday will extend the agreement through June 30, 2022.

The city, under the reworked deal, will be responsible for the upkeep of the fields. Any excess revenues from the city’s field rentals will go back to the district. Rucker said those funds will be earmarked for possible field improvements.

Castro Adobe to Reopen After Two-year Closure

Johanna Miller

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June 25, 2021

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Castro Adobe to Reopen After Two-year Closure

WATSONVILLE—After nearly two years of being closed to the public, Castro Adobe State Historic Park will once again invite people to come learn about an important part of California history.

Located on a hill off of Larkin Valley Road and overlooking the Pajaro Valley, Castro Adobe’s main draw is a historic, two-story hacienda built between 1848-49 by Juan Jose Castro, son of Jose Joaquin Castro (an original member of the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition). It is one of the few adobes left in the Monterey Bay area.

The park closed for construction in 2019. Then the pandemic hit, for a time, keeping volunteers and docents from working, and barring visitors to many state parks in California.

But the adobe is back—and aiming to hold three separate tours this summer. Volunteers have been hard at work preparing, getting the grounds ready and making major headway on the restoration.

Charlie Kieffer, a long-time docent of Castro Adobe and direct descendant of the Castro family, admitted he never thought he’d see the day that restoration of the adobe would be underway—let alone this close to completed.

“It’s unbelievable. I didn’t think it was going to happen,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t think I’d live long enough to see it happen. This is an incredible time.”

The restoration and designation of Castro Adobe as an official state park has been ongoing for decades. In 1996, then-current owners of the property, Edna and Joe Kimbro, launched the “Save the Castro” effort in hopes of preserving the notable site, which had been badly damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.

In 2002, after six years of advocacy, it was acquired by California State Parks, and five years later the Friends of the Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) began organizing volunteers to help restore the structure. Over time, more volunteers have joined in and the South County community has rallied to support the cause.

“We’ve had school children from Watsonville putting quarters, 50 cents into little envelopes, for this adobe,” Kieffer said. “This place means a lot to this community.”

Kieffer said that he hopes the park will become a “living museum,” with everything from tortilla making in the adobe’s restored cocina to cow-roping demonstrations. The adobe’s restored fandango room, gardens and more will be available for guests to tour—and possibly come for events.

Charlene Duval, a historical archivist and member of the Friends board and the Castro Committee, said she has been part of the restoration since the beginning.

“It’s been a long haul but really exciting,” she said. “Friends and State Parks have really worked together to make this happen.”

Duval has been in charge of compiling and organizing The Edna Kimbro Library and Archives, located in the Kimbro house a short walk up the hill from the adobe.

According to Paul Karz, an aide at Castro Adobe, it is one of the biggest adobe archives in Northern California.

“This is going to be a real place for people to come study the period—a cultural center,” he said.

The upcoming tours will be held June 27, July 25 and Aug. 22. The first tour is already full, but the July and August dates still have room for people to sign up.

Pre-registration, social distancing, and masks will be required for all guests. Parking is limited; carpooling is encouraged. Visit bit.ly/3h0xUlF to register.

“This project has been a major collaboration between Friends and State Parks,” Karz said. “It’s something that doesn’t happen in any of the other state parks … it’s a very unique experience.”

For Kieffer, the restoration is a personal milestone, and one he is eager to show visitors—and other Castro descendants.

“When other Castros come here … I’ve seen them get tears in their eyes,” he said. “There’s something really special about this adobe.”

You can learn more about the history and preservation of Castro Adobe at bit.ly/3wS22Xg.

Hyundai Car Commercial Films at Iconic Santa Cruz Spots

A&E
Film

Mat Weir

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June 24, 2021

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Hyundai Car Commercial Films at Iconic Santa Cruz Spots

There’s a long list of things Santa Cruz is known for. Its iconic surfing and skateboarding culture. The acres of lush redwood forest. The miles of scenic coastline. The celebrated Hollywood movies filmed here like “The Lost Boys,” and more recently, “Bumblebee” and “Us.” Not to mention all the unique, eclectic and interesting people that make up the roughly 70,000 population of musicians, artists, tech entrepreneurs and everyday folk.

On Wednesday, all of these elements combined to give our city yet another emblem for the world to recognize, a car commercial for the Hyundai Santa Cruz, directed by skateboarding legend and documentary filmmaker, Stacy Peralta.

“Santa Cruz is one of those extremely unique California beach towns,” he says. “It’s extremely rare because this city has everything the great cities have. It has a gigantic cultural mix in a tiny area.”

Announced in 2015, Hyundai’s Santa Cruz, a Sports Adventure Vehicle (think an SUV with a mini truck bed attached), rolls off the assembly line this summer. To declare its arrival, the company hired Peralta and crew to capture Santa Cruz’s biggest landmarks and cultural tie-ins. Shooting on location, the crew went to artist’s studios, Henry Cowell forest and Sergeant Derby Park—one of the oldest skate parks in the world—for the main scenes.

“We’re telling three different stories,” Peralta says. “One of them is about a professional surfer, one of them is about a professional artist–Jimbo Phillips–and one of them is about the Lady Lurkers skateboarders.”

But he believes these aren’t the only things that make Santa Cruz great.

“Something else that blows my mind is how much presence there is in this town for Black Lives Matter,” he says. “I’m blown away.”

Of course, no trip to Santa Cruz is complete without stops to a few other of the city’s famous landmarks. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Pleasure Point and the Pacific Coast Highway will also make an appearance as well as Streetlight Records, where the crew spent several hours filming.

“A bitchin’ record store is always the sign of a great place,” Peralta says. “Because a store like this cannot exist in a town that doesn’t understand it. These kinds of places are what gives towns color.”

Peralta, now 63, is best known as part of the legendary Z-Boys, the 1970’s Venice, California-based skateboard crew sponsored by Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions. By the age of 19, he was the highest-ranked professional skater in the country and formed his own crew, Bones Brigade—with its instantly recognizable skeleton logo—whose members revolutionized the sport forever.

In 2001 he wrote and directed the documentary, “Dogtown and Z-Boys,” about the Venice crew and the birth of modern skate culture. It was later given the Hollywood treatment in 2005 with the biopic, “Lords of Dogtown,” which Peralta also wrote.

He says the commercial will most likely be out in a couple of months, adding yet another notch in Santa Cruz’s cinematic and cultural belt.

“There’s a really deep bed of culture here,” he says. “There’s a heavy performance ethic here. If you’re a skateboarder, a surfer, a mountain biker, or a hiker, or a musician or an artist, everyone is competing with each other to be great. Which makes [Santa Cruz] great.”

Cabrillo Stage Returns with Outdoor Performance Series

A&E
Stage

Johanna Miller

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June 24, 2021

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Cabrillo Stage Returns with Outdoor Performance Series

Cabrillo Stage’s Summer Musical Festival is back.

The theater company is returning after a year of shutdowns due to Covid-19 with a series of live performances in July. Everything from a Big Band concert to a production of “Pirates of Penzance” will be held at Cabrillo College’s outdoor amphitheater.

In late 2020, Cabrillo Stage’s artistic director Jon Nordgren was faced with the possibility that the company would be going dark for the second year in a row.

“We hated to make a decision so quickly,” Nordgren said. “We were really afraid that we’d lose the audience we’d been building up for so long.”

Established in 1981 by Lile O. Cruse, Cabrillo Stage produces live musical theater events every year. For the past few years, they’ve put on two large productions in the summer, drawing in performers and crowds from throughout the state.

Knowing they would most likely not be able to hold their normal 2021 season, Nordgren and his team began looking at other possibilities. During the pandemic, they had been putting out a series of virtual performances dubbed “Stars of Cabrillo Stage,” featuring guests from past Cabrillo Stage seasons.

Nordgren’s initial idea was to continue that series in the summer.

“My proposal was simple: I wanted to do five virtual concerts in July,” Nordgren said. “We’d have five acts, continuing ‘Stars,’ and market them like crazy.”

But along came the vaccine—and things began changing rapidly. Covid requirements were being updated weekly. Suddenly, Cabrillo Stage had a chance to do something more.

“At least in our part of the world, things moved so quickly,” Nordgren said. “It was crazy—I felt like a guy with one foot on the pier, the other on a boat, and the boat was sailing away.”

Now, five in-person, outdoor shows are scheduled, including music concerts and theater productions. Things kick off July 2-4 with the Cabrillo Stage Big Band and Stars of Cabrillo Stage. Joe Ortiz’s new musical, “Circus: Knives, Blood & Water,” directed by Greg Fritsch, will run July 9-11. Next up is the Cabrillo Stage Pit Orchestra with Stars of Cabrillo Stage—a show Nordgren said he is most excited for.

“It’s a dedication to our pit orchestra,” he explained. “And to Lile [Cruse]… He came from the pit, and was dedicated to the idea that we always have a full orchestra for our shows. And we still do. We’re proud of that.”

July 23-25 is Tom Lehrer’s “Tomfoolery,” directed by Andrew Ceglio and Michael McGushin. Things cap off July 30-Aug. 1 with the classic “Pirates of Penzance,” directed by Joseph Ribeiro and Cheryl Anderson.

All performances will also be live-streamed virtually for a discounted price.

Nordgren said that the series is the result of months of brainstorming, adapting and dedicated voluntarism. More than 150 volunteers have been working for them, figuring out the seating map (originally created to comply with Covid-19 requirements), creating sets, props, costumes and even the stage itself.

“Watching this come together is so powerful,” Nordgren said. “I can’t believe how many people are working to create this vision. Imagine our guests entering a grassy amphitheater, almost like they’re going to the county fair, seeing the flags waving in the wind, seeing the stage… They will have an experience they will never forget.”

Guests can purchase tickets in groups of two or more; either in stadium seating or in pods on the lawn. Lawn seating allows blankets or chairs under two feet in height.

For information and to order tickets go here or call 479-6154.

“Expect a real celebration,” Nordgren said. “I think this is the beginning of a new renaissance for theater.”

Watsonville Announces Independence Day Celebrations

GT Staff

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June 24, 2021

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Watsonville Announces Independence Day Celebrations

The city of Watsonville will celebrate the Fourth of July with the Spirit of Watsonville Neighborhood Parade, a Mayor’s Bike Ride and a Red, White and Blue Concert, organizers announced Tuesday.

In the Spirit of Watsonville Neighborhood Parade, residents and businesses between July 1-4 will decorate their homes for the Fourth of July. To see the participating places, visit https://arcg.is/qbabz.

On Independence Day, Mayor Jimmy Dutra, Bike Santa Cruz County, the Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services and Santa Cruz METRO will host a bike ride. The journey starts in the alleyway between the 2nd Street Parking Garage and the Post Office at 12:45pm.

One of the Metro’s new electric buses will lead the way.

Don’t want to ride a bike? Hop on the bus and join in on the fun. People are asked to show up at noon, if they’d like to help decorate the bus and their bike. The city will have prizes for the most spirited adults and young people.

Finally, at 2pm on Independence Day, the Watsonville Band will hold the Red, White and Blue Concert at the City Plaza. The band will march from Watsonville High School before their concert.

For information, visit cityofwatsonville.org.

Community Bridges Trades Pints for Vaccines at Watsonville Pop-up Clinic

Johanna Miller

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June 24, 2021

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Community Bridges Trades Pints for Vaccines at Watsonville Pop-up Clinic

WATSONVILLE—According to Santa Cruz County’s Health Services Agency, as of June 22, more than 146,500 county residents (that is, about 53%) have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. And more than 172,000 residents (62%) have received at least one shot.

The numbers are promising. However, rates of vaccinations are gradually dwindling, at least compared to the number of people eligible and vaccine availability. And it’s a certain demographic of people who are showing the most signs of hesitancy: Residents between the ages of 18 and 39, especially young men who identify as people of color or mixed race.

Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino quickly noticed this trend. His organization since the start of the pandemic has run the Bridges to Access Vaccination Helpline, and continually tracked vaccination numbers since the shots were released.

“We’ve been seeing the rates fall,” he said. “We looked at the data … we were trying to target who were the most vaccine-hesitant folks.”

Cancino and his team began brainstorming on how they could incentivize this demographic into getting an inoculation. They came up with the idea of “Poke for a Pint,” a pop-up clinic at the East Lake Village Shopping Center, in front of Coffeeville and Fruition Brewing.

The clinic was held on June 18 with the help of staff from Santa Cruz Community Health, who administered the vaccines. Every person who signed up for the clinic was offered a free beer or a free coffee from the nearby businesses.

“We came up with a marketing strategy, essentially,” Cancino said. “We were trying to make it fun—a playful way of getting people to come out here with their friends, or identify someone who might need to.”

Community Bridges staff was on hand to check people into the clinic, and hand out free T-shirts, pens, stress balls, tote bags and more. A special logo was created for the event, featuring two beer steins with bandaids stuck on them.

Incentive programs have been popping up in other areas of the state and the U.S. to get people vaccinated—from discounts at local businesses to vaccine-specific lotteries.

The state of California introduced “Vax for the Win,” a program that awarded millions of dollars in prizes and perks to vaccinated residents.

Cancino said that incentives do work—they already had people signed up for the clinic prior to the day off. He added that if they had enough people interested in “Poke for a Pint,” they might hold similar events in the future. The Slough Brewing Collective on Hangar Way in Watsonville, and Greater Purpose Brewing Company in Santa Cruz have already expressed interest in teaming up.

“We want to do whatever we can to get this county vaccinated, so things can keep improving,” Cancino said.

For information visit communitybridges.org. Call or text the Bridges to Access Vaccination Helpline at 219-8607.

Scotts Valley Dips Into Rainy Day Fund, Eyes Rebound from Pandemic

Drew Penner

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June 24, 2021

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Scotts Valley Dips Into Rainy Day Fund, Eyes Rebound from Pandemic

The Scotts Valley City Council unanimously passed its annual budget on June 16, dipping into its rainy day fund in hopes of being catapulted back to financial health after the novel coronavirus sent finances into disarray.

The $1.4 million deficit plan will draw down reserves to $4 million, but staff said that, as business recovers, residents will finally start to see the full effects of the 1.25% sales tax (Measure Z) approved by voters last year.

“This year is a recovering budget,” City Manager Tina Friend said in an interview after the June 16 meeting. “This year is kind of this bridge year.”

The city will spend $4.98 million on wastewater, $470,000 on recreation, $580,000 on capital improvements and $14.11 million in general expenses in 2021-22.

Police will get $5.51 million and Public Works will get $2.06 million. In addition, the city will spend $1.84 million on administration and $1.46 million on community development.

“About half of General Fund revenues come from very volatile sources,” Friend said, pointing to the cratering of hotel and sales tax revenues during the pandemic. “We took a big hit.”

Nevertheless, the city is in a relatively healthy position, all things considered, Friend said.

“Our budget is growing a bit,” she said. “We knew that we had healthy reserves.”

Last year, the entire parks department was laid off, as the community struggled to stay afloat when the novel coronavirus showed up—among other staffing reductions.

But now the city will be able to hire, or increase hours, more aggressively, Friend noted, adding that she’s also excited about the ongoing civic planning process this will allow for.

Scotts Valley is smack-dab in the middle of multiple long-term efforts. Its strategic plan—the “development blueprint”—has already cleared the community input phase. But it’s now being evaluated for potential environmental impacts.

Friend’s said she is thrilled the city will finally be able to update its zoning code, for one.

Scotts Valley is also updating its vision for a Town Center commercial core—which a consultant recently suggested will need a mix of new office, retail and residential space to succeed.

In addition, the city is revamping the boundaries for where affordable housing requirements are triggered (to be in line with the community’s perimeter) to give developers more clarity—and to get more inexpensive units built.

The budget also factors in commitments to public pensions, something many Californian municipalities have struggled with in recent years.

The state had assumed a way too aggressive rate of return on investments, and Scotts Valley had been forced to help them play catchup for a few more years, Friend explained.

“We are seeing our retirement costs increase every year,” she said. “We’ve recalibrated.”

In fact, Scotts Valley is taking the more conservative approach of assuming an even less favorable performance than the Sacramento bureaucrats are, so it doesn’t end up in the same situation again.

This year that’s a $679,000 contribution for Scotts Valley employees, plus $1.51 million to cover the prior financial misjudgment.

But while other municipalities have turned to something called a “pension obligation bond”—and Scotts Valley has considered this—it hasn’t gone down that road, yet, Friend said.

The city’s Capital Improvement Program is one of the main focuses of the budget.

Friend says the CIP is about investing in the specific projects that will make Scotts Valley a more attractive place to live and work—not to mention travel to—in the long run.

“For the most part we try to build out a realistic plan,” she said, adding that while the CIP looks five years into the future, “that first year is the most accurate.”

The CIP includes Bean Creek Road improvements—all the way to the city limits.

“It’s in very poor shape,” she said.

Under the plan, there will be investments in recreation infrastructure, including Skypark playground equipment (they already have a $200,000 state parks grant in place—coming from Prop 68 money).

Plus, the Siltanen Family Swim Center is set for a facelift.

“Getting our pool back up-and-running means so much,” Friend said. “Countless kids in Scotts Valley have taken swim lessons there.”

The budget will also allow for the Active Transportation Plan, finalized in April, to move forward—hopefully with a new public works director at the helm.

On Wastewater: 9% hike and future plans

During the meeting, council members unanimously approved a sizable wastewater rate hike: 9% per year, for five years.

The money will help Scotts Valley go shopping for a brand-new plant. Because, while the current one gets the job done (before being piped down to Santa Cruz and then deep into the Pacific Ocean), there are lots of problems with it.

“We rely on microbes,” Friend said, adding staff has to closely monitor the chemistry. “It can get overwhelmed, and we have to shut it down.”

From pumps that are failing to rust chewing through the metal, Friend said it is ailing health.

“We are starting to plan for the next generation of wastewater technology,” she said, adding that could mean stocking up on a super green irrigation system. “There is such a changing paradigm out there about the value of wastewater.”

The first step in moving beyond the current “activated sludge” treatment plant, which was built in 1997, has already been completed. Earlier this month Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Inc. beat out one other firm to secure up to $79,873 for a Wastewater Options Study.

“We said cast a far and wide net,” Friend said. “We’re on the cusp of something exciting.”

City Council Approves Budget as Calls for Cuts to WPD Continue

Tony Nuñez

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June 23, 2021

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City Council Approves Budget as Calls for Cuts to WPD Continue

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a biennial budget that will keep Watsonville Police Department’s staffing at current levels, and invest roughly $7.5 million into a rebuild of Ramsay Park.

The decision came after two dozen people at the virtual meeting echoed a petition with more than 400 signees calling for the City Council to trim the police department’s $20.2 million budget by $4.3 million. That move would have forced the city to lay off about 25 WPD employees, according to Administrative Services Department Director Cindy Czerwin.

It would have also meant, according to the demands listed in the petition submitted by a handful of Central Coast community-based organizations, the reinvestment of that funding in the city’s parks and public works departments and the start of a youth employment program.

“We’re asking you [to] reallocate, reimagine these budgets,” said Gabriel Medina, a Watsonville-based filmmaker.

The calls to trim WPD’s budget are not new. Last year, the City Council faced similar demands but decided to mostly keep the department whole—aside from a few pandemic-related hiring freezes. As they did on June 8, public speakers at Tuesday’s meeting said that investing nearly half of the city’s $46 million general fund into the police department would not address the root cause of crime and that public safety was more than just policing.

But council members said that the community’s voice did shine through in the approved budget, pointing to the multi-million-dollar rebuild of Sotomayor Soccer Field and the preparation of other projects at Ramsay Park.

Though the City Council did not implement any of the plans listed in the petition, several council members did say that they agreed with much of what was written in it. That included investments in the city’s library and the parks departments.

“Let’s not let parks and recs funding drop anymore,” Councilman Francisco “Paco” Estrada said. “Let’s just keep adding to it year after year after year. Same with the library … Maybe after one budget process this might not be impressive, but maybe after five budget processes, after a decade of budget processes, everything adds up. That’s how we start building community again.”

Mayor Jimmy Dutra and City Councilwoman Rebecca J. Garcia said they wanted to hold off any changes to the police department’s budget until the city’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Policing and Social Equity makes a recommendation to the City Council in the fall. That committee—made up of 12 Watsonville residents, one police officer and three City Council members—has been meeting in various formats over the past seven months to explore WPD’s connection with the community it serves.

The city will increase WPD’s budget by 7%, or roughly $1.3 million, from the last fiscal year. The next fiscal year, the department’s budget will rise by $862,838. According to Czerwin, that rise is a result of increasing retirement and salary costs.

The second-largest department paid for by the general fund is the Fire Department ($7.95M) and the third is Parks and Community Services Department ($5.2M).

Parks is seeing the second-biggest increase, percentage-wise, of any department. That increase includes the addition of a community engagement and events supervisor and the inclusion of two Environmental Science Workshop employees that were previously paid through another fund.

In all, the parks budget will be roughly a million dollars higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The largest percentage increase from last year’s budget comes in the Community Development Department ($2.9M). That roughly $1 million expansion was implemented over the course of the last year as the demand on the department did not slow down despite the pandemic.

Many of those who spoke during Tuesday’s meeting talked about their ties to Watsonville, and how the community was there for them through their struggles. One caller fought back tears while she spoke about her family’s financial plight during her childhood.

“It was my community that helped when we were struggling,” she said. “I’m here today to remind you why you’re there.”

The day before the meeting, MILPA, a Salinas-based organization, led a press conference in the City Plaza to drum up support for the petition, and the reallocation of funds from the police department. About two dozen people showed up to share stories, and talk about the need for police and budget reform.

Organizer Cesar Lara, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Labor Council, said that no matter how the Watsonville City Council voted on Tuesday, the movement started over the past year after the murder of George Floyd would continue.

“This is going to be a multi-year campaign,” he said. “It’s not going to change in one month. But the important thing is we’re not going away.”

Councilmember Brown’s ‘No’ Vote Halts Santa Cruz’s Proposed Sales Tax

Tony Nuñez

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June 23, 2021

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Councilmember Brown’s ‘No’ Vote Halts Santa Cruz’s Proposed Sales Tax

A proposed half-cent sales tax that the city of Santa Cruz says is needed to offset the economic downturn of the last 15 months failed to find its way to the ballot—temporarily, at least—after a City Council member on Tuesday blasted her peers for a “systemic lack of interest in supporting our lowest-paid workers.”

City Councilwoman Sandy Brown was the lone “no” vote on a resolution to place a general sales tax on the Nov. 2 ballot, tanking an opportunity that the rest of the council championed as a way for the city to stabilize its finances and more quickly rebound from the pandemic. The City Council needed a unanimous vote on the item because it was declaring a fiscal emergency, according to state law.

Brown called the tax “regressive” and worried that it would ultimately hurt “poor people.” But she said that she was willing to support it if her fellow council members considered prioritizing a portion of the projected revenues—roughly $6 million annually—to help move the city’s low-level employees toward a living wage, an issue that she has long campaigned for.

Several council members said that because the proposed hike—which would raise the city’s tax rate to 9.75%, tying Scotts Valley for the highest rate in the county—is a general tax, the City Council could not determine how those funds would be ultimately used. But City Councilmember Justin Cummings amended the proposed four-part motion to direct staff to bring back a preferred plan for the funds based on input from the council, preferably by its first meeting in August—a process that legal counsel Tony Condotti said is not out of the ordinary for municipalities.

But that was not enough for Brown, who several times clashed with mayor Donna Meyers and other council members over the course of the roughly three-hour discussion.

“I’m sorry it has to be this way,” Brown said.

The tax measure is not dead. The City Council unanimously approved a resolution giving Meyers the ability to call a special meeting to reconsider the item, a motion created by vice-mayor Sonja Bruner.

Bruner initially included another motion to create a subcommittee that would have tasked two other council members to work toward a compromise with Brown so that the tax measure could go to the voters, but that item was removed before the final vote.

The tax measure needs City Council approval by Aug. 6 if it is to reach voters this November.

It would cost the city anywhere between $141,804-177,255 to place the item on the ballot. In general, it will add about 5 cents to each $10 purchase.

The city says the tax is needed to steady its general fund after the pandemic and the CZU Lightning Complex fires decimated its revenues. The city lost $10 million from its projected general fund revenues in fiscal year 2019-20, and another $11 million this fiscal year. Despite taking several cost-saving measures such as implementing a hiring freeze and furloughs, the city’s general fund reserves decreased by 32% over the last two years. And staff projects revenues will be $6 million below pre-pandemic levels in the upcoming fiscal year despite the removal of most economic restrictions imposed by the state to slow the spread of Covid-19.

The city will receive roughly $14.2 million from the feds through the American Rescue Plan Act over the next two fiscal years, but staff says that one-time infusion will only buoy the city’s finances for a short time before its reserves begin to plummet.

The Ad Hoc Revenue Committee, which included Meyers, Bruner and Cummings, brought the tax forward. It did so after spending the first half of 2021 exploring various revenue streams, talking to businesses and conducting a poll of 400 likely Santa Cruz voters. That poll found that more than two-thirds of respondents would support a half-cent sales tax and that the majority realized that the city needed more funding.

Meyers said retail businesses and restaurants were cautious about moving forward with the tax but added that they were mostly supportive and understanding of the need for the hike.

Fewer than 10 people spoke on the item during the virtual meeting. The majority of those speakers were labor organizers who said they hoped the funds would be used to increase city employees’ compensation.

The proposed ballot measure language says the tax would go toward protecting the “quality of life in the City of Santa Cruz by supporting resources to mitigate the impacts of homelessness, create affordable housing, reduce wildfire risk, maintain City facilities and essential infrastructure, fix streets, support transit, maintain parks and recreation facilities for youth and seniors, fight climate change, and prevent reductions in important city services.”

Several council members said the funds would allow the city to bring back various programs and start new ones, most of which would help young people and clean up the area’s parks.

“This will eventually hurt the ones who need it the most,” City Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson said of the failure to approve the measure.

Things to Do in Santa Cruz: June 23-29

GT Staff

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June 23, 2021

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A weekly guide to what’s happening.

ARTS AND MUSIC

ANTHONY ARYA & TAMMI BROWN LIVE AT MICHAEL’S ON MAIN A whole lot of rock and soul. Anthony and Tammi on stage for the first time together. Dinner starts at 6:30 and showtime is 8pm. $45 for dinner and show. Seated. Saturday, June 26, 8-9:30pm. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel.

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM VIRTUAL FESTIVAL All the programs! If you’ve been too busy getting after it outdoors, or just haven’t made the time yet, now’s your chance to catch all our Virtual World Tour Programs. Join us online for a mixed program of award winners from the 2020, 2019 and 2018 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festivals. Catch up on missed films or relive some of the best that Banff has to offer. For more information and tickets, visit riotheatre.com or call 831-423-8209. Wednesday, June 23-Monday, June 28.

LIVE MUSIC AT FOUND ART COLLECTIVE Do you like bossa nova, jazz, folk, latin or bluegrass? If so, stop by Found Art Collective for some live, outdoor music. Saturday, June 26, 3-5pm. Found Art Collective, 5167 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley.

MIKE THE MAGICIAN You are invited to a virtual magic show! Just say “Abra-ca-dabra”! Mike Della Penna creates wonder and laughter with family magic performances that are equal parts playful and astonishing. This virtual magic show will be bilingual (presented in English with a Spanish language interpreter)! Está invitado a un espectáculo virtual de magia. ¡Sólo diga “Abra-ca-dabra”! Mike Della Penna crea maravilla y risas con actuaciones de magia familar que son partes iguales juguetón y sorprendeme. Visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/7612431 for more information. Tuesday, June 29, 11am-noon.

OUTDOOR COMEDY & MUSIC RICHARD STOCKTON This is the Jester In Sequester Comedy Extravaganza standup comedy, boomer humor tunes and delta blues guitar. Laughter, music, wine, all at a safe distance. Entrance is by donation, exit is by ransom. You may take off your mask once you sit at your table. If you laugh so hard you pee your pants the El Vaquero staff is prepared to safely clean up anything that hits the floor. The outdoor seating is limited, please call for reservations 831-607-8118. I double dare you to come. Sunday, June 27, 3pm. El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville.

THE HUMANITIES INSTITUTE AND SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE: TROILUS AND CRESSIDA This three-part virtual reading of one of Shakespeare’s most unusual tragedies continues the “Undiscovered Shakespeare” collaboration between Santa Cruz Shakespeare, UCSC’s Humanities Institute, and The Shakespeare Workshop. Join us as we read through this play episodically on Zoom, and dig into the text with lectures from scholars and conversations with the cast. Swinging wildly between bawdy comedy, epic history, and tragic romance, Troilus and Cressida plays against the backdrop of the Trojan War. With its examinations of honor, fidelity, pretension, romance, and war, this is a play that Joyce Carol Oats described as an “implicit debate between what is essential in human life and what is only existential.” For more information or to get the Zoom link, visit santacruzshakespeare.org. Wednesday, June 23, 6:30pm.

COMMUNITY

NINE YEARS OF THRIVING: YOSO WELLNESS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND FUNDRAISER FOR LIFELAB We are thrilled to announce that through this last year and surviving the pandemic, Yoso Wellness Spa will be celebrating nine years of thriving! We are celebrating by having an anniversary celebration on Sunday! For this celebration, we will have entertainment from The Coffis Brothers, Trike a Pose photobooth, and Happily Ever Laughter! There will be tasty bites from Golden Roots Kitchen and Hanloh as well as sips from Humble Sea and Luna Sea Vodka. While getting together to celebrate our anniversary, we like to take this time to give back to the community by having a fundraiser for a local non-profit. We have chosen to partner with LifeLab to help raise funds for their children’s programs. For the fundraiser, we will have a raffle, as well as the proceeds of drink and food sales going to LifeLab. Sunday, June 27, 3-6pm. Yoso Wellness, 740 Front St., Santa Cruz.

ADAPTIVE SKATE DAY An Adaptive Skate Day with specialized instructors. For all age people with different abilities. All equipment provided or you can bring your own. Saturday, June 26, 1-5pm. Santa Cruz Hope Church, 4525 Soquel Drive, Soquel.

ASK ME ANYTHING: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE FRONT LINE OF HOMELESSNESS Join Housing Matters’ Programs Staff in their newest webinar: “Ask Me Anything: Conversations from the Front Line Of Homelessness”. This is your opportunity to hear what is going on every single day to solve homelessness and ask all the questions you have about working to solve homelessness in our community. For more information or to register for this free event call 831- 458-6020 or visit eventbrite.com/e/ask-me-anything-conversations-from-the-front-line-of-homelessness-tickets-132833806491. Tuesday, June 29, Noon.

BIKES AND BOARDS SHOW An informal gathering of enthusiasts from across action sports: motorcycling, surfing, bicycling, and skateboarding. The goal of this event is to meet peers from other sports and learn why they love them, explaining the same thing in return. Simply visit the participating shops with the bike or boards you love and talk about them. Then go to the next shop and repeat. The goal is to merely meet fun folks. Saturday, June 26, 11am. Cycle Imagery, 1025 Water St., Santa Cruz.

COVID-19 AND CAREGIVING WEBINAR Caring for someone living with dementia during the Covid-19 pandemic adds unique challenges for caregivers. This program provides simple tips caregivers can put in place whether the person living with dementia lives at home, in a residential facility, or care providers are coming into the home. To register or for more information call 800-272-3900. Wednesday, June 23, 10-11:30am.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY Food trucks, live music and a beer and wine garden at Skypark in Scotts Valley! The Paperback Ryders will be performing Beatles tunes and the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation will be hosting their very popular beer garden fundraiser! Food vendors include Pana, Taquizas Gabriel, Saucey’z, Aunt LaLi’s and more! Updated event info is available at facebook.com/events/762864271075610. There is plenty of space to spread out and eat at the picnic tables, bring a blanket and picnic on the lawn or order your food to go! Friday, June 25, 5-8pm. Skypark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley.

GREY BEARS BROWN BAG LINE If you are able-bodied and love to work fast, this is for you! Grey Bears could use more help with their brown bag production line on Thursday and Friday mornings. As a token of our thanks, we make you breakfast and give you a bag of food if wanted. Be at the warehouse with a mask and gloves at 7am, and we will put you to work until at least 9am! Call ahead if you would like to know more: 831-479-1055, greybears.org. Thursday, June 24, 7am. California Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.

HISTORY WALK Join a State Park docent on this one-mile hour-long stroll to the Aptos Creek Bridge and back to get the lowdown on Rafael Castro, Claus Spreckels, the development of Aptos, Seacliff Park, the “Madman of Seacliff”, and the story of the Concrete Ship. This walking tour meets near the ramada. Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for Covid-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. To register, visit santacruzstateparks.as.me/schedule.php. Friday, June 25, 11am. Seacliff State Beach, State Park Drive exit from Hwy. 1, Aptos.

SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION Keep in shape! Weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. May include mambo, chachacha, Afro-Cuban rumba, orisha, son montuno. No partner required, ages 14 and older. Contact to get the link; visit salsagente.com. Thursday, June 24, 7pm.

TENANTS’ RIGHTS HELP Tenant Sanctuary is open to renters living in the city of Santa Cruz with questions about their tenants’ rights. Volunteer counselors staff the telephones on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm. Tenant Sanctuary works to empower tenants by educating them on their rights and providing the tools to pursue those rights. Tenant Sanctuary and their program attorney host free legal clinics for tenants in the city of Santa Cruz. Due to Covid-19 concerns, all services are currently by telephone, email or Zoom. For more information visit tenantsanctuary.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/tenantsanctuary. 831-200-0740. Thursday, June 24, 10am-2pm. Sunday, June 27, 10am-2pm. Tuesday, June 29, 10am-2pm. Tenant Sanctuary, 703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz.

GROUPS

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP VIA ZOOM Support groups create a safe, confidential, supportive environment or community and a chance for family caregivers to develop informal mutual support and social relationships as well as discover more effective ways to cope with and care for your loved one. Who may benefit from participating in the support group? Family caregivers who care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, those who would like to talk to others in similar situations, those who need more information, additional support and caregiving strategies. This meeting is held via Zoom and telephone. To register or for more information call 800-272-3900. Wednesday, June 23, 2pm.

COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FORUM Complementary Treatment Forum is an educational group and a safe place to learn for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every fourth Saturday, currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Saturday, June 26, 10:30am-12:30pm.

ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish-speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required: Call Entre Nosotras at 831-761-3973. Friday, June 25, 6pm.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS All our OA meetings have switched to being online due to sheltering in place. Please call 831-429-7906 for meeting information. Do you have a problem with food? Drop into a free, friendly Overeaters Anonymous 12-Step meeting. All are welcome! Thursday, June 24, 1-2pm.

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM WomenCARE ARM-IN-ARM Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday at WomenCARE’s office. Currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. All services are free. For more information visit womencaresantacruz.org. Monday, June 28, 12:30pm.

WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE 831-457-2273. Tuesday, June 29, 12:30-2pm.

WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday, currently via Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Wednesday, June 23, 3:30-4:30pm.

OUTDOOR

CASTRO ADOBE TOURS Come join us for a free tour of Castro Adobe State Historic Park and learn about the history of the California Rancho period. Explore the 170-year-old two-story adobe hacienda to see the restoration work that has been happening. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this tour requires preregistration. Preregistration is also available for July and August, but may be subject to change. To preregister for your tour, visit cognitoforms.com/FSCSP1/CastroAdobeTours. Sunday, June 27, 11am-3pm. Castro Adobe State Historic Park, 184 Old Adobe Road, Watsonville.

SUNSET BEACH BOWLS Experience the tranquility, peace and calmness as the ocean waves harmonize with the sound of Crystal Bowls raising your vibration and energy levels. Every Tuesday one hour before sunset at Moran Lake Beach. Call 831-333-6736 for more details. Tuesday, June 29, 7:15-8:15pm. Moran Lake Park & Beach, East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

VIRTUAL YOUNGER LAGOON RESERVE TOURS Younger Lagoon Reserve is now offering a virtual tour in both English and Spanish. This virtual tour follows the same stops as the Seymour Marine Discovery Center’s docent-led, in-person hiking tour, and is led by a UCSC student! Virtual Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, Younger Lagoon Reserve contains diverse coastal habitats and is home to birds of prey, migrating sea birds, bobcats, and other wildlife. See what scientists are doing to track local mammals, restore native habitat, and learn about the workings of one of California’s rare coastal lagoons. Access the tours at seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/visit/behind-the-scenes-tours/#youngerlagoon. Sunday, June 27, 10:30am.

YOU PICK ROSES We are growing over 300 roses, deeply fragrant, lush and in every color, and we want to share them with you! Get out of the house and enjoy cutting a bucket of roses for your own pleasure or to share with family and friends. Once you have made a purchase, you will be sent a calendar link to pick a time for your reservation and directions to our farm in Watsonville. Visit birdsongorchards.com/store/you-pick-roses for more information. Friday, June 25, 11am. Sunday, June 27, 11am.

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On Wastewater: 9% hike and future plans

ARTS AND MUSIC

COMMUNITY

GROUPS

OUTDOOR