This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Running for Re-election and Seeking Your Support

Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane announces his run for re-election and makes his case through an extensive list of collaborative efforts on behalf of the community.

I’m getting ready to run for another term on the Santa Cruz City Council later this year.  And I’m hoping you will lend your support to my re-election effort. 

My decision to run again has not been simple or easy. 

The US economy is still weak.  The city budget is still strained.  The quality of public discourse, while better in Santa Cruz than at the national level, still leaves much to be desired.   National and global problems seem intractable and we are lacking in serious efforts to address many of them.  Local, part-time, lightly-paid elected officials are disdained as “just politicians” or worse, by many citizens.

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On the other hand… our city’s economic base and tax base are improving.  Our city council has managed its budget – even in some areas of real disagreement— responsibly and thoughtfully.  We’ve managed to keep a good level collegiality within the council and within our community.  We are still managing to fund some human services and affordable housing projects.  Our local efforts to deal with the emerging climate crisis and other environmental challenges are exemplary—even if they are not perfect. And many people acquainted with my work say kind and generous things about the work I do on behalf of this wonderful community.  (Thank you!)

Fortunately, I am able to remember that both realities described above are true. The context we are working in is difficult, but we are making progress in some areas and we are holding back some negative forces.

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I imagine you’d like me to be a bit more specific. At the end of this blog post  is a list of projects and activities I worked on successfully with a variety of people in our community.  Being able to continue work like this is quite fulfilling—and it is making a difference for the people of Santa Cruz.  It is also helping further develop the kind of collaborative approach to problem-solving that is so important for a successful community.

I feel very strongly that it would be worthwhile to continue to serve for another four years.

Now I’m asking you to join me in making that possible.

Please go to my website- LaneForCouncil.com -- for more information on my campaign and how you can be involved.  I’m starting now— somewhat early for a city council campaign—because I have a particular need to get an early start. As you know, I’m in the middle of my year as mayor and this is extraordinarily time-consuming.  My plan is to get much of the campaign framework ready now so I won’t have to drop everything in September and be distracted from my primary responsibilities for the city and the community

By the way…I have established for myself a campaign donation limit of $250 per individual contributor, $500 per couple and $600 per organization.  These amounts balance the reality that some money is needed to run a successful campaign with the principle that no one individual or organization should play too large a part in funding a candidate’s campaign.  These limits also represent my desire to run a frugal campaign that depends as much on volunteer effort as on mass advertising. If you’d like to help with the campaign, here’s the link to donate.

Now… here’s what I call my “with list”--- a collection of projects I’ve worked on with others over the last few years to improve our community. You and I have been busy! 

  • Worked with Think Local First on an improved local purchasing preference for the City
  • With top city staff and the Golden State Warriors to bring a basketball team and arena to SC
  • With DeAnza Mobile Home Park residents on state legislation to protect mobile homeowners
  • With Chrystal Terrace residents to eliminate a nuisance house in their neighborhood
  • With city council colleagues Mike Rotkin and Ryan Coonerty to reduce smoking Downtown
  • With Patty Zoccoli and Hilary Bryant to raise funds for our community’s Teen Center
  • With Nueva Vista residents to identify some additional residential permit parking spaces
  • With residents at Neary Lagoon to protect their community gardens
  • With Fred Keeley and Ecology Action to advance the Climate Action Compact
  • With Supervisor John Leopold on acquisition of the local rail line
  • With the Santa Cruz Police Department as a volunteer mentor for the PRIDE teen program
  • With local church congregations and the United Way to bring Project Homeless Connect to Santa Cruz
  • With Councilmember Tony Madrigal to support the creation of the Festival de Nopal
  • With Councilmember Katherine Beiers and local residents to adopt a resolution in the battle against aerial spraying
  • With public safety advocates to draft Measure H in 2010 to provide stable funding for community safety and youth violence prevention
  • With downtown business owners on a program to provide an alternative to panhandling
  • With Save Our Shores to create a policy to restrict city purchases of plastic bottles
  • With Schools Superintendent Michael Watkins and DA Bob Lee to re-start the Criminal Justice Council and implement gang violence reduction strategies countywide
  • With David Terrazas on innovations to increase neighborhood traffic safety
  • With local residents and the City Water Department on new water conservation programs including a new program to allow graywater reuse
  • With affordable housing groups and builders to support new affordable housing in Santa Cruz
  • With the Economic Development Department and Chamber of Commerce to improve the City’s support for local businesses and to attract new jobs and businesses
  • With local seniors to create a new senior tax exemption provision in measure H
  • With concerned local residents to advocate for a cost-free Smart Meter opt-out provision
  • With local medical marijuana dispensaries to update city regulations on dispensaries
  • With City Manager Martin Bernal and his staff to inform local residents about the city budget through  “City Budget 101” workshops
  • With the Central Labor Council to stop a congressional redistricting plan that would have weakened our community’s representation in Washington
  • With all my council colleagues to present a city employee holiday party at no cost to the public
  • With Lynn Robinson and Tony Madrigal to host city budget outreach meetings at schools on the eastside and westside.
  • With members of the local “Complete Count Committee” to ensure that all Santa Cruz residents were counted in the US Census
  • With the local cable company and many community volunteers to improve DeLaVeaga school
  • With local volunteers and veterans to preserve the community Thanksgiving meal
  • With Native American leaders and a housing developer to resolve a dispute over a sensitive cultural site on Market Street
  • With the Union Street neighborhood to reduce nighttime business impacts on their street
  • With local human service providers to maintain funding for key community programs including the Santa Cruz AIDS Project
  • With David Terrazas and Parks and Recreation staff to increase camp and class scholarships for low-income children participating in City Parks and Rec programs
  • With the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Association to help secure funding for the Beach/Downtown Trolley
  • With the Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women to promote their “Engaging the Bystander” violence reduction program
  • With my neighbors to put together one of the best block parties in town
  • With school officials and Cynthia Mathews to create a community workshop on youth violence prevention
  • With Supervisor Neal Coonerty and Councilmember Ryan Coonert to find funding for a program to more effectively deal with mentally ill individuals in our local criminal justice system
  • With alternative transportation advocates, the disabilities community and Mark Stone to secure  Coastal Commission  approval for the Arana Gulch Master Plan
  • With a Broadway neighborhood on street safety improvements in conjunction with a new development in their neighborhood
  • With local election reform advocates to adopt a resolution in support of measures to curtail the domination of big-money interests in our state and national elections
  • With civil liberties advocates to present resolutions to oppose the onerous elements of the NDAA and the Secure Communities Program
  • With our Sister City Committee to deliver a used city garbage truck to our Sister City in Nicaragua
  • With “Occupy Santa Cruz” participants to reduce their impacts while peacefully demonstrating in San Lorenzo Park
  • With water policy advocates to gain City Council support for placing the desalination issue on the ballot
  • With UCSC student media to invite more engagement between City Hall and UCSC students
  • With UCSC student government (SUA) to gain City support for legislation on tuition affordability and student loan rates
  • With thousands of local fans to support Chris Rene’s efforts on the X-Factor
  • With University leaders to balance UCSC growth plans with local community concerns
  • With colleagues on the public safety committee and great local volunteers to improve health, safety and environmental conditions on the San Lorenzo River levee
  • With LGBT community advocates to promote marriage equality in a variety of settings and events
  • With city employees and labor organizations to prevent the lowest paid city employees from having their pay reduced during city budget reduction efforts
  • With elementary and middle school students and alternative transportation organizations to promote biking and walking as cool ways to get to school
  • With fifteen former mayors to celebrate Proclamation Day and raise funds for city teen programs
  • With city staff to a complete listing of City environmental projects and programs to demonstrate our community’s exemplary leadership on a wide range of environmental issues
  • With hundreds of artists and ocean protectors to bring to completion the Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center and the Tannery Arts Center’s new working studios
  • With mountain bikers and hikers on a compromise to open a new multi-use trail while increasing protection of existing hiking trails
  • Worked with my bicycle to ride to more than 200 City meetings and events
  • With Watsonville Mayor Eduardo Montesino and Tony Madrigal to build a stronger collaborative relationship with our neighbors in Watsonville
  • With my city council colleagues to meet our Measure H funding commitment for street repairs

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?