2020 Santa Cruz City Council Candidate
Maria Cadenas
What do you think are the three most pressing issues facing Santa Cruz?
These are difficult times for the City of Santa Cruz. It is imperative that we address the budget shortfall and work to ensure essential services are provided to our residents, especially the most vulnerable. Our main focus should be a close review and monitoring of our city budget, both in expenses and revenues, and in alignment to moving us to a more equitable future. I have worked closely with global and local institutions, including during turnaround times that required difficult budget decisions. This can be done with a thoughtful approach and focus on an equitable framework and analysis to our policy to address disparities and ensure all can thrive. In addition to managing the immediate budget shortfall,we must look at ways to rebuild and strengthen our recovery in ways that set the stage for a stronger Santa Cruz. This includes a focus on creating affordable housing and looking at possible industry development and support of local economic models, that are centered on investment in local business development of women and BIPOC owned businesses.
Please name one city ordinance or policy that creates negative racial impacts? Will you work to change this ordinance or policy? How will you work to change it?
Our systems and policies have created and perpetuated disparities based on race as they are part of systems that were not created with racial equity in mind. A clear example includes banking and housing policies. In order to address this we must be explicit in intent, evaluation, and accountability to the outcomes they create as well as in the planning and design of these policies. As such, we must address the system itself, in addition to budget allocations which are a reflection of our values and priorities, including efforts to ensure diverse voices and lived experiences are heard and considered in policy design, as well as commission appointments.
What city council actions will you support to implement antiracism in policies, funding, training, hiring practices, partnerships or any other way within your power? Be as specific as you can.
First and foremost we must acknowledge the disparities experienced by race, including echoing the County’s declaration of racism as a health crisis. Secondly, it is critical that we work to ensure the creation of more affordable housing in ways that it promotes a worker/housing fit for the City. This includes a varied approach including new development, ADUs, and land use/zoning policy changes. It is crucial that as we look to expand our affordable housing stock, communities of color and/or low-income communities do not carry the density burden. Other work includes review of our approach to safety and justice, efforts to increase access to broadband, increase support for free and low-cost tax preparation services, and increased translation/interpretation in Spanish for City materials and meetings.
How would you effectively build a coalition to address issues of racial justice in Santa Cruz County?
For over 20 years I have worked on social and economic justice, including racial equity issues in collaborative initiatives and programs. I have had the privilege to be part of a the Mosaic Partnership Initiative in the City of Milwaukee to build structures to address individual and structural racism, I was part of a national initiative around Racial Equity in philanthropy, and worked to transform several agencies and boards to create models to change culture and programing to address racial justice. I have also served on the Steering Committee for CORE Steering committee and helped inform efforts to center the work around equity. I would be honored to bring that experience and learn from colleagues to discuss ways to look at City policy and procedures to ensure that the diverse lived experiences of our residents inform city decisions and future. As a single mom, Executive Director of Santa Cruz Community Ventures, a Latina, and a proud resident of Santa Cruz for almost ten years, this is personal to me.
How will you use your role on the city council to educate the community about racism in our city?
The County’s vote to make racism a public health crisis is a first step that acknowledges its impact in our ability to thrive. Similar steps should be taken by the City, and then move to leverage the CORE efforts to collect and monitor data to ensure we are moving in the right direction. This includes efforts to increase representation and diversity of our appointed and elected officials, including commission make up. In addition, we should look at our procurement and vendor policies, as well as our small business support to ensure that we prioritize investment in BIPOC and women-owned businesses.
What have you learned recently about your role in racism?
As an immigrant and someone that has worked for over 20 years towards social and economic justice, I am still reminded each day of how much more I have to learn. We all play a role in maintaining the systems we have, and we all play a role in changing them.
What in your past record will give voters confidence that you will make substantial antiracist decisions on the Santa Cruz City Council?
I have worked for over 20 years towards social and racial justice. This includes my role as the ACLU of Wisconsin Associate Director, Executive Director of Cream City Foundation, the second oldest LGBTQ public foundation in the country, where I led the effort to move the organization to a social and economic justice philanthropy model that included a racial equity frame to grant making and organizational operations. I was part of the Racial Equity initiative in philanthropy, Steering Committee member of Sustainable Ag and Food System Funders, where I supported and informed their operational and program models towards a more equitable frame.
There have been numerous Grand Jury findings that point to a need for stronger City Council leadership. Do you support amendments to our City Charter that would help create a strong council and more oversight over city management as outlined in a recent Grand Jury Report, entitled “Failure to Communicate”? Why or Why not?
The last few years have tested our ability to work together and communicate effectively for the benefit of our community. I believe strongly in respectful conversations and environments, where residents, staff, and elected officials can work together for the benefit of us all, even in times of policy disagreement. I have had the honor to serve in several Boards, including currently as the Secretary for Podiatric Medical Board of California, and look forward to fostering conversations and an environment where we focus on issues and policy, and not character attacks.
Please share your concrete suggestions about how you will address the high cost of living and lack of affordability for average working folks.
We are blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the world. As such, it is important to recognize that there will always be a demand that if left unchecked will constantly make our community unaffordable. To address this issue, the city must take a proactive stance on meeting our RHNA goals, prioritizing low and extremely low-income affordable housing, we must also look at housing affordability for our middle class families, including teachers and nurses. A housing mix that fits our workforce needs is of utmost importance, and the city must work to prioritize this. We must also look at introducing new industries that complement our hospitality and tourism revenues and can provide year round higher wage jobs. Finally, we must work regionally to ensure our neighbors are also meeting their RHNA goals and we can leverage economic development across the region.
Income inequality is one of the issues that creates difficulty in living in the city of Santa Cruz. Would you, as a City Council Member be willing to introduce and create a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot program. If so, how would you propose funding such a program? If not, why not?
As the Executive Director of Santa Cruz Community Ventures, I work daily on issues that can foster a more compassionate and equitable local economy that fosters wellbeing. As Addressing our income and wealth gaps is crucial to creating equity. This is one of the reasons why we created Santa Cruz SEEDS, and effort to ensure our children start building assets and have our support from birth. We must also ensure that as part of the recovery we introduce higher wage opportunities for our workforce in the City. We must also look at ways to leverage programs like free tax assistance to ensure that residents can receive the credits and tax refunds they are entitled to. I support Universal Basic Income, as part of a strategy that also looks at our Universal Commons frame, one where investment in our parks, education, safety, and basic needs is critical to create well being outside of any individual wealth. This should be in conversations with the State to help address housing and changes to promote local capital vehicles.
The homeless population in the City of Santa Cruz has been an issue for many years. The current Covid-19 pandemic is acutely highlighting the need for safe and humane housing as well as long term food and housing security. How do you plan to work with City, County, and community to address this both in the short and long term?
The Pandemic has led to a new level of coordination and investment between the County of Santa Cruz and the City of Santa Cruz in addressing the needs of our unhoused neighbors, including implementation of some of the recommendations from CACH. Given the budgetary reality for the City, a continued cross-jurisdictional approach with the County will provide a more sustainable and integrated solution. We must remember that 74% of those without homes were residents prior to losing their home and that 54% of them are unhoused due to loss of employment, eviction, and increased rent. We must address our need for affordable housing and advocate for state and federal funds to support the capital needs of our nonprofit developers.
A “housing first” model may not be possible as there isn’t enough permanent housing available to house houseless citizens. What do you suggest the city do for the thousands of homeless in Santa Cruz for the upcoming winter?
Finding a solution that ensures our unhoused population has safe housing and needed wraparound services is important, and the only way to achieve this is in partnership with the County, neighboring cities, and the state. This is an issue that needs to be addressed in partnership, and ensure that no City carries an undue burden.
Are there aspects of the SC police contract that you think should be changed?
As data and different models evolve around our safety and justice programs, we should look into who they can inform and be implemented in our community. This includes a review of patrolling. Any budget changes will need to be tied to an investment in alternative programs that address the need for safety and justice in ways that are centered on equity and are held accountable to racial and class disparities.
Given that the SCPD spends over 1/4 of the entire city’s 2020 budget on policing (estimated 30 million of 107 million total budget) and over half of the SCPD’s budget is spent on homelessness issues. Would you as a city leader support shifting at least 5% ($1.4 million) from the current police budget toward creating actual solutions to homelessness? Why or why not?
Any budget changes will need to be tied to an investment in alternative programs that address the need for safety and justice in ways that are centered on equity and are held accountable to racial and class disparities.
Would you support creating an alternative 911 call line in a Cahoots-style triage system to address the mental health crisis, drug overdoses, and wellness checks as is now being done in Eugene, Oregon? If not, what other ideas do you have?
I am supportive of looking at models that ensure the safety and wellbeing of our community members. Any budget changes will need to be tied to an investment in alternative programs that address the need for safety and justice in ways that are centered on equity and are held accountable to racial and class disparities.
For the tenants living at the Tannery Arts Center who share the neighborhood with the homeless encampments along the river, calls made to the police are often met with hours and hours of wait time before assistance arrives. Many of these calls are concerns with domestic violence and drug abuse along the river and adjacent to the residential buildings. What do you believe is a solution to the lack of will to address the Tannery residents’ concerns for their neighborhood and the children who live there?
The safety and wellbeing of our residents is of utmost importance. Looking at models that can provide these outside of police officers should be part of our review of our programs. Furthermore, we must work closely with the County to address our unhoused population, including ways to provide enforcement that are not based solely on citations approaches, as these are not creating the safety seek.
Where do you stand on the new library/garage?
I support the current proposal that commits to a minimum of 50 affordable units, and a state of the art library, with a parking structure that facilitates conversion of the majority of its spaces to additional housing. I also believe that this project allows us to reduce surface parking lots for additional housing. Housing and housing affordability is a critical issue in our city and we should work to leverage all resources to address the issue.
Now that the City of Santa Cruz has just finished the historic painting of the Black Lives Matter street mural what are the top three actions you want to achieve in fulfilling its objectives with tangible policy changes and accountability towards equity, inclusion, and justice.
The City and County effort around the CORE objectives, provide a blueprint to measure impact centered around equity. These metrics should be used to hold the City and City programs accountable, and they should be used to inform policy goals. Similarly, the County’s vote to make racism a public health crisis is a first step that acknowledges its impact in our ability to thrive. Similar steps should be taken by the City, and used to ensure City policy is based on addressing this crisis.
What resources are you aware of that are being given out to the BIPOC community to ensure that our health, investment in businesses and quality of life are on par with the white population? What will you do while serving on the city council to guarantee this?
We should look at our procurement and vendor policies, as well as our small business support to ensure that we prioritize investment in BIPOC and women-owned businesses.
What is your top priority for our SC Youth, specifically the Black students who statistically are not graduating at the same rate as their white counterparts?
We need to invest in our youth, including in early childhood. We must work closely with the County Office of Education and our School District to support their efforts to address education gaps.