Making Democracy Readable
A plain-English guide to what Santa Cruz County's local governments are deciding, and an easy way to have your say before they vote.
10
local governments and agencies covered
52
meeting agendas read
351
decisions explained in plain English
10
budgets, every figure sourced
Local decisions shape daily life. Following them shouldn't be a second job.
Your city council and county board decide whether housing gets built, how public safety is funded, whether your street gets repaved, and how high local taxes and fees are. But their agendas and staff reports can run to hundreds of pages of legal and procedural language, often posted only days before a vote.
We check each government's agenda portal twice a day, pull out the decisions that matter, and explain them, so you can follow along in a few minutes a week and speak up while it still counts.
Read our mission →- 1
We read every agenda straight from each government's official meeting portal.
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We explain each decision in plain English, with the arguments on both sides.
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You weigh in with a short email to the officials before they vote.
What you can do here
This Week
Every public meeting agenda, read for you. Each decision is explained in plain English and sorted into Major, Notable and Minor, so the big ones don't get buried.
Write to your officials
Pick a side on any item, add a sentence about why it matters to you, and get a short email to send from your own inbox before they vote.
Budget Portal
Where each government's money comes from and where it goes, from its current adopted budget. Every figure links to the page it came from.
Weekly Email
One email a week with the decisions coming up, most important first.
This week's biggest decisions
See everything this week →- MajorSanta Cruz Parks & Recreation CommissionMon, Oct 12, 4:00 PM· Parks, arts & recreation, Jobs & local economy, Environment & climateDirection sought on possible food and rental concessions at Cowell Beach and Main Beach
City Parks and Recreation staff are asking the commission for early policy direction on a possible beach concession program at Cowell Beach and Main Beach. The ideas under consideration are surfboard, bodyboard and wetsuit rentals at Cowell Beach, and beach chair and umbrella rentals in designated areas of Main Beach, plus other services that directly support beach recreation. No program or contract is being approved at this meeting; a yes vote would give staff guidance on objectives, concession types, public access protections, operating standards and how to run a competitive bidding process before a Request for Proposals is written.
- MajorWatsonville City CouncilTue, Oct 13, 4:30 PM· Housing, Taxes, fees & budgetCity to set 2026 income, rent and sales price limits for affordable housing
Watsonville sets caps on who can qualify for its deed-restricted affordable homes and apartments, how much rent can be charged, and how much those homes can sell for. This item would adopt an updated 2026 schedule of those income, rent, and sales price limits, using the state income figures released June 29, 2026, and would set the mortgage interest rate used in the sales price formula at 7.00 percent (down from the 7.5 percent adopted in June 2024). A yes vote adopts the joint resolution of the City Council and the Council acting as the Successor Housing Agency, and the new limits take effect immediately and stay in place until the Council replaces them.
Who we cover
The main public boards in Santa Cruz County, plus the commissions and committees they publish, such as planning commissions.
County and cities
Schools
Get this in your inbox every week
One email a week with the decisions coming up, most important first. Choose the governments and topics you care about; you can change them or unsubscribe from any email.