Santa Cruz County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Santa Cruz County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Assessment Appeals Board Rules of Procedure
The board weighs changes to the rules governing how property tax appeal hearings run in Santa Cruz County, including how three-member panels handle recusals.
Property Tax Assessment Appeals (21 applications)
Twenty-one appeals covering homes and commercial properties across the county were scheduled for hearing or consent action — these decide whether assessed values, and tax bills, get adjusted.
Countywide fee schedule updates for 2026-27
Annual sewer and water charges were confirmed across multiple sanitation districts, including a 4% increase for CSA 12 wastewater customers — these show up on property tax bills.
CalFresh outreach funding at Second Harvest Food Bank
Multiple speakers urged the Board to restore funding for Second Harvest's CalFresh outreach team, whose positions are uncertain as of July 1. The team enrolls residents in food benefits that bring federal dollars into local grocery stores.
Improving county communication and public trust
A recurring theme was broken information flow between residents, the board, and county staff. Ideas included text-based permit updates, AI-assisted service hotlines, multilingual outreach, and closing the loop on constituent requests.