Santa Cruz Observer

Wanted: political experience at the local level

By TOM HONIG

I ran into U.S. Rep. Sam Farr at a Denny's in Marina the other day (when I got into journalism I imagined dinners with important politicians at three-star restaurants .... oh well) and of course the discussion turned to election season.

I've been ignoring the campaign it as best I can ("Don't you ever write on your blog anymore?" people ask) but it still seems to dominate conversations.

Sam discussed the various races -- he himself will have an easy path back to office -- and in particular former California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson's race for Santa Cruz County supervisor.

"I've always thought it's better for people to start big and end up in local office," Farr said. "You get elected to Congress and you have a big staff and all. It's easy."

Serving at the local level is more difficult. "It's there that you need experience." I'd add that it's there that you affect people's lives more. It's an irony that way more people vote in a presidential election than on, say, a race for county supervisor, because the local race is the one that affects where you drive, where you park, where you shop and whether there's a bike path nearby.

Let's face it: everybody knows who's running for president; most people can't name their county supervisor.

Farr is onto something. You almost get the feeling that he'd rather be back on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.

 

Change and Santa Cruz politics

By TOM HONIG

I was just putting the finishing touches on a post about the Santa Cruz Warriors deal and how it suggests a real change in Santa Cruz politics when more evidence of that came across the transom in the form of the Sentinel reporter Jason Hoppin's penetrating look at Santa Cruz politics: "In high-profile endorsement of county board race, a rift is exposed."

Hoppin's story is less about City Council votes than it is about former Assemblyman Fred Keeley and environmental activist Gary Patton --- and the Bruce McPherson-Eric Hammer race for county supervisor -- but he includes this significant description of the current state of the so-called "progressive" movement that has dominated local politics for more than a generation: 

"On one side is the current council majority: generally pro-business, open to compromise and, while pro-environment and cautious of growth, not purists about either issue. Generally, this side tends to be younger.

One the other side is the older guard, populated by hardcore conservationists and lefty true-believers. Though they established Santa Cruz' reputation for activism, their influence seems to be dwindling, with the balance of power on the council having shifted decidedly from the latter to the former."

Getting back to the Warriors' vote (6-0 to move ahead with the project), it appears as though the younger group's priorities here are starting to take hold. Just as they should.

Some 30 years ago, staunch anti-growthers took the reins of power here. Young rabble-rousers themselves, they balked at the pro-growth majority that had preceded them. It was a fool's bet to go against them, and slowly the anti-growth enviros took solid control of Santa Cruz.

Alas, time marches on and now up-and-comers see things differently. Three decades of anti-growth regulations have combined with inflated housing prices and a lack of good local jobs to encourage a new pro-business (and pro-environmental) ethic.

Don't bet against it. The mere existence of a new professional sports team in Santa Cruz reveals that things are changing. The younger ones assuming the mantle -- think Ryan Coonerty, think David Terrazas -- are open to change and open to bringing a youthful vigor to life in Santa Cruz.

Despite what some of the older naysayers living in their inflated million-dollar houses say, it's not a return to the old days. These days, younger leaders think they can protect the environment and have economic growth and lifestyle improvements all at the same time.

The best minor-league city in America?

By TOM HONIG

Is anyone else around Santa Cruz as surprised (and as pleased) as I am that a professional sports team is coming to town?

The arrival of the Santa Cruz Warriors minor-league basketball franchise is due at its Front Street location Dec. 23 -- an unbelievable seven-month turnaround from the time it was first proposed until the first tip-off. Of course, construction of the temporary pavilion home for the team hasn't started yet -- it's due Sept. 5, assuming the Santa Cruz City Council gives its final stamp of approval a day earlier.

Warriors' official Jim Weyerman is the man in charge of getting the team and the pavilion ready for the Dec. 23 opening, and he's spending his days meeting and greeting a variety of Santa Cruz folks as part of his outreach.

At a recent Rotary Club meeting, Weyerman enthusiastically stated his belief that the facility would be ready to go. "There is no Plan B," he said, pointing out that having an alternative is just probably a good way to make the alternative happen instead.

Negotiations between the Warriors and the city of Santa Cruz are ongoing -- as are negotiations with the Seaside Co., owners of the land. But Weyerman said he's optimistic that all parties are interested in moving the project forward.

That optimism is a sign that times are changing in Santa Cruz. This town that has unreasonably opposed varioous new facilities seems to be evolving -- particularly among younger people who are looking for more activities and even new job opportunities around town. They think having a pro sports team here is cool -- and it is.

In fact, it's more than cool. Weyerman pointed out at his Rotary talk that the new facility -- even though temporary -- will help with one of the oldest problems facing Santa Cruz: connecting the beach area with downtown. This new facility will be as important or even more important than the recently opened Monterey Bay Sanctuary Exploration Center a short way away.

Weyerman and others also visualize the potential of a permanent facility. As it stands, the pavilion will seat maybe 3,200 people and could host other events as well. Think UC Santa Cruz basketball,  the Derby Girls and even concerts. A permanent facility -- already being studied by UC Santa Cruz.-- could seat as many as 5,000.

Not everyone is happy with the proposal. Some question the cost to the city, which is assuming much of the cost of construction. However, there could be a big economic payoff, and having the Warriors' parent organization, the Golden State Warriors as a partner makes a lot of sense as well.

Already, people are quickly reserving season tickets. Weyerman says that the Warriors are ecstatic with the number of people who have already reserved tickets.

"Santa Cruz can be the best minor league team in America," Weyerman told Rotary.

Why not? It's time we give it a try.

Back by (semi)-popular demand

I've received a few comments and an occasional e-mail wondering whether this website is being retired. I considered it, but I'm now rededicating efforts to keep the "lightly opinionated" site going.

Where has it been? Well, I've got to blame someone or something other than myself, so I'm going to blame Facebook. This social media whirl that we're on has a lot of pluses and minuses, but it does tend to add to the volume of our public debate. I just finished the thought-provoking book Digital Vertigo, an effort by author Andrew Keen to examine just how valuable it is to know everyone's thoughts and opinions on what amounts to a 24/7 cycle.

It seems that every minute spent on Facebook -- and on Twitter, to a lesser extent -- results in more opinions, more updates, more comments than we'd face in an entire day of old-time, mainstream media. Could more actually have become worth less? Is the constant buzz of social media updates getting in our way of thinking, considering and mulling over our opinions?

Facebook is a great venue for keeping up with old friends, but it too often has turned into an echo chamber of political talking points and shouted opinions that may or may not lead to constructive thought.

As for this blog, it started to feel like just additional noise. Sometimes, it's best to just turn off the microphone and listen and learn. And that's what I've been doing over the past few weeks.

What I've learned over these weeks is that there sure is  a lot of high volume opinionating, and maybe there is a need for moderate thinking. Maybe there is a need for occasional thoughts from someone who's non-aligned politically and philosophically. When I originally described this site as "lightly opinionated" it made sense to make it both fact-based with occasional analysis or interpretation, more as a strategy for clarity than as a desire to win over people too my point of view.  (In fact, sometimes my own point of view changes, and because I'm not running for office, I can ignore any accusations of "flip-flopping.")

So the blog has started up again. You can call it new-form journalism with conventional journalism goals. I come from an era very different from the online world of today. Notice the headline doesn't have the standard key words that could increase page views -- "sex," "porno" "lying Republicans" "big government socialists" or anything like that.

It's low-decibel journalism of an independent sort. And by the way, thank you to all those who encouraged me to start back up.

 

Good for business AND for the environment?

Second in a series

By TOM HONIG

One of the most frustrating aspects of life in Santa Cruz is how strident public discussions can become. I've always wondering why -- in a small and relatively homogenous community -- differing opinions can get some people so damn mad.

Maybe it's actually because it's a small community. Past political allies can show up in current debates on opposite sides -- and there's nothing like the scorn that  that engenders.

But beyond that, it's unclear to me why some of our political debate -- the desalination plan is a good example -- elicit accusations of cronyism and even corruption.

Nowhere is this conflict felt more strongly than in debates over environmental policy. The basic one pits business interests versus environmental protection. The age-old accusation in Santa Cruz holds that what's good for business is probably bad for the environment.

On the recent trip to San Luis Obispo by 69 local community leaders (see the earlier article), that issue stood out front and center. Or, as a representative of the San Luis Obispo Board of Economic Vitality put it, "We decided that we needed economic vitality, but we also need environmental protection." SLO County Supervisor Adam Hill said it this way: "There is a link. I ask people, 'Do you like the beautiful green hills and our greenbelt?' Well, they don't come free."

Most of the visiting Santa Cruzans -- across the spectrum of business, non-profits and government -- seemed to agree. Now the question becomes whether there's community agreement -- and political action --when specific issues come up.

Cabrillo College President Brian King, the prime motivator of the trip, says he's optimistic. "I think it was very powerful to get a key group of leaders together for an extended period of time. A bit removed from home, everyone had an opportunity for extended conversations that can be so difficult to have with our busy lives. Hearing about successes in a similar community with challenges we serve was very encouraging. It's easy to think the hard problems are impossible to solve, and hearing solutions that have worked can be very empowering." 

Coming up: More reactions on business and environmental protection.

Santa Cruz leaders encounter San Luis Obispo

By TOM HONIG

Take 69 Santa Cruz County folks from a variety of businesses, school districts, government bodies and non-profits, put them on a couple of buses and what do you do with them?

This week, the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce took them to San Luis Obispo, where this aggregation met with leaders from similar walks of life to learn more about how another community -- somewhat similar to Santa Cruz -- handles the kinds of issues that people here do every day.

The San Luis Obispo trip was an idea promoted by Cabrillo College President Brian King, who looked at the trip this way: 

"We have an opportunity to learn much from San Luis Obispo, a community that is in many ways like us. We will have an opportunity to evaluate how some of their initiatives might work in our counties and cities. We will be able to test and temper our notions and plans with their experiences. And, we will discuss mutual problems and complexities with  them to explore solutions neither of us have yet imagined.

"However ... I believe that the greatest benefit will be the 30-some hours we will spend together getting to know each other better."

So did it work? In a word -- yes. Our group met with San Luis business leaders, politicians, school officials and others who are trying to figure out solutions to the same problems that exist here. One particular issue that reared its head time and time again was the question of how to balance economic vitality with environmental protection.

I'll follow up on that issue in particular in future articles. Also, I'll be publishing reactions and thoughts from those on the trip.

And as for the most obvious question: was the junket fun? You're damn right it was. No, it wasn't a party like the Merry Pranksters, but it served to remind the participants that Santa Cruz is blessed with community folks who are not only bright but also simpatico. It's nice to be reminded of that.

Trouble for newspapers, Republicans as college students increasingly are headed elsewhere

What do newspapers and the Republican party have in common?

According to a new study of college students published by the Panetta Institute at Cal State Monterey Bay, both institutions had better realize that they're in trouble with young people.

The number of students who say the receive most of their information about politics and civic affairs from community newspapers now stands at 8 percent. Back in 2001, 21 percent of students said they kept up on things with the newspaper. Meanwhile, the proportion of students who say they look to Internet web sites stands at 59 percent. Another 12 percent keep up on politics exclusively through social media. And, presumably, that number is growing thanks to the increasing role of social media sites like Facebook.

As for the Republicans, four leading candidates -- including the presumptive candidate, Mitt Romney, have net negative ratings.. Romney, for example, scores at only 21 percent positive compared to 42 percent negative among college students.

President Barack Obama -- despite some significant questions about the economy -- remains popular among the collegiate set. He's at 57 percent positive and 24 percent negative.

Obama's popularity comes despite a profoundly negative view of political leadership in general. Some 47 percent of students say they're satisfied -- but 51 percent are not.

Still, there are ominous signs for Republicans, particularly when it comes to social issues. College students support the idea of gay marriage by a 75-22 percent margin. And as for abortion, the number of pro-choice advocates making up about 67 percent of students.

The survey was done by Hart Research Associates of Washington D.C., which has completed the survey of college students nationwide since 2001. For the complete report, check out the Panetta Institute website.

The lively world of comics -- for free

By TOM HONIG

Some forms of media are hanging in there. Exhibit A: Atlantis Fantasyworld in downtown Santa Cruz.

In fact, Joe Ferrara's classic comic book store at 1020 Cedar St. continues to ply its trade successfully enough that iti's celebrating Worldwide Free Comic Book Day on Saturday. Atlantis joins in with comic book stores around the world -- giving away some 3.5 million comics to the fans -- young and old -- who keep this form of graphic storytelling alive.

"Everyone who visits Atlantis will be given 10 free comic books," says Ferrara. That means books featuring Peanuts, Green Lantern, Star Wars, Spiderman, Yo Gabba Gabba and -- of course -- the Avengers. Ferrar a says the giveaway is about more than thanking loyal customers. It's about mining the gold that all forms of media are looking for: new readers. "It's a great opportunity for us to showcase the highly entertaining world of today's comics to new readers."

Also, there are some giveaways related to the new Avengers movie -- like a Thor cookie jar and the like. Just bring a movie ticket stub into the store.

Obviously, the movie industry has been looking to the world of comics for inspiration these days -- Batman, Spiderman and the Avengers. Hey -- for those worried about whether young people read, there's evidence that they're reading comics and graphic novels.

Museum director's honest self-examination

By TOM HONIG

Obviously I've been reading too many stories about political candidates -- the bragging, the taking credit, the never making a mistake.

That's why it was so refreshing to read a blog today by Nina Simon, executive director of the Museum of  Art and History in Santa Cruz. She marks her one-year anniversary by relating not only the "Things I'm Most Proud Of," but also "Mistakes I Made" and "Things That Surprised Me."

For anyone who celebrates honesty -- especially at the executive director level -- Simon's examination of her first year is refreshing.

Don't you wish that more executives and more politicians were  capable of giving themselves an honest self-examination? I especially like how she excoriates herself for saying that the museum was basically "failing." She says: "This narrative worked well in  the press—especially when we had early impressive results—but it was demoralizing and offensive to some of the staff and volunteers who had worked hard to deliver the best museum experiences possible in the years prior. Staff members led us in reframing our language to talk about the museum as transforming from a “traditional model to a 21^st century model” instead of failing and then succeeding.

Any government or business leader would do themselves a favor by publishing this kind of yearly self-examination.

Another step in the death march of newspapers

By TOM HONIG

Call it the next step in the slow death of the print newspaper business: copy editors are being laid off.

The copy editor is the silent representative of the newspaper reader -- the one who historically never gets his name in the paper but who is a key cog in the publishing wheel. The copy editor is the one who knows "'who" from "whom" and whether you lie down or lay down. It's the often-ignored copy editor who manages taste, style and accuracy -- ideally -- in the hastily put-together piece of chaos known as the daily paper.

But as economic realities continue to lay waste to the legacy business of newspapers, it's the copy editors who are next in the layoff chute. Reporters and photographers already have  been put out to pasture in great numbers.  And so have pure copy editors -- the ones who just read copy and then turned things over to the production people. But now comes the next step -- as news continues to go digital, news executives are turning to the idea reporters themselves (they're now known as "content generators")  handling the editing jobs themselves.

The Denver Post has announced a major upcoming change (the Post is owned by MediaNews Group, the same owner of the Sentinel and San Jose Mercury News). Editor Gregory Moore -- a good guy himself -- sent out the following memo to the staff (courtesy of the Poynter Institute)

We have focused our attention on consolidating steps in the editing process so that traditional copy editing is done at the content-generating level. That is going to result in a reduction in the ranks of copy editors. Following this, virtually every job in the newsroom will change in some way. The editing and crafting of our copy will have to be shared throughout the newsroom.

Expect this trend to continue.

It's good copy-editing that has distinguished the best newspapers in America. But as the form of delivering news changes, copy editing is a  step that doesn't pass the economic test. Newspapers now compete with online, with radio and television, and none of those news organizations care much about a higher quality of writing. Blogs (including this one) exist without that extra degree of care.

It's a sign of the times. Self-publishing moves ahead, and legacy businesses are forced to change their economic model. But it ain't a good thing.