For far too long, our economy in Santa Cruz has only worked for the rich and powerful. Now is the time to make it work for everyone. This is how I will fight for economic justice in Santa Cruz.

Unions–I am unequivocally pro union. Whether it’s alongside Starbucks Workers United or the UC-AFT, I have fought with unions and workers at every opportunity possible. Historically, we’ve seen that increasing union membership is one of the best ways to improve the pay and conditions of the working class. Workers deserve power in every aspect of our economy and I’ll work to make that a reality.

Worker cooperatives–The only thing better than a unionized workplace is a collectively controlled workplace! The working class doesn’t just deserve a seat at the table, they deserve the ability to make democratic decisions in their workplace and reap the full fruits of their labor. In Santa Cruz, we can explore incentives for collectivized workplaces worker-owned businesses.

Small businesses–The benefits of prioritizing small businesses over large corporations are numerous. Small business treat workers better, the better serve the community, they give back more, they keep profits local, they create more local jobs, they strengthen local culture, and more. Santa Cruz needs to continue and increase our support for small businesses. One way to do this is a 2-tiered tax for new commercial properties: an insignificant amount if occupied by a locally owned business and a much higher rate for out-of-town corporations.

Home ownership–One of the many benefits of meaningfully addressing our housing crisis is re-opening home ownership as an avenue to build wealth. Millennials are the first generation in modern history to be less wealthy than their parents. Gen Z seems to be in an even worse situation. One way older generations were able to build wealth was by buying homes. Anyone who was at least lower middle class could buy a home. Many of those who did are now millionaires due to an asset that has increased in value by more than 500%. If we once again give working class people the ability to buy homes, we can see new families start to build generational wealth.