Council approves consent agenda including Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax oversight committee; closed-session report released

The Santa Cruz City Council on Feb. 14 approved its consent agenda (items 6–14) in a single vote, a package that included establishment of a City of Santa Cruz Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Distribution Tax Oversight Committee.

Vice Mayor Kalantari Johnson, who served on the ad hoc committee that vetted candidates, said she was “just excited to see this come forward” and thanked staff and colleagues for their work to bring community candidates forward. Council moved the consent items in one motion; the clerk called the roll and the motion passed.

Several members of the public addressed the sugar-beverage item during oral communications. Online commenter Garrett urged that tax funds not be used to support undocumented immigrants and criticized the committee-selection process; another commenter (Mr. Philip) called the tax regressive and questioned whether it would make a measurable health difference. Those remarks were made during public comment and did not change the council action on the consent agenda.

Separately, the city attorney reported out of closed session that the council had discussed liability claims by Michael Andrew Collins, Bridal Daley, Linda Ann Waskowitz, and Vahid Ebrahim; real property negotiations on parcels at 47 and 41 Municipal Wharf were discussed; the item listed for 121 Soquel Avenue was not discussed; and the council met on labor negotiations with the Police Officers Association.

What happens next: the oversight committee members identified in the agenda packet will proceed with committee duties described in the staff report and staff will follow the usual onboarding and oversight processes for citizen committees.