Incumbent Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, left, led in early election results in his bid for reelection June 2. (Contributed)

Monterey County Supervisor, District 2

Last Monterey County update: 12:04 a.m. June 3

Candidate Total
Glenn Church 5,752 (70.9%)
Ramon Gomez 2,356 (29.1%)

 

Note: This story will be updated as additional vote counts are released.

MONTEREY COUNTY >> Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church had a sizeable lead with 71% in early election results 12:04 a.m. Wednesday. His challenger, Ramon Gomez, trailed with 29% of the vote.

Preliminary election results will be updated throughout Tuesday night, and the following days as staffers process ballots. Final results must be certified by July 2.

Church said although the vote count isn’t final, his large lead feels “really comforting and really satisfying.”

He added, “I’m actually going to take a few days off to develop a comprehensive and aggressive plan for the next four and a half years,” including plans for water security, road improvements and affordable housing.

Church is a board member on both the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. Gomez is the Monterey County Planning Commissioner and Director of the North County Fire Protection District.

Although Gomez is “disappointed with the results,” he is “not going anywhere,” he said. “I’m going to be here and continue to work, trying to solve issues and help our neighborhoods and our community.”

He added, “what I enjoyed about the campaign, is we’re able to talk about issues: fire safety, flood safety, public safety” and more. “I think some of these issues are going to be better addressed because of the campaign,” he said.

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors includes five members representing five districts. District 2 covers the northernmost part of the county, including Pajaro and Moss Landing.

The two candidates described their positions on important local issues for Santa Cruz Local’s election guide. Here’s a quick look at how they differ:

Glenn Church

Ramon Gomez
Help economic development?
  • Continue support of the recently-formed Pajaro Business Group, which advocates for the needs of the business community.
  • Encourage apprenticeship programs and other opportunities for youth to learn about career paths.
Address wage theft from farm workers?
  • Connect local workers with state labor authorities.
  • Visit farms to educate workers about their rights.
Increase affordable housing?
  • Allow small apartment buildings on single-family lots.
  • Encourage smaller homes, which are “affordable by design.”
  • Consider building on county property.
  • Ensure affordable housing is also built on the Monterey Peninsula.
Prevent renter displacement?
  • Create a rental registry.
  • Find ways to punish highest-charging landlords.
  • Fund tenant legal organizations.
  • Do outreach about tenant rights.
Improve emergency response times?
  • Continue to advocate for more Sheriff’s deputies and faster ambulance response.
  • Allow response from Santa Cruz County ambulances.
  • Create an Inspector General to oversee the Sheriff’s Office.
Ensure equitable infrastructure funding?
  • Carry out investments under way for roads, parks and the renovated Porter-Vallejo mansion.
  • Create equitable funding formulas.
  • Prioritize a new plan for long-term development in Pajaro.
Expand health care access?
  • Expand Esperanza Care as quickly as possible.
  • Consider using a future hotel tax hike for large-scale expansion.
  • Consider locally-funded and state-funded methods for expanding health care access.

Stay informed on Santa Cruz County’s biggest issues.

Santa Cruz Local’s newsletter breaks down complex local topics and shows residents how to get involved.

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Nik Altenberg is a bilingual reporter and assistant editor at Santa Cruz Local. Nik Altenberg es reportera bilingüe y editora asistente para Santa Cruz Local.