Craig Bush--Santa Cruz City Council Candidate on Free Radio Santa Cruz

Craig Bush is running for one of the three vacancies on the Santa Cruz City Council with voting due to start within a week. He is one of seven candidates running and the only one so far who has replied to an invitation to come on Free Radio.

His website is at http://www.bushforsccouncil.comxa.com/mypolitics.html

Bush's platform extensive and specific. You can find it at http://www.bushforsccouncil.comxa.com/local.html .

On Social Services, he writes:

Here in Santa Cruz we do not refer to "homeless" but rather those who are environmentally challenged in between places. At any given time there are 8000 people in this area to fit that description. There is no sense in labels to group people. There are no "those" people being referred by our council. Stereotyping, profiling,and prejudice creates an atmosphere of fear that diminishes all of our rights and liberties. It robs us of our human dignity. Everyone has a face, a name and a story. There are homeless teachers here.

Our city council has proposed a registration system for all "indigents" in Santa Cruz. How much would that program cost? Doesn't the council understand all indigents on social services are already registered? Are we going to require a homeless logo patch to wear on their arm sleeve? What if an indigent comes here planning to commit crime and just decides they're not going to register first? How are we going to be safer with this program?

This sounds like more fear mongering, hate baiting bigotry to get a politician elected. Ask ourselves, "who is more dangerous to this community"? Is it a homeless old man sitting on a bench on west cliff? Or, a politician planning to build a desal water treatment plant in your backyard?

Single income families no longer qualify for home ownership in CA. They can rent for more but cannot own for less? The same homes my grandfather built here 80 years ago for single income families now 2 incomes are required to own. Two incomes for the same shelter? Our money is not worth as much anymore. For those who bought homes here in the last 8 years the value of their home could be less then when they bought. They are paying taxes on a liability. This is not the American dream. This is an American nightmare. Where would you go if you lost your home?


Regarding the Santa Cruz Eleven, Bush writes:

Our DA decided to pick eleven out of hundreds to prosecute as felons. This is frivolous prosecution for personal gain. The prosecution will cost this community a staggering amount. Fallen sheet rock does not compare to what the banks have done to this community. This heavy hand approach will not crush dissent here.

Compare this prosecution action to the recent bank money laundering trials. Big banks guilty of criminal drug money laundering get off with a ticket or fine. Which in the end the consumer ends up paying. No time served at all for anyone. We have a two-tiered justice system. Where is the real justice in our society?

How did the DA pick the ones chosen for prosecution? Did they hold their hands up to their eyes raising a finger a little and scan the area, picking the ones they saw? In our free society we elect the office of district attorney and our judges. We choose the ones who swear to uphold the constitution and protect our rights. Freedom of speech and right to assemble are important rights. We will not forget.



On Law Enforcement:

In recent years law enforcement has carved out 60% of our budget. It has been historically at 40%. Other cities are asking the questions about the real cost of law enforcement to our society? We must do the same. Some proposals include cost sharing between communities. We do not need overlapping services in every area of law enforcement. The service of Police Chief, SWAT teams, Police Psychology, and specialized detective work can be shared on a regional arrangement. The city saves money. Law enforcement is more efficient.

Ask yourself the question. Why are we paying city police chiefs more money then the president of the United States? How could their service be more valuable then the president? There are prison guards making more on retirement then working teachers. There are new programs that include gps tracking on our license plates. There is money for a new fleet of drones for domestic spying.

A senior was tased not long ago walking his small pooch dog for not having him on the leash. He was in the park in the woods. No one else was around except the county ranger. The senior was hard of hearing and didn't hear the command to stop. He was tased in the back. If the officer had tased the dog, the officer would have lost their job. It is illegal to tase animals in CA by civilians. It is considered cruel. It might get you a visit from animal control. Who approved this "Frankenstein" technology to be used on American citizens?

More people die in the U.S. from tasers then any other country. We lost a young man by taser here while incarcerated in our jail. There must be a better way to deal with claustrophobic anxiety then a taser? With the use of baton the man would be alive today. The young man had a mom and dad just like you and I. To process the tragedy for them and the officers will be most difficult. We prevent that from happening again by making SC a taser free community.



Bush tells me he has lived in Santa Cruz since the 70's, so I'll be asking him some "then and now" questions as well as my usual "what will you do the day after the election results show you've lost?"--which I've asked of every candidate. I"m more interested in activism all the rest of the days of the year, than election results.

Tune in and call in.

Or e-mail your questions to me at rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com