Britton, a long-time critic of county politics and planning, says he decided to throw his hat in the ring to prevent Coonerty from running unopposed.
One of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors’ most vocal critics has decided to try to become one of them – local architect Cove Britton of Matson Britton Architects in Seabright was in the county building this morning to pay his $1,177 filing fee and officially begin his challenge of District 3 Supervisor Neal Coonerty. He said he made the decision to run on Friday in part to prevent Coonerty from running unopposed in the June election. “I didn’t want to be a politician, but I’ve been really disturbed by the direction of the county,” he says. “This board needs a fresh perspective.”
Britton is a familiar face in the Supervisor’s Chambers, where he regularly disputes county planning decisions that affect his clients and friends, often in regard to county red tag decisions. After the falling out between the supes and an independent planning appeals board about a year ago, Britton sued for the board to be reinstated on the grounds that the supervisors are violating state law without the board. Naturally, he says the recreation of the board would be one of his top priorities if elected. “I’m not pro-development,” he says emphatically. “I don’t want to see Santa Cruz mowed down and track homes put in. At the same time I don’t want to see people who live here abused. I was hoping Neal would work to see what’s going on, but I haven’t seen it.” Britton says he voted for Coonerty when he was elected in 2006.
Britton says he’s also interested in pursuing a closer look into the abrupt closure of Veteran’s Hall in downtown Santa Cruz, getting Cemex back in Davenport, regaining a volunteer fire station in Bonny Doon and drafting a code of ethics for the supervisors to follow. Transparency in county affairs and money seems destined to be a major campaign point. “The third district needs someone that’s really energetic. I respect Neal, but he does not seem to be at the forefront of these issues,” says Britton.
As to how optimistic he is on challenging the incumbent, he says he’s “cautiously optimistic.” “It’s a hard one. It’s sort of a ‘fighting the man’ kind of campaign,” he says. “I’ve never been politically active. My wife was elected to the PTA, I wish she would run, but she won’t do it.”
