Santa Maria Sun / News

Cover Story

Santa Maria is close to passing an H-2A housing ordinance, but the issue isn't settled yet

Main Street Produce was expecting its first crew of H-2A workers to arrive when the conversation over the federal foreign worker program exploded in Santa Maria. “We were just kind of dipping our toes in the water to try it last year,” Alexandra Allen said. “I was just kind of struck by what seemed to me to be the fundamental unfairness with which we were being characterized.”  Allen works on the legal side of things for the agricultural company that she and her husband own in Santa Maria. She spo... [ Read Article ]

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Santa Maria Sun / Opinion

Commentary

Finding common ground and hope for Santa Maria

Cities are difficult to govern. They are not empowered, protected, or even recognized by the U.S. Constitution. They cannot print money or set interest rates. They cannot control the people and businesses that move into them, or move out. They sit between the rock and hard place of raising enough tax revenue to cover the municipal services that their constituents are ever demanding, without chasing residents and businesse... [ Read More ]

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