By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Cruz’s newly elected mayor said his focus will be on improving the city’s economy and public safety.
Ryan Coonerty, 36, formerly Santa Cruz’s vice mayor, is replacing outgoing Mayor Mike Rotkin and faces a $6.5 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year.
“We’re operating in a difficult financial situation, so we really have to make tough decisions,” Coonerty said. “We need to start some new initiatives to grow the economy and create jobs.”
To that end, he outlined a plan that includes doing outreach to businesses to determine their needs.
Coonerty said he will announce in January a technology task force comprised of high-level professionals in the technology sector to address public safety, public participation and economic development.
He said he will also adopt a climate action plan to reduce carbon emissions and tackle public safety issues. He plans to expand an after-school program to deter kids from joining gangs and possibly increase the number of officers in the Police Department.
Coonerty has served on the City Council since 2004 and as mayor from 2007 to 2008.
He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon, a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
He teaches constitutional law at the University of California, Santa Cruz and is the co-founder of NextSpace, a company that aims to provide physical and virtual infrastructure for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Coonerty was raised in Santa Cruz and follows in the footsteps of his father, Neal Coonerty, who was mayor two decades ago. They are the first father and son to each serve as mayor in Santa Cruz, Coonerty said.
He is married to Emily Bernard Coonerty, president of the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz.
In his spare time, Coonerty enjoys playing basketball, reading, and writing. He is the author of “Etched in Stone: Enduring Words From Our Nation’s Monuments” and is working on his second book.