I’m Renee Golder, and I’ve served on the Santa Cruz City Council since 2020, including two years as Vice Mayor. I was born and raised here in Santa Cruz, and I’ve raised two children who attended our local public schools and are now young adults in college one is at Cabrillo College, and the other at UC Santa Cruz giving me a deep, personal stake in our city’s future. I also work as a school principal for my day job, which keeps me grounded in the day-to-day challenges families face.

Throughout my time on Council, I’ve focused on making Santa Cruz safer, more resilient, and more livable. That work has included addressing complex challenges such as wildfire recovery and preparedness, storm recovery along West Cliff and the Wharf, and balancing critical local infrastructure needs with evolving state requirements. I was deeply involved in supporting small businesses during COVID-19 recovery, advocating for practical solutions that helped our local economy survive and rebuild.

With my city staff and my council colleagues I have also championed quality of life initiatives passing ordinances related to camping and oversized vehicles, supporting active transportation projects, helping complete the Rail Trail, and investing in essential local infrastructure. Beyond the dais, I regularly participate in beach cleanups and watershed restoration, reflecting my commitment to environmental stewardship and climate resiliency.

In addition to serving on the City Council, I represent Santa Cruz at the regional and state level through the League of California Cities. I currently serve on the League’s State Board of Directors as the Monterey Bay Region representative. Previously, I served two years on the State Public Safety Committee, where we worked on Proposition 36 and other regional public safety efforts. Across all of my roles, I’m committed to thoughtful governance by asking tough questions, weighing trade-offs carefully, and ensuring city decisions are fiscally responsible, fair, and balanced.

I’m running for re-election because I care deeply about Santa Cruz. We face ongoing challenges including climate risk, housing pressures, infrastructure needs, and public safety concerns and addressing them requires experience, institutional knowledge, and practical leadership. I want to continue serving this community with integrity, collaboration, and a focus on long-term solutions that strengthen Santa Cruz for current residents and future generations.

As a bilingual school principal, mother of two young adult college students, former active union member, and longtime community volunteer, I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to this work. I am committed to addressing critical issues such as housing, the impacts of crime and addiction on our neighborhoods, parks, and businesses by working on solutions for those experiencing homelessness. I will continue building a broad, diverse coalition of support and connecting with voters about the issues that matter most to them in the months ahead.

Experience. Integrity. Action. The work isn’t finished re-elect Golder in June 2026!