Politics

At a recent board of supervisors meeting, Supervisors Jerry Muenzer and Anthony Botelho were required to remove themselves from a discussion on the Williamson Act. During the public hearing, the supervisors were asked to consider if the property tax benefit should be lowered by 10 percent and contracts reduced to 9 years as a way to move $230,000 back into the general fund.

With county supervisors holding a retreat-style meeting Tuesday in a conference room at the behavioral health department office, Board Chairman Jaime De La Cruz ensured that every resident in attendance will get a chance to watch the proceeding or else it would be moved to another location.

There were no dramatic shifts in the latest vote count released by the elections office.

Elizabeth Martinez held a three-vote lead in the race for a Hollister School District seat after the elections office released its latest count Friday.

Because two supervisors maintained a conflict of interest on a decision over the matter, the Williamson Act benefit for local landowners will stay the same.

Local school officials breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday morning when it became clear that voters had approved a state ballot measure that will alleviate the need for further cuts at K-12 schools for the second part of the school year.

Joe Paul Gonzalez, the county clerk-auditor-recorder, said Tuesday's election brought out a large turnout to the polls, including a high number of voters dropping off vote-by-mail ballots in person.

Hollister businessman Ignacio Velazquez is headed toward victory in the city's first mayor's race.

Democrat Assemblyman Luis Alejo retained his seat for another two years by cruising to victory Tuesday over Hollister resident Robert Bernosky.