In 1997 the State of California Legislature created the Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century to review current statutes &, where appropriate, recommend revisions to the laws that govern city, county, and special district boundary changes. Over a period of 16 months, the Commission held 25 days of public hearings, received over 100 recommendations, and had nearly 90,000 visits to the commission's website. Based upon this extensive input and deliberations on the information received, the Commission has issued this report, which concludes with a strategic plan for its implementation by the California Legislature. Illustrated.

In an era of vanishing wetlands, the Watsonville Sloughs, one of the largest fresh water wetlands in the California Coastal region, lie nearly hidden in Santa Cruz County within sight of the Monterey Bay. This series of essays by Jerry Busch brings to light the mysteries and beauties of the slough habitats and the wild creatures that live there. Woodcuts by Andrea Rich and photographs by Gypsy P. Ray, Frank Maxey, Virginia Newton, Edison Rosser, Victor Schiffren and Carol Whitehill further highlight the richness of this area. Watching the Watsonville Wetlands takes the reader on an armchair tour of these sloughs. The nature essays are enhanced by Gary Kittleson's description of the sloughs' geological evolution, and Christine Johnson-Lyon's rich cultural/social history of the area. Complete with maps and species list, this book encourages the reader to discover this rare treasure firsthand. Jerry Busch and the Watsonville Wetlands Watch have revealed to us a hidden and wonderful world in the overlooked Watsonville sloughs. This book will, at once, serve as a great introduction and a motivation for visiting the subtle splendor of the wet world west of Watsonville. Book jacket.