Lawmakers must restore Workforce Quality Incentive Program
I started my career in a skilled nursing facility twenty years ago as a certified nursing assistant. Over time, I worked in admissions, earned my nursing license, became a nurse at the same facility my grandmother was a patient, and eventually advanced into my role as case manager. Through every step of that journey, one thing remained clear: skilled nursing facilities are lifelines for patients and families.
As a case manager at Watsonville Post Acute and Nursing Center, one of more than 1,000 skilled nursing facilities statewide, we care for people recovering from strokes and surgeries, seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Many have nowhere else to turn for the round-the-clock medical care they need, and nearly all rely on Medi-Cal or Medicare.
Our team of nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists works together to develop personalized care plans for each patient’s unique needs.
And the care we provide goes beyond round-the-clock medical care. We celebrate holidays, and milestones with our patients, and support their families during moments of uncertainty. Over time, our patients become like family.
But delivering this high level of care is only possible with adequate funding—and today, California is failing skilled nursing patients and the workforce that cares for them.
In July 2025, the state budget cut the Workforce Quality Incentive Program (WQIP), eliminating $300 million in state and federal funding for skilled nursing facilities. These cuts eliminated critical resources that support recruiting staff, workforce training, and facility improvements.
As a nurse, upcoming state budget decisions are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they have consequences for my patients and the workforce that cares for them. Without adequate funding, skilled nursing facilities across the state risk staffing shortages, reduced patient services, and even closure. That means fewer care options when patients and families need them most, and longer, more expensive hospital stays.
As California faces a growing aging population, restoring WQIP in the 2026-27 state budget is not optional—it is essential.
Now, more than ever, Gov. Newsom and lawmakers must restore WQIP to ensure our most vulnerable Californians continue to have access to the critical skilled nursing care they need—when they need it most.
Nicole Peterson
LVN, Case Manager
Watsonville Post Acute and Nursing Center
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Response to Chavez scandal was knee-jerk reaction, points to wider plot
This whole Cesar Chávez deal is curious to say the least. A few weeks before this year’s Cesar Chavez holiday comes a New York Times story that Chavez, a half century ago, sexually abused several women members of his United Farmworkers Union, including the top woman figure of the movement Dolores Huerta.
In a typical knee jerk reaction, city, county, state and federal officials moved in record time to remove the name of Cesar Chavez from any schools, streets, and institutions that Chavez had been named after. The news story rendered Chavez guilty, rendered Chavez an evil heathen, and voided Chavez’s name from the accomplishments of his union. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, an American icon has been erased from importance. A news story I read asserted the charges are “indefensible.”
Well, duh, Cesar Chavez is not alive to defend himself. And defend himself from what? No criminal charges have ever been filed against him regarding the allegations. Also, what would motivate the 96-year-old Dolores Huerta to now bring to light these incidents? Why did it take over a half century? One local board member put in that in light of Chavez’s removal, a school should be renamed for Huerta. Is Dolores Huerta, this late in life, trying to steal Cesar’s thunder? Get her name put in the forefront of the farmworkers union, and history, and get a holiday in her name? I think Huerta is being manipulated, by some nefarious power. That power is pretty much obvious. The same power that created ICE and that is going after anything immigrant, or alien related. Their goal is to remove any ethnic heroes off America’s hero board. The same power that said Chavez is just like all those rapists that we are allowing into our country. But that power, who is a complete dufus, forgets that Chavez was a born and bred American, and a much older American than himself.
For all our all knowing—and politically correct present leadership—how about removing the names of John F, Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, heck even FDR, and Thomas Jefferson, and many more, too many to mention, off all the schools, streets, buildings, airports and institutions that they are named after. For all those illustrious Americans abused women, committed adultery, committed immoral acts in office and out. Maybe the whole idea of naming things after such people should be put to pasture. 123rd street, and RRR school is just fine.
Charles Birimisa
Watsonville
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Trujillo should pay attention to impacts of his remarks
Regarding the recent racial incident caused by Trustee Steve Trujillo’s insensitive actions against African Americans in the Board meetings of Cabrillo College, I think that he did not pay enough attention to the negative impacts caused by his actions while he tried to defend his actions by saying that he did not have any harmful intentions. I am saying this as a person who took training about racial issues. Cabrillo College is a public community educational institution. I do not know what action the Board might have taken in this case, but I believe that he is required to pay deep attention to the negative impacts caused by his insensitive actions as an elected official, a Trustee, who has represented Trustee Area 7.
Takashi Mizuno
Watsonville
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Rail a necessity in times of war
As the Iranian war continues and oil is held hostage with the closure of the Strait, as gas prices creep ever higher, our RTC and certain elements in our County continue to berate the possibility of rail. I find this unconscionable.
All of us are hurt by the increase in crude oil prices. Gas and diesel have already risen 40% in just a few weeks. The cost of propane has always increased along with gas and diesel. Food and beverages will increase in price as the cost of delivery increases. This will eventually affect the cost to charge an EV as the costs roil production and maintenance. Those on the lower-income tier may find it harder and harder to fill their tanks to get to work or school, eventually costing us in intangible ways.
Currently the only method of delivery into our county is by a paved road. Rail, a very cost effective method of transportation, is unavailable; and if the RTC and the anti-rail elements have their way, it never will be.
Freight and passenger rail could and should be a reality that Santa Cruz County moves toward as a viable alternative to less asphalt and traffic congestion.
Vicki Miller
Santa Cruz
