the santa cruz city council approved an ordinance at their meeting last NIGHT, WHICH gives preference to local businesses for city contracts costing more than 10-thousand dollars. locally owned businesses will receive a 4 percent advantage over lower bidders from out of town. if the lowest bidder is from out of town, the city will choose a local business at their original bid price, if the difference is within 2 percent for local businesses or 6 percent for locally owned businesses. the city would absorb the difference in cost.