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Santa Barbara Council, Mayoral Candidates Face Off in Forum
Santa Barbara mayoral and City Council candidates discussed issues facing the city now and in the near future during a forum Wednesday night.
The event was sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Action Network’s Action Fund. The interconnected “HOT principles” — housing, open space and transportation — and the city budget dominated the evening’s discussion.
The 10 attending candidates, seeking SB CAN’s endorsement, represented a wide range of experience in government, campaign strategies and positions on specific issues.
Issues relating to affordable housing were brought up by citizens and mayoral candidates Steve Cushman, Iya Falcone and Helene Schneider.
“Let’s be realistic — Santa Barbara doesn’t want any more housing,” Cushman said. It’s all about transportation and getting people of all incomes to their jobs, he said. He sees rebuilding the local economy as a primary goal, and recognized the impact of tourism and UCSB.
Falcone and Schneider addressed the issue of large units, and those who make too much money to qualify for low-income housing but can’t afford market housing.
All three support the Living Wage Ordinance, and said they don’t see rent control as something that is necessary or discussed much for Santa Barbara.
None of the mayoral candidates participating in Wednesday’s forum openly supported Measure B, the height-limit initiative, but said they most likely would support the will of the voters. Cushman opposed planning by government referendum on principle. Falcone said the initiative should have taken more than height into account, and Schneider said she wouldn’t take a public position on the matter.
“I think it’s much more of a complex issue than height,” Falcone said, mentioning that setbacks, open space and the breadth of a building all contribute to the concern of over-development.
The candidates’ experience with community involvement and government was discussed in statements and questions from the audience.
Schneider, one of the younger members of the City Council, was asked if her age was a disadvantage. “President Barack Obama is 48 — I think I’m OK running for mayor at 38,” she said.
Seven City Council candidates were in attendance Wednesday, filling the table at the front of the room from end to end, with Lane Anderson spilling over onto the side.
Some audience members left after the mayoral candidates spoke, but council candidate David Pritchett reminded those who stayed that City Council members get one vote, as does the mayor.
With three seats up for grabs in November, Grant House is the only incumbent in the race. If one of the current council members is elected mayor, his or her seat would be filled by the candidate who finishes in fourth place in the race.
Council candidates showed more range in experience and opinions, especially on city planning, budget ideas, campaign funding and homelessness.
During a discussion about the 25,000 commuters into Santa Barbara each day, candidates generally agreed that more affordable housing and better transportation options — including regional transit, commuter rail and carpool lanes — are key ways to address the issue.
Anderson is not accepting campaign funding from anyone, but all of the other candidates saw the need to have funding to get their message out. Campaign funding statements showed vast differences in the size of contributions, from less than $100 to $20,000.
Other council candidates who participated in the forum were John Thyne, Harwood White, Cathie McCammon and Dianne Channing.
SB CAN members voted to endorse candidates from both races and will present their recommendations to the organization’s board.
Another forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort, hosted by the South Coast Communities Coalition.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments
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» on 08.13.09 @ 08:11 AM
at least Cushman and Falcone have been consistent in their opposition re: a ballot measure to lower heights. In the past six months Schneider has been all over the map—-from actively working to develop a competing ordinance to essentially supporting the initiative. Which is it? Is this the kind of wishy-washy mayor she would be?
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» on 08.13.09 @ 08:30 AM
Then again, Cushman has never seen a housing project proposed by one of his developer friends that he didn’t speak out in favor of. Now he says SB doesn’t want any more housing. Can’t have it both ways.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 09:34 AM
You cannot assume all past Chamber of Commerce positions were also those of Steve Cushman personally.
Go to his website for better and more accurate information
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» on 08.13.09 @ 09:47 AM
In order to attend this debate, SBCAN requires that you support their agenda. That is why whoever did NOT show up gets my vote. Thank you SBCAN for showing us who NOT to vote for if we don’t want our tax money redistributed. There is a less biased debate on Friday hosted by the South Coast Community Coalition.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 09:50 AM
It’s clear to see who wants to suck money out of the government to throw money at SBCAN to house illegal aliens…can you spell social justice?
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» on 08.13.09 @ 09:52 AM
But why does Helene’s hair make her look so much like the clown that she is? And how does she get it to look like that?
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» on 08.13.09 @ 09:59 AM
MORE affordable housing? Who pays for this during a budget crisis?? Keep chasing the middle class out of town and you will have more and more commuters - SBCAN is self defeating. Vote for the candidates that SBCAN would not accept for this debate - Justin Tevis for one. SBCAN has far too much political influence in this city.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 10:05 AM
You all want to INCREASE cost of government with a living wage ordinance? Tired of civic leaders that think YOUR money is THEIR money. I am noting the absence of Isaac and Dale Francisco and Justin Tevis.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 10:30 AM
“SBCAN has far too much political influence in this city.”
Still looking for that influence, but someone do explain.
Justin Tevis confirmed earlier that he would show up at this candidate forum event. He even was on the ballot for the SBCAN members to vote for which of the eight candidates to endorse. Only seven of them were there, with Tevis a no-show.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 11:14 AM
“Justin Tevis confirmed earlier that he would show up at this candidate forum event.” I know Justin and here are his words, which I hope he doesn’t mind if I repeat from an email:
“The SBCAN debate is tomorrow night. I am signed up for it, but may opt out. They say that to participate you have to agree in principle to what they stand for, which I don’t.”
Look for him tomorrow night at the South Coast Communities Coalition forum.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 11:46 AM
Haha, if one thinks that Cushman’s positions do not parallel those of the Chamber of Commerce. He has said that he will retain his CofC job if elected—- just think how often he’d have to recuse himself! It’ll be a dark day here in dog town if he’s elected.
But as for Helene, “Nothing Personal” look in the mirror if you think your comment is not personal! Such personal comments add nothing to the discussion ...except perhaps to give yet another reason to support the candidate sneered at.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 12:44 PM
Don’t confuse “Santa Barbara doesn’t want any more housing” with the issue of how the existing housing should be parsed out. What Cushman and the DO and the other business activists want is a continuation of their conversion of SB into a rich person living space and a weekend tourist destination which benefits their tacky and socially destructive business model. We do need housing that would accommodate a cross section of the demographic that exists in any community. However the DO and their cronies on city staff have wiped out most affordable housing (cheap hotels and decent rentals)in favor of tourist stuff. Is there any mayoral candidate that will speak to the grotesque reconstruction of the city that has been underway for the past 25 years? At least Isaac is advocating district elections which would help slow down or even break up the control of the merchant barons.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 01:31 PM
Very good point RHS. If the economic down turn has taught us anything it is industry that relies on luxury is the first to tank and the last to recover. A diverse economic base (like that of Goleta) is less likely to suffer in a down cycle and more likely to recover quicker when things turn around. Affordable housing for the hotel wait staff is a joke and a drain on the economy here. They found in Goleta that for every aerospace job they lost they lost four jobs in the service sector. SB’s nearly all service now, so if someone sneezes the whole city dries up financially. Good grief get a clue folks.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 01:41 PM
“However the DO and their cronies on city staff have wiped out most affordable housing (cheap hotels and decent rentals)in favor of tourist stuff.”
So what you seem to be advocating instead, RHS, is converting cheap hotels and rentals into public housing (now renamed “affordable housing” after “public housing” took on the bad connotation it deserves). When that happens you will see eviction of current tenants who make too much to qualify for affordable housing, kicked out onto the streets to join the homeless rosters or forced out of town to commute, adding to the transportation problem problem SB CAN seeks to solve, further eliminating the essential middle class, and reducing further revenue while increasing expenses. Meanwhile the underclasses are well housed and contributing less to the system. This is the destructive socialistic agenda of SB CAN.
SBCAN’s agenda taken to it’s natural end leaves us with only rich (who can afford it) and their exploited servants (who are subsidized) in Santa Barbara. It will be so much more like the resort cities of Mexico. That should make a lot of people feel at home.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 01:43 PM
It was just an observation - die her hair red and she looks exactly like Bozo. Saying that I highly doubt will persuade people who were not going to vote for her to change their vote, but if it makes you feel better to think that…
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» on 08.13.09 @ 02:03 PM
I would have loved if Tevis would have shown up to this event, just to make a statement against affordable housing and stir the pot. Everyone knows he is against these wasteful agendas along with candidates like Dale, Frank, & Michael. I think they would all make a great team to bring this city back to life.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 02:17 PM
I have nearly tripped over Cushman’s big shiny shoes thrust into the back aisle in Council Chambers many times, as he awaits his turn to voice his support of one luxury housing project after another. If someone is trying to imply that he doesn’t personally support the position he takes, then he’s even worse than I already think he is. Oh, and he’s been the head of the Chamber for the past 20 years. by now, there’s no difference at all between him and the CofC.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 03:42 PM
Falcone consistent in her opposition to B? You must not have been there last night. “Falcone confessed that she didn’t sign the petition. She said that she wanted to wait and see if the voters brought it to council. “It’s a very complicated issue. I do understand the merits of Measure B. I will support whatever the people vote for.” http://craigsmithsblog.blogspot.com
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» on 08.13.09 @ 05:19 PM
The tax and spend your money liberals have failed, and the unions have bought them.
Change is needed..No more unions—long outlived any usefullness—no more union shills..
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» on 08.13.09 @ 05:57 PM
drum roll…...........................
...................................................
..................................................
Because he LOOKS like a Mayor! **CRASH CYMBAL**
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» on 08.13.09 @ 05:58 PM
Well, council members will have to support whatever the voters vote for, if they vote for Measure B, because it will be part of the City Charter, to be changed only by a vote of the people, not the council
It was fully consistent of Falcone. She has said that she did not support it all along. She has never said she would break the law and refuse to support the Charter.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 07:16 PM
Iya was just disqualified from running as she didn’t have enought qualified signatures .
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» on 08.13.09 @ 07:18 PM
SBCAN sucks!
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» on 08.13.09 @ 07:54 PM
Reaching into someones back pocket is called theft. Reaching into someones back pocket in order to give your money to someone else is still called theft. Where do I come from? Mars I guess, certainly not socialist Santa Barbara, where this is called “economic justice”.
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» on 08.13.09 @ 08:08 PM
Tevis may not be for SBCAN’s agenda, which is good, but the big problem with him is he is anti-cop, wants police to stop enforcing minor laws such as traffic enforcement and wants the police department to be reduced in size—- all evidenced in letters to editors he has written. He has no understanding of law and order issues and will inadvertantly, due to his bias against law enforcement officers, cause this City to be less safe. Perhaps if he were older he would learn that law enforcement is important and that he serves no purpose wanting to further reduce the size of the police force.
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» on 08.19.09 @ 09:00 AM
tevis is very much pro-police. i have spoken with him personally and he is very supportive of maintaining & well funding our existing infrastructure. his thing is that he wants a stronger focus to be put on the gang problem in the form of anti-gang task force units and sting operations to combat the graffiti problem. this is exactly what our city needs.
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