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Letter to the Editor: Santa Barbara Mayor Responds to Newspaper’s Mudballs

By Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum | Posted on 07/03/2008

On July 2, the Santa Barbara News-Press editorial page editor launched a number of mudballs at me. Here is my response:

I did not cause a “deadly youth gang crisis.” The truth is that the budget for the Police Department has climbed each year I have been mayor. The fiscal year we just ended, it was $32,206,702 and this new fiscal year has an increase to $32,960,553. The overall crime rate has fallen steadily over the past decade, and this city has stepped up to pull together youth-serving organizations for a short-term summer strategy focusing on core gang members and a longer-term strategy preventing and intervening in gang activities. It is working. Government, nonprofits, schools, businesses are all working together, making a difference in the lives of our youth.

Saying that I am “approving overdevelopment that is changing the essence of Santa Barbara” assumes that I act alone and that there is overdevelopment going on. The fact is that I don’t act alone, and we are a well-planned and well-managed city. Do I like the two buildings on Chapala Street that are so controversial? Not much, but I did not have anything to do with their approval. They were approved at the Planning Commission without an appeal. Yes, this town is changing, a steady growth rate over the past 50 years of a little over 1 percent a year. Now the growth rate has leveled off, less than 1 percent each of the last couple of years. Do I like the way this town has evolved? Yes, very much. We have managed our growth well here. It is one of the best places to live in the world, not only for its physical beauty but for its wonderful people who live here. We are a caring, compassionate people, ready to help our neighbors and to celebrate this place.

The editorial page editor says that I twice tried to get him fired. Show me the letters or the e-mails to that effect. He can’t because they don’t exist. Early in his career, I tried to get then-publisher Joe Cole to get him out into the community so he can see who we are and what we are about in order to write better editorials and opinion pieces. I have never tried to get him fired, although everyone knows I have had many reasons to. He cannot come up with any proof of this.

Show me any proof that I resent former Mayor Harriet Miller. It does not exist. I don’t. She has her style and I have mine, which is the way it should be. It was the editorial page editor who canceled my appearance on her radio show for no reason that I know of. I stand ready to come on the radio station anytime, and I have an open invitation to the editorial page editor to come on my radio program.

I have no idea about the other mudballs he threw. I don’t remember refusing to have a picture taken with Bruce Rittenhouse on the beach of Puerto Vallarta, nor do I know of any letters about former Mayor Miller I would have delivered to the News-Press. Why would I do either of those things? Nor have I ever ordered my husband to do anything. We are married 44 years because of a mutual respect for each other, not for any ordering around.

Mud is better when it is not flung around.

Mayor Marty Blum
Santa Barbara

» where do I sign up? wrote on 07/13/08 @ 03:55 AM

where do I sign up to get Travis Armstrong fired?

» Albert Melkonian wrote on 07/05/08 @ 08:03 PM

MARTY:

Nice response. You made your points without getting drawn into a [spitting] contest with a skunk.

AAM

» John Ess wrote on 07/05/08 @ 07:18 AM

I am a person who wants to see the News-Press once become what each newspaper reader reaches for each morning. I agree that Travis Armstrong’s inconsistent views are becoming more bizarre and biased (the Miramar stands out: I think he is being unduly influenced by those Montecito ‘celebrities’ who oppose the project). That does not excuse Marty Blum’s similar bizarre, petty, mean and inconsistent behavior. I will be happy when her role in syncophantasia ends.

» Jim Balter wrote on 07/05/08 @ 07:08 AM

It’s embarrassing living in a town with people as stupid and/or vile as “this is no joke”, “john smith”, “montecito resident” ... and Travis Armstrong.

» this is no joke. wrote on 07/04/08 @ 01:00 PM

The Mayor does not like representing the people who do not agree with her. She has been seen and heard repeatedly being mean, petty and unkind to citizens who express opinions that do not coincide completely with her own. and she’s notorious for saying one thing to a constituent’s face, and another to someone else. She just hates getting caught. And her husband, whether she “orders” him to do it or not, ends up doing her dirty work, as in this case.

» John Smith wrote on 07/04/08 @ 06:33 AM

Marty the liberal wacko blue liner needs to go, tax and spend socialist like her and the nutty council need to understand there is more to life than government employee’s. The private sector worker will do three times the work as a civil servant, because the servant has no insentive to work hard. This is why Government is Bankrupt.

» S anderson wrote on 07/04/08 @ 05:12 AM

Mayor Marty Blum is one of the best things that has ever happened to this community. She has depth, compassion and knowledge of the Santa Barbara community, and is obviously very proud to represent all the citizens in her capacity as Mayor.
Stop with the mud, News Press. Enough already.

» Montecito Resident wrote on 07/04/08 @ 04:10 AM

More fluff from Queen Blum. She wants to be remembered as the Green mayor..because that is much easier than focusing on the gangs and homeless. Yes I said homeless....didn’t Marty respond to that? They’re frickin’ everywhere and getting worse. As far as crime goes I think it definitely has gotten worse http://www.sbcops.com/news/
Breakins and burglaries are widespread...just not reported. She needs to stop worrying about her legacy and roll up her sleeves or get out of the way.

And yes Travis needs to go....his writing and content is nothing like you would expect to see from an Editor.

» Jack Easterbrook wrote on 07/03/08 @ 12:29 PM

Since Travis Armstrong is seldom seen around town nor does he appear to have any one he admires, I wonder why he continues to live here!! He surely can’t be smelling the roses and enjoying life. He has developed the News Press as one-sided reporting of things he likes.

» Bugs Bunny wrote on 07/03/08 @ 11:56 AM

And remember...MUD spelled backwards is DUM!

» Robert C. Meltzer wrote on 07/03/08 @ 11:18 AM

Armstrong may actually be worse for the NP than Wendy. Never seen anyone so loath to print an opposing view. Even the LA times prints opposing views - almost daily.

» SB Reader wrote on 07/03/08 @ 08:35 AM

What is most troubling is that this is proof that the NP has truly lost all professional credibility. I am still a subscriber because to be fully informed I think you have to be and I have read the NP for over 50 years. I have always found Mr. Armstrong to be a poor writer and his Editorial “voice” has become increasingly bizarre and this one is about the worst, whatever one thinks about Mayor Blum. She is the sitting twice elected Mayor of our City and the position demands respect from our local newspaper to at least publish her short, straightforward response. Of course nothing. I cannot imagine any reasonable intelligent person being able to defend that.

» NP employee wrote on 07/03/08 @ 07:30 AM

With the biggest story of the year for Santa Barbara Scott Steepleton takes off on vacation

» Here We Go Again wrote on 07/02/08 @ 10:37 PM

Does that twit never quit?! He never makes the slightest bit of sense. Thank god we have professional alternatives like Noozhawk to get real news.