Conservative Andy Caldwell is speaking out against the proposal to increase salaries for the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Caldwell, the executive director of the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business and a frequent critic of government, called the proposal to increase salaries by 58% “obscene.”

Caldwell makes the claim that the supervisors have a “part-time job,” and that they only meet formally three times a month, take two months off during the summer, and take off several holidays throughout the year.

“The bulk of what they do the rest of the week is a form of campaigning, electioneering and rubbing elbows with people to remind them they are their county supervisor,” Caldwell said.

Santa Barbara County Human Resources conducted a salary survey and determined that the Board of Supervisors pay was far below counties of similar population. Supervisors currently earn about $115,000 annually.

Board Chair Laura Capps has swung back at Caldwell, issuing public counterpoints.

“We are always ‘on,'” she said. “If there is a fire or eviction or crisis even during Christmas, we are working with responders and conveying information to our constituents.” 

She also said, “to think we just show up at hearings without preparation is ridiculous.”

Caldwell said the supervisors might work eight-10 hours a day on board hearing days, but not the rest of the week.

In this podcast, he also talks about the controversial American Medical Response contract, and his expectations of Roy Lee on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Check out Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina every week on you YouTube Channel and every Monday at Noozhawk.com. Molina is an award-winning journalist with 25 years of experience covering government, politics, people and culture. His podcast is separate venture from Noozhawk. Please consider making a contribution to support his podcast series by clicking here.