Regarding the Aug. 29 article, “Santa Barbara Police to Evaluate Staffing, Funding to Continue E-Bike Enforcement,” UNderage, UNlicensed, UNinsured, UNtrained, UNhelmeted and UNprotected kids careening around on UNgoverned and UNlicensed electric motorcycles, UNheeding scant rules that are UNenforced.
Mark Cooper
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Sept. 2 article, “Sutter Health Criticized After Viral Video of Santa Barbara Urgent Care Staff Mocking Patients,” I’m not going to defend the clinic, nor am I going to condemn them regarding Santa Barbara’s latest outrage.
We all need to remember what an incredible asset Sansum Clinic serves as a functional nonprofit medical clinic in this community.
And as an occasional patient in the Urgent Care facility, I have seen many corporate posters that call for professionalism from its patient clients, who apparently need reminding to act in a civil manner when being served by medical professionals.
Obviously, not all of us who use Sansum Urgent Care behave in a civil manner that health care professionals deserve so it’s somewhat reasonable that there might be some Sansum employee blowback.
My question is why is this presumed outrage so important that Noozhawk, the Santa Barbara Independent and KEYT News had to display it as if it’s really news?
Dave Novis
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Sept. 4 article, “Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara Envisions Grand Redesign,” as a fifth-generation Goletan, my family and I have been patrons of Earl Warren Showgrounds for decades.
We’ve attended various events, volunteered for various activities, and have been financial sponsors of events at the showgrounds and improvements of the arenas and barns.
Recently, the EWS administration has released a small portion of the master plan. From what I have seen of it, their desire is to “reimagine” and do a “total rebuild” of our current showgrounds into what looks like a regional sports complex.
This property was NOT acquired and designed to be used as a major regional sports complex or major entertainment complex. It was designed for local use and emergencies.
The way I see it, the Board of Directors and the executive director have been lagging in their responsibility to manage the current facility correctly and profitably.
There is NO activity listed in the master plan, full vision activity list (pages 38-39) that could not currently be happening on the site as it is built today.
The marketing of the showgrounds and attention to deferred maintenance has been basically nonexistent with this administration for many years.
Their current means of making up for financial losses is to raise prices, which has shown to be unsuccessful. They have priced out the vary clientele they say they want to attract.
In closing, to gain a better understanding of this current master plan proposal, I feel there needs to be more transparency.
The following should be on the showgrounds website, accessible to the public:
- The complete and master plan, not just the first 47 pages of a 700-plus page document
- The needs assessment for this project
- Financial plan. Who paid to hire the consultants, funds raised to date, budget projections, etc.?
- Site management plan and timeline
- Staffing plan and timeline
I trust that Noozhawk will offer up to readers additional interviews of emergency service agencies and other users of the facilities at Earl Warren Showgrounds to get their take on this proposed plan.
Thank you for this opportunity to share my opinion.
Robin Cederlof
Goleta
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Regarding the Sept. 1 article, “Local Leaders at Santa Barbara Rally Advocate for Redistricting Measure,” how ironic that longtime politicians like Hannah-Beth Jackson — a term-limited former Assemblywoman and state senator — are such big proponents of Proposition 50.
Jackson, part-time Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats insist they’re just trying to take the high road to protect democracy from “this demented, deranged, idiotic, moronic person in the White House.”
But how will they do that? By voiding the overwhelming majority of voters who twice voted to amend the California Constitution to create an INDEPENDENT redistricting commission to take that process away from corrupt politicians drawing districts to serve their own self-interest.
“Protecting democracy?” That’s a laugh. They only want to protect their power.
Mike Allen
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the Sept. 1 article, “Democrats Gather on Labor Day to Blast Trump Policies, Promote Proposition 50,” Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps’ endorsement of Proposition 50 exemplifies the troubling gap between soaring rhetoric and good governance.
She proclaimed that Democrats “stand for hope, justice and dignity” while urging support for a measure that would allow the Legislature to override California’s independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
This is precisely backward. If we truly stand for democratic principles, we should strengthen independent institutions, not circumvent them when politically convenient.
The Citizens Redistricting Commission was created specifically to remove partisan manipulation from the redistricting process. Prop. 50 would restore the very gerrymandering powers that Californians wisely removed from legislative hands.
Capps’ remarks were similar to her 2020 campaign when she promised solutions to poverty, housing, climate change and fiscal efficiency. Yet five years later, those pledges have delivered little.
After decades of Democratic dominance, the results are unmistakable: a worsening homelessness crisis, swelling numbers of undocumented migrants straining local services, and layers of regulation that have helped hollow out State Street into a corridor of vacancies.
If these are the fruits of standing for the “right things,” we need change.
However, Prop. 50 entrenches and perpetuates the monopoly Democrats already hold over California politics.
Peter Sadowski
Santa Barbara
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