It has been asked before, when you go shopping for Memorial Day sale items, what is the bottom line of those discounts?
My grandpa survived torpedoing in World War I, my dad survived a full tour as a Navy bomber pilot in the slot in World War II, my uncles survived the European Theater and the Battle of the Rhine.
Never is there a failed moment of pride when I put on my Santa Barbara Chapter 218 of the Vietnam Veterans of America shirt and hat and go to the Memorial Day service at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Remembering family and friends like Hap, Joe, John, Cus, Don, Fred, Tom, Bernie, Ray, Geary, George, and I can go on.
They paid the price of those Memorial Day sale items.
The terrible price paid by Gens. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, U.S. Grant and their men. The Green Mountain Boys. Valley Forge. The medics, nurses, and those who filled the ranks when others fell and made veterans proud.
As Gen. Douglas MacArthur said in his 1962 farewell address to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, “Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thoughts will be of The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps.”
The check has been drawn and signed, with patriots’ sweat and blood — standing tall and looking good.
So enjoy the sales, because my grandpa with his combat ribbon tucked away in his drawer, did exactly that! He ALWAYS had a great barbecue on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
Scott Wenz
Santa Barbara
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I don’t have a lot of hope for the future of State Street. I habitually watch Santa Barbara City Council meetings going back for decades. Also, the Historic Landmarks Commission, the Architectural Board of Review, Planning Commission and others.
I know, I’m weird that way.
But I’ve also been working to bring beauty into our community since 1988. That was the year I switched from being a bellman at the San Ysidro Ranch to being a gardener.
For reference, Ronald Reagan was president. That’s how long I’ve been working with plants to create beauty. From the Ranch to the Biltmore Hotel, then to El Encanto for 10 years.
Currently I’m employed by a number of businesses in the Funk Zone and other areas. I’m still at it 37 years later.
I bring up my experience and obsession with city politics to shed light on the State Street-Highway 101 underpass renovation at a cost of $11 million to the city.
The choice of plants is boring. Trailing lantana, “chalk sticks” succulents and some Birds of Paradise are being overtaken by weeds. Some weeds are taller than the Birds of Paradise.
Some of the trees that were planted look half-dead, and I’m being nice. It looks like there is no irrigation going on.
So I have no hope for the future of State Street and those folks who pack council meetings being led by the Bicycle Coalition and Strong Towns Santa Barbara.
They have great ideas for a master plan. However, nobody is taking care of this multimillion dollar renovation. Why would these people trust the city?
Dan Seibert
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding the May 19 article, “Santa Barbara County Issues Layoff Notices for 84 Positions,” government accounting is a highly inexact science, with some crystal ball and Ouija board mixed in to the process.
But 84 humans (not just employees, or positions) is not just a blip, or rounding error. Eighty-four people is the near equivalent of three classrooms of learners.
If they matter (certainly they do), then one would expect that those other 84 humans now on the bubble also matter.
This process seems to have been poorly handled. If job fairs are to be held, with potential alternate roles available to nearly half, why not do that process first? Send notices to the heads of the impacted departments: X number of your employees are on the bubble, are any interested in exploring alternate roles? Maybe that approach is slightly more, um, human.
Or, as in other hard times of disaster when Santa Barbara County residents have banded together (how is a layoff threat in today’s economy not a disaster to these 84 humans?), what if county employees (beginning with the Board of Supervisors) were given the option to vote on proportionate pay decreases to save the jobs and ability to provide of these 84 humans?
This discussion also begs the question: Did the funding fall short, or the projections process, or some of both? Are any of the projection-ers among the 84?
Aaron Drake
Santa Barbara
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After nearly eight years of navigating a long, winding road toward a septic-to-sewer solution, the Los Olivos Community Services District has reached a crossroads.
The district leadership recently reported a sobering reality: without a $1.5 million planning grant, the district may be forced to dissolve.
They proposed asking cash-strapped Santa Barbara County for transient-occupancy tax revenue as a fallback, but a more direct and democratic alternative emerged during a recent Local Agency Formation Commission meeting.
In April, LAFCO commissioner Craig Geyer, who represents independent special districts, offered earnest guidance to district leaders.
The district has long asserted that overwhelming community support exists for this pipeline-to-Solvang project.
Noting the current $700 annual assessment on the district’s 385 parcels, Geyer reminded the district that it can take its funding concerns straight to the public by putting an assessment increase to the voters:
“Kinda seems like that would be a good litmus test,” Geyer said. “If they turned you down, it wasn’t you that dissolved the district, they did.” He urged the district to “really consider going back to the voters because if they approve it, that’s it; you’re on the same page and you’re moving forward.”
If you care about the future of our groundwater, development along the Alamo Pintado corridor, or the fate of the $1.5 million grant, attend the Los Olivos Community Services District’s community workshop on June 3.
Kathryn Lohmeyer Rohrer
Los Olivos
• • •
When so much daily news ranges from bad to worse in our world, it is a pleasure to learn about “cheap renewable energy” from Karen Telleen-Lawton’s May 18 commentary, “Here Comes the Sun.”
It seems almost too good to be true that renewable energy has become cheaper than subsidized fossil fuels! This is huge! From California to Texas, plans for large power plants generated by sun, wind and power are actively in the making.
And get this, “fully half of the swing to renewables is happening in China!”
In spite of the climate change denial by President Donald Trump and his administration, it’s great news that we are certainly headed on the path of “solar liberation” and that we can harness the sun’s virtual endless rays.
Thank you, Noozhawk, for bringing this important and often overlooked sunny phenomenon to warm even the most despairing cold hearts.
Josie Levy Martin
Montecito
• • •
Another election is coming up next month. This election is designed to winnow down the race for a very large field of candidates for governor. Locally, we will elect representatives to Congress, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and other elected officials.
In this case, re-electing the same people will only produce the same results: the rapid deterioration of a once beautiful and affordable place to live.
In Lompoc, there is a sales tax measure designed to help address a $70 million backlog of road repair projects. Hopefully, voters see the value of a focused measure like this and will vote “yes.”
No matter what you think, vote. It’s the only way you can express your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the choices our politicians make.
Ron Fink
Lompoc
• • •
The May 10 article, “Santa Barbara City Administrator Explains Lease Amendment Ballot Measure,” mainstreams a misleading narrative.
The article says the measure allows City Hall to lease public land “for as long as 99 years” instead of the current 50. That is flatly untrue.
The city’s amendment is striking out the 50-year limit entirely, leaving no cap at all. It paves the way for perpetual privatization of our public assets.
Furthermore, City Administrator Kelly McAdoo argues that this tilts future deals in the city’s favor. But what about the citizens?
Currently, contracts exceeding five years require an ordinance, whereby citizens may review the fine print and mount a referendum. Measure A2026 eviscerates this oversight to a resolution, meaning contracts can be approved in a single afternoon session behind closed doors. This was done at the specific request of City Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon.
Moreover, Paseo Nuevo’s redevelopment shouldn’t be used as a high-pressure scare tactic to strip voters of our checks and balances.
This ballot measure isn’t a “magic wand” for housing, it is an invitation to a lack of transparency and back-room deals.
Vote NO on Measure A2026.
Joann Olejnik
Santa Barbara
• • •
As someone who has worked closely with Kyle Slattery on two nonprofit organization boards over the past 10 years, I can attest to his integrity and skill in financial management.
Slattery is eminently qualified to be Santa Barbara County controller. His experience in modernizing county enterprise systems will ensure that departments work together better, that the county is spending its money efficiently, and just as important, that it is collecting money that is owed.
Vote Kyle Slattery for controller!
Kevin Snow
Santa Barbara
• • •
Most people don’t know how important the office of Santa Barbara County clerk-recorder-assessor is. We vote for that person because they oversee our records, property taxes and, perhaps most important, our elections.
That’s why we need someone who shows up and knows the work. That person is Melinda Greene.
Greene has been the chief deputy clerk-recorder-assessor for 12 years, so she knows all aspects of the department. She’s very proactive about ensuring that we are protected from fraud in every area that she oversees.
She’s gone the extra mile to get certified in all the areas covered by the job, and keeps up with the latest developments in the field.
By contrast, incumbent Joe Holland hasn’t been in the office in more than 18 months. When asked to present to the Board of Supervisors about election safety, he was a no-show, sending his deputy.
Holland was first elected in 2002 — that’s 24 years ago. Whether it’s burnout or arrogance, he’s clearly not interested in doing the job we elected him to do.
Greene offers the perfect balance of expertise and freshness. She will hit the ground running, with energy and commitment.
Please vote Melinda Greene for clerk-recorder-assessor.
Laura Selken
Santa Maria
• • •
I see someone filed papers to try to replace Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Tom Adams. He’s irreplaceable, one of a kind — dedicated, hard working, great sense of humor.
I served with Adams for many years on the bench and can tell you from personal experience that there isn’t a finer judge to be sitting in the county.
Among other things, we both served over the years on the Appellate Department. Before they were done away with, an appeal from a ruling of a judge in Municipal Court would go to the Appellate Department, made up of three judges from the Superior Court. It’s still that way, only the Municipal Court is now part of the Superior Court.
We heard cases and deliberated together and then issued a ruling. You can tell a lot about someone in those circumstances. Adams was intelligent, concerned and hard working. He was a delight to be around with his insights and sense of humor.
I retired years ago, but I keep knowledge of the court as a matter of interest. It would be a big mistake to take him from the bench.
Zel Canter
Retired Santa Barbara County Superior Court-Santa Maria Branch judge
• • •
As an attorney who practiced law in Santa Barbara County for more than 40 years, I had the opportunity to appear before many judges. Based on that experience, I strongly support the re-election of Superior Court Judge Thomas Adams.
Adams possesses the qualities our community should expect from a judge: intelligence, fairness, integrity, patience and respect for every person appearing before the court.
He is consistently prepared, attentive, and committed to applying the law fairly and impartially.
In my experience, Adams treats lawyers, litigants, witnesses and court staff with professionalism and courtesy. He listens carefully, maintains a well-run courtroom, and issues thoughtful and well-reasoned decisions based on the law and evidence.
The position of Superior Court judge carries enormous responsibility, and Adams has demonstrated the judgment and temperament necessary to serve our community with distinction.
Santa Barbara County is fortunate to have Judge Thomas Adams on the bench, and I respectfully encourage voters to support his re-election.
Paul Capritto
Santa Barbara
• • •
Judge Thomas Adams is standing for re-election this year. I have known him since 1981 and have practiced in front of him and was a colleague on the bench with him for almost 23 years.
He was appointed in 1982 and has heard every criminal and civil case that can possibly come before the court: traffic, family law, small claims, DUIs, juvenile, arraignments, Teen Court and death penalty cases.
Despite that experience when Adams presides you would not be able to tell he has heard every argument that can be made on any issue because he listens attentively, questions earnestly and rules decisively.
Adams also knows when a small nod or smile can help litigants, witnesses, lawyers, juries and staff during contentious litigation.
As retired Assistant District Attorney Patrick McKinley puts it: “He has handled hundreds to thousands of cases and trials — and there have been no scandals, etc. The district attorney and (defense) do not disqualify him. There is no hint that his courtroom is unfriendly or unfair. He starts on time. He has read the file. He is decisive and not afraid to make a decision.”
Adams has the wisdom, knowledge and fortitude to continue to make the decisions we all come to court to receive. He has earned our trust and deserves our vote.
Edward DeCaro
Retired Santa Barbara Superior and Municipal Court commissioner, 1987-2009
Santa Barbara deputy district attorney, 1981-1987
• • •
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