I read Theo Howe’s Jan. 17 letter to the editor with disappointment and sadness.
As someone with significant scientific training (degrees in physics and electrical engineering) who has participated in scientific research, I know that the Jan. 14 Noozhawk article, “Draft Report Says Rising Seas Will Significantly Affect Santa Barbara Beach Areas,” is based on legitimate science.
Global warming and sea-level rise are, indeed, scientific realities. I’ve studied climate research for decades, and I read science articles in many fields daily.
The reason Howe, as a business owner, disagrees with the article is the same reason large business groups like chambers of commerce spread disinformation about climate change. Businesses don’t want to spend the money to adapt to global warming.
The dangers are real and will be difficult and, in many places, impossible to deal with, and efforts will be at great cost. If we’re going to do anything, the time to start is past. We need to take action now.
Brian Epstein
Santa Barbara
• • •
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) — the voice of California’s 58 counties — would like to thank Santa Barbara County Supervisor Das Williams for his strong leadership at the state level in the area of Health and Human Services.
Williams represented California’s counties for the past two years as chairman of CSAC’s Health and Human Services Policy Committee. During that period, he worked closely with CSAC officers and the Board of Directors to review, update and advise the county platform that guides CSAC policy positioning on Health and Human Services issues and legislation.
Notably, he played a leadership role in steering the committee on policy decisions related to preserving the Affordable Care Act in 2017, and more recently securing counties a more sustainable fiscal structure for the In-Home Supportive Services program.
Williams continues to play an active role in CSAC representing Santa Barbara County as a member of the association, and we are deeply appreciative of his insightful voice and leadership.
Graham Knaus,
Executive director
California State Association of Counties
• • •
I support Bruce Porter for Santa Barbara County’s Third District supervisor.
I’ve known Porter for a number of years. He has an amazing passion for our community and its citizens, and has dedicated countless hours in volunteer time to work hard for the benefit of others.
As chairman of the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross, he demonstrated qualities of leadership and common sense that we also need to have on our county Board of Supervisors. He showed compassion for victims, charity for those in need, strength of character in times of adversity, and asked tough questions at budget time.
Additionally, I deeply respect Porter for his integrity and leadership in so many other positions, such as the school board, Rotary, Boy Scouts and Youth Coalition. I’ve also had the pleasure to attend a local veteran organization with him and see his desire to support local veterans in the community first hand.
Porter truly places others before himself, and has gained tremendous respect and trust from the community. I have no doubt that he will make an outstanding county supervisor.
Please join me in voting on March 3 for Bruce Porter for supervisor.
Brian Bull
Buellton
• • •
During Bruce Porter’s previous attempt to become Santa Barbara County’s Third District supervisor, I attended some of his public events. They were tightly controlled appearances where his credentials were recited but he took few questions.
His campaign office does not return phone calls. And just last week, Porter was the only candidate who chose not even to appear at a lively forum for voters. Is that a sign of respect and commitment?
In contrast, since being elected as supervisor, Joan Hartmann has been eminently approachable on any matter that concerned me or my neighbors. She has held countless town hall-like gatherings throughout the district, making herself available to listen and respond to all questions.
The job of county supervisor is an important one. Further, the Third District supervisor has often cast the tie-breaking vote on matters that affect the quality of our lives and the balancing of our budget.
Hartmann has proven that she takes the role seriously and devotes her time, energy and considerable experience to it. She has a proven record of leadership in advancing public health, the safety of our roads and neighborhoods, disaster response and water-wise policies.
Total compensation for the position is more than $100,000 a year. Isn’t this enough to ensure that a supervisor is financially able to give full time and attention to it?
Still, after four years, Porter will not pledge to leave his private job as a financial adviser to the wealthy to give more than part-time to the taxpayers of the county he would have pay his salary.
Seth Steiner
Los Alamos
• • •
In the Jan. 10 Letters to the Editor, Sara Miller McCune writes that “On the national level, we are seeing the destructive elements of an administration operating from a quid pro quo approach — that’s Latin for pay to play.”
Latin may be a dead language, but the meanings aren’t.
T. Hearn
Santa Barbara
• • •
In Marc Dion’s Jan. 5 column, “Playing the Numbers with ‘a Good Guy with a Gun’,” he asks, when is a good guy with a gun a hero?
The answer is simple: When the criminal is stopped. That is all. It doesn’t matter how many were injured or killed, just that he was stopped.
Side note: Even police stopping a threat is adequate for the hero title to apply.
Dion’s mocking of the church members is disgusting, by the way.
Justin Ooms
Santa Barbara
• • •
Mail Calls
Noozhawk welcomes and encourages expressions of all views on Santa Barbara County issues. Letters should be BRIEF — as in 200 words-BRIEF — and letters under 150 words are given priority. Each must include a valid mailing address and contact information. Pseudonyms will not be used, and repeat letters will be skipped.
With rare exceptions, this feature is published on Saturdays.
By submitting any content to Noozhawk, you warrant that the material is your original expression, free of plagiarism, and does not violate any copyright, proprietary, contract or personal right of anyone else. Noozhawk reserves, at our sole discretion, the right to choose not to publish a submission.
Click here for Noozhawk’s Terms of Use, and click here for more information about how to submit letters to the editor and other announcements, tips and stories.