Goleta’s mayor is asking officials from Santa Barbara County to sit down and have a conversation about revenue neutrality, the agreement between the two agencies that requires the City of Goleta to give half of its property taxes and a significant portion of sales tax revenues to the county.
Mayor Michael Bennett has asked the county to start a discussion about the agreement, which was one of the conditions for Goleta incorporating in 2002.
On two occasions, the city has requested renegotiation of the agreement and the county has entered into confidential discussions, but there have been no changes to the ongoing payments.
Bennett wrote to Supervisor Janet Wolf, whose district includes Goleta, on July 23, asking for the meeting to discuss the RNA once again.
“As you are aware, the topic of RNA is of great importance to the city. We look forward to reopening discussion on this matter which is critical to the financial health of our community,” Bennett wrote. “I am requesting a small group of participants including Assemblymember Das Williams, County CEO Mona Miyasato and interim City Manager Michelle Greene to attend this meeting.”
Wolf is bringing the request before the entire Board of Supervisors on Tuesday in an effort to get feedback and see if another supervisor would like to sit in with her on the discussions.
Bennett told Noozhawk on Monday that his request was just to talk.
“I’m not looking for more than a conversation at this time,” he said.
Bennett spoke with Assemblyman Das Williams in Sacramento this spring, and said the lawmaker indicated a willingness to sit in on the discussion.
Bennett first ran for council in 2006 with revenue neutrality as a central issue, and has repeatedly raised concern during his tenure at the city, taking issue with the agreement having no end date.
“The county clearly recognizes that it’s not going to go away,” he said.
Calling it the most “egregious” RNA in the state, Bennett said the state enacted guidelines after Goleta’s agreement was passed to limit the amount counties could charge for city formation.
“I’m really concerned about it,” he said, adding that the city has always been willing to work with the county.
Wolf said she doesn’t have an official stance on the agreement because much of the negotiation is done in closed session and “the implications are big for both sides.”
“This isn’t a negotiation, it’s simply responding to a neighborly request from Mr. Bennett,” she said.
Wolf and former Supervisor Joni Gray were privy to one meeting with Goleta when both served on a subcommittee dealing with the issue.
Another meeting occurred when county staff met with city officials. Both meetings were confidential, Wolf said.
A meeting, if approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, wouldn’t represent a third round of negotiations, but a new discussion.
“There’s nothing to read into it and we’ll see what the board says,” Wolf said. “This is a cordial response to Mr. Bennett’s invitation.”
Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in the board hearing room on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
