Incumbent Goleta City Councilman Roger Aceves is looking to hold on to his seat, but is facing a stiff challenge from one of the rising stars in the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party.
Aceves is running against Luz Reyes-Martin, a member of the Goleta Union School District board of trustees, in the Nov. 8 election.
It’s probably the most competive race on any ballot on Santa Barbara County’s South Coast.
It’s the first time Aceves has faced a one-on-one challenge in Goleta. The city moved to district elections this year.
Reyes-Martin is waging a heavy duty campaign to win the seat. She has raised about $57,000. Aceves has raised about $37,000.
The two are colliding at a time when voters will decide a 1% sales tax increase and whether to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, and while the community is wrestling with the look and design of Old Town Goleta.
All of this is set against a backdrop of state demands that the city of Goleta plan for 1,837 new housing units between 2023 and 2031.
Roger Aceves
Aceves, a retired police detective, was first elected to the City Council in 2006, and has served four terms. He’s a Democrat, and has lived on the South Coast for more than 40 years.
On the City Council, he is mostly governs from the center, and stands on a board of Democrats that lean farther left.
There’s no doubt that Aceves is passionate about his position. In 16 years, he’s never missed a meeting.
He’s a frequent face around town, volunteering at the Goleta Train Depot during the holidays, and has served on the boards of the Pacific Pride Foundation, Old Spanish Days Fiesta, and is currently the board president of the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County.
On the issues of the day, Aceves is the only member of the Goleta City Council who opposes the proposed 1% sales tax increase on the ballot.
“Sales taxes are regressive, meaning that they take a larger percentage of income from the low-income taxpayers than high-income taxpayers,” Aceves said. “Increased sales taxes also make it difficult for local small businesses to compete.
“Although, the proponents argue that 40% of those paying are non-residents, which I disagree with, the impacts are the same to the taxpayers.”
Aceves said the city should be able to better manage its finances without asking residents for more of their money.
“The bottom line, the 1% sales tax comes at a time when inflation is at its highest level in four decades, and interest rates are at their highest in over 20 years,” Aceves said.
In running for re-election, Aceves touts the completion of Johnny Wallis Park in Old Town Goleta, improvements to San Jose Creek, and balancing the city’s budget.
“I also was successful in creating a trust fund to address future increases in pension and retiree medical benefits, eliminating taking funds from our general fund,” Aceves said.
If re-elected, Aceves said he wants to continue his high level of service, with a focus on maintaining roads and sidewalks, improving parks and open spaces, while “doing so in a fiscally responsible manner.”
One of the other major issues before the city is the plan for the Old Town Goleta Interim Striping project, which would reduce Hollister Avenue from four to two lanes in the Old Town corridor and adds bike lanes.
The goal, according to the city, is to create “safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for community members of all ages and abilities, regardless of their mode of transportation.”
The City Council will talk about the issue on Thursday. Aceves said he’s not sure yet how he feels about the topic
“I am still collecting comments from both the residents and businesses in Old Town,” Aceves said.
In terms of the overall plan for Old Town, Aceves said, “We need to re-engage the public in the visioning process.”
“We have spent many years and dollars identifying many alternatives, and yet it nothing is being done.,” Aceves said. “We were able to complete the sidewalk improvements in the adjacent neighborhoods, however, Hollister Ave remains the same.”
Aceves was the only council member to vote against Measure C. The City Council in 2020 banned the sale of flavored tobacco in Goleta, citing concerns about how the product was marketed to youth. The ban was challenged by referendum, and now the issue will appear on the ballot.
A “yes” vote would put the flavored tobacco ban in place, while a “no” vote would deny the ban.
The council’s action has been put on hold since the referendum made the ballot. There’s also a statewide measure on the ballot that would ban flavored tobacco.
‘I understand the issue, keeping it away from our children,” Aceves said. “What I disagree with is spending Goleta monies on this measure when it is already on the state ballot this November.”
Luz Reyes-Martin
Reyes-Martin works as the vice president of community engagement for Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, and is one of the rising stars of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party.
A graduate of Stanford University and USC, with degrees in planning and public administration, Reyes Martin is also deeply entrenched in volunteer work in the community.
She has served as chair of the Sierra Club, and as a board member for the CALM, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, and as a volunteer bilingual public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management.
“As a council member, I will be a committed, proactive, and responsive representative for the residents of District 1 and the Goleta community as a whole,” Reyes-Martin said. “I want to get things done and deliver for the residents of District 1.
“I am confident that working together, we can do more to support our Goleta neighborhoods, enhance public safety, address traffic congestion and improve our roads, expand bicycle and pedestrian accessibility, support our local economy, and safeguard our precious environment.”
Reyes-Martin did not take a stand on the whether she supports Measure B, the proposed 1% sales tax increase.
“I believe the City has made a compelling argument for the funding needs that are necessary to support important public safety and infrastructure needs for the City’s future,” Reyes-Martin said. “Additionally, the city hired a professional firm that conducted two polls of Goleta residents. Those polls, which surveyed hundreds of Goleta voters, found significant support for the sales tax measure.
“In light of this information, I believe it is prudent to put this question to the voters of Goleta to decide. The residents of Goleta are smart and well informed. I trust them to consider this issue and make their decision.”
She does support the interim striping project.
“At a recent community workshop, community members heard from the city’s consultant about the compelling public safety considerations that went into the interim design,” Reyes-Martin said. “Public safety has to be the predominant factor in moving forward with a project like this. If we can reduce vehicle, bicyclist, and pedestrian accidents then we should, as a community, adapt to change.”
She said an interim project allows the city to slow traffic and encourage more people to walk or ride their bicycles.
“If approved, the city can work on getting regular input from residents and make adjustments before pursuing a permanent redesign,” Reyes-Martin said. “As a mother, I love bringing my kids to Old Town. I would feel safer and more confident enjoying time in Old Town with them if vehicle speeds were reduced.”
As for Old Town Goleta overall, she said she has spoken to parents at Nectarine Park to talk to them about their concerns.
“During the early months of COVID, I knocked on doors in Old Town to talk with parents to find out more about how they were doing and what more the school district could do to support them,” she said.
She said Old Town residents want their neighborhood to reflect the pride they have in their community.
“They want maintained roads, even sidewalks on Hollister, a spruced up Community Center, and more engagement from their elected officials,” Reyes-Martin said. “These are all issues that I care about, and that I want to work on as a council member.
Reyes-Martin also disagrees with Aceves on Measure C, the flavored tobacco ban. She supports both the local and statewide proposition.
“The tobacco industry uses flavored tobacco and deceptive packaging to hook our kids onto harmful nicotine,” Reyes-Martin said. “I stand with parents, public health experts, medical professionals in supporting Measure C and Proposition 31.
“Locally, when the city of Goleta passed its local ordinance, the community heard from students, parents, doctors, and public health experts about the harmful tactics that are used to lure children to nicotine. We must do our part and pass Measure C and Prop 31.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
