SBCAN

[Letter To The Editor by George Relles of SBCAN, printed in the SBN-P, 2/9/2005]:

'SBCANT' moniker doesn't fit action group - 2/9/05

Voice From Santa Barbara: George Relles


The Santa Barbara County Action Network would like to respond to News-Press Editorial Page Editor Travis Armstrong's Sunday column, so that readers don't misconstrue silence as acceptance of his statements.

Last week, SBCAN's executive director, David Fortson, testified that the Board of Supervisors' closed session decision to reverse its effort to acquire property for a park in Isla Vista, coupled with unreturned calls to 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone about this, left the public in the dark.

Mr. Armstrong called this testimony "whining," yet the very next day the News-Press wrote: "County residents need to be vigilant to make sure this new board doesn't come down on the side of meeting in secret to avoid individual accountability in controversies."


We agree with the public's right to know and wouldn't characterize Mr. Armstrong's similar observation as "whining."


We object to Mr. Armstrong referring to the Santa Barbara County Action Network as "SBCANT."

This is an intentionally derogatory name coined by Andy Caldwell of COLAB, and we're surprised Mr. Armstrong would repeat it. Name calling adds nothing to the public debate.

Finally, Mr. Armstrong erroneously called SBCAN "just a creature of the media."

As a matter of simple fact, we have more than 600 members, about one-third of whom live north of the Santa Ynez mountains.

A Santa Maria resident, Yvette Andrade, says: "SBCAN is strengthening the progressive voice in northern Santa Barbara County."

On the South Coast, former Supervisor Naomi Schwartz has said: "SBCAN is providing a rational and intelligent voice for sound community planning and social equity."


We believe that our efforts opposing oil drilling at Tranquillon Ridge, advocating for creating a county alternative transportation manager, opposing the wasteful county split, opposing gentrification in Santa Barbara as epitomized by a multi-million dollar condo proposal for 1620 Garden St. and supporting the adoption of the county's inclusionary housing policy are just some examples that SBCAN can, and does.

We also helped elect two of our founding board members to the Santa Barbara City Council, Das Williams and Helene Schneider, whom the News-Press has often praised as fresh, young voices in local government.

As an organization committed to reasoned debate and democratic participation, SBCAN welcomes disagreement and discussion. We ask only that the sole local daily newspaper in our community set a better example on its editorial page.


George Relles is president of SBCAN.


[ SBN-P online edition: 'SBCANT' moniker doesn't fit action group ]

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