Reserves / Das & Dan

[ Excerpt from SBN-P article, 11/26/05, By JOSHUA MOLINA ]


... Santa Barbara's budget forecast looks a little less bleak.

Revenues are expected to be higher than originally believed. Coupled with lower pension payments next fiscal year, the city now plans to eat up about $5.7 million of its budget reserves through 2009 -- down from about $7.2 million that it last projected...

Still, at this pace, the city plans to break its own policy for the minimum amount to maintain in its budget reserves.

The policy states that the budget reserves should be at least 10 percent of the overall general fund. In 2009, the city projects a budget of $100.4 million, which would mean that it would need to have at least $10 million in budget reserves.

As of today, the city projects about $4.9 million in the reserve bank. The city has a separate "disaster" reserve budget that is projected to have about $16 million in 2009, and the city does not plan to touch that money.

New numbers were presented to the city's Finance Committee this week, in a meeting that featured a biting exchange between Councilmen Dan Secord and Das Williams...

The brighter budget picture may bring more hope for supporters of a proposed living wage ordinance. The matter is expected to return to the City Council next year.

At this week's meeting of the Finance Committee -- made up of Dr. Secord, Mr. Williams and Councilman Roger Horton -- living wage proponent Harley Augustino took a seat at the table alongside the committee and members of the city staff.

Toward the end of the meeting, Mr. Augustino asked questions about the budget but then made comments about the upcoming living wage discussion.

Dr. Secord abruptly cut him off.

"Harley, it's over. You're done," Dr. Secord said. "When you started making a speech, your comments are over."

The activist tried to speak again, but Dr. Secord, chair of the committee, called on Mr. Horton, who had an unrelated question.

Mr. Williams then interrupted Mr. Horton, saying, "Hold on a moment."

"It's not irregular for us to allow people to make speeches," Mr. Williams told Dr. Secord.

Dr. Secord retorted, "What do you want to do about it?"

Attempting to defend Mr. Augustino, Mr. Williams said the activist should be given time to speak, regardless of whether he was making a "speech" or not, suggesting that it was inappropriate to cut off a member of the public.

Dr. Secord told Mr. Williams, "No, I don't want to."

Dr. Secord added that Mr. Augustino was free to go to the full council meeting and make a speech if he desired.

Mr. Augustino, looking perplexed, just smiled. The meeting ended a few minutes later.

Mr. Augustino did not return to the full council meeting later in the day.


S.B. expects to use less of its reserves

Encouraging Green Building

[ Excerpt from SBN-P article, 11/25/05, By JOSHUA MOLINA ]


In an attempt to promote environmentally friendly building principles, the city of Santa Barbara is going to offer swifter plan checks to builders who meet higher green standards...

The program goes into effect Jan. 1...

Here's how the program works:

Builders use a checklist that includes categories of environmentally friendly techniques for energy efficiency, health and air quality, site and water protection and other factors.

The Contractors Association developed a three-star rating to determine the level of environmental efficiency. After the construction is completed, the association will determine whether the project gets one, two or three stars, according to the Built Green Program.

City officials said projects that receive at least two stars from Contractors Association will get rewarded with a speedier plan check, which essentially confirms whether projects comply with safety, engineering and planning and other legal codes...

The city plans the same incentive program for larger commercial projects, using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards created by the U.S. Green Building Council. Projects that meet the silver standard will receive the expedited plan check.

In addition to the voluntary program, the city of Santa Barbara plans in December to take a look at its own green-building efforts.

The incentive program has been wholeheartedly embraced by the City Council and the Contractors Association.

The council voted 6-0 this week to support the incentive program.

Proponents say that green building techniques may cost more money on the front end, but that over time, they save the homeowner money. Solar panels, for example, pay themselves off eventually and cut electricity costs.

"Because building things in the most responsible fashion sometimes has a short-term gain, government providing some incentive is really the way to help encourage people to be looking at that long-term gain," said Councilman Das Williams...


Program encourages green building

2nd District

(Map courtesy of 2nd District Supervisor's Webpage)


[ Article excerpt from SBN-P article 11/17/05 By BARNEY McMANIGAL ]


... Four local politicos inched closer to entering the county's June 2006 race for 2nd District supervisor... Santa Barbara City Councilmen Das Williams and Dan Secord, former councilman David Landecker and former Goleta school board Trustee Janet Wolf say they want to succeed Ms. Rose on the five-person Board of Supervisors.

Although no one has officially declared, at least two -- Ms. Wolf and Mr. Williams -- have lined up potential campaign staff...

A candidate who captures more than 50 percent of the vote would win outright in the June 6 balloting. If no candidate prevails, the top two finishers would meet in November for a second match-up.

Ms. Wolf, 51, who arguably has the least political experience of the four, so far has lined up the most early support. Although Ms. Rose has declined to endorse anyone at this point, her South Coast colleague, 1st District Supervisor Salud Carbajal, wasted no time in offering his "unequivocal and full support" to Ms. Wolf.

The former school official, who talks warmly of her 20 years living in the community, said voters will forgive her lack of political savvy.

"I feel that I've made connections with the people of the 2nd District, and that's more important than all of that stuff," said Ms. Wolf, who has lined up James Kyriaco Jr. to manage her campaign.

Mr. Landecker, 54, a former city councilman, said he would decide on the race after seeing how well candidates like Ms. Wolf articulate the needs of the district, especially on issues such as land use and housing.

He said the community needs to work together to save open space and create affordable homes...

He also said his decision to run would rest on whether the public could forgive him for an incident that prompted him to resign from the council in 1991. Mr. Landecker was caught switching price tags on an item at the Home Improvement Center...

Mr. Williams, 31, the youngest potential candidate, said he would unite South Coast liberals who have increasingly split over the issue of growth.

"If the South Coast doesn't stand together against the strong anti-environmental policies of the current board majority, then we're in deep trouble," said Mr. Williams, who touted his strong stand on the council against development in the Los Positas valley and upper State Street.

The first-term councilman said he is "still thinking and praying" about the race. If he does run, he plans to hire political veteran Stephanie Langsdorf to pilot his campaign, he said.

Dr. Secord, 69, a member of the California Coastal Commission who is barred by state law from running for a third council term, could not be reached Wednesday. But he has met with district residents about the race.

The lone Republican to consider the contest so far, Dr. Secord could suffer from the district's 4-3 Democrat voter registration edge. But he also stands to benefit from reduced competition for moderate and conservative voters...


CONTENDERS: 4 already eyeing spot on board

Sea Otters 2

[ Excerpt from SBN-P article 11/16/05 By JOSHUA MOLINA ]


... The Santa Barbara City Council fumbled through a disjointed three-hour meeting on Tuesday over whether to abolish an otter-free zone off the coast.

... Multiple attempts to craft motions failed.

... The panel eventually directed its staff to draft a letter opposing a translocation plan and expressing concerns about any penalties for commercial fishermen who accidentally harm sea otters. The matter will come back to the council in December.

... Council members Das Williams and Helene Schneider brought the matter to the full council on Tuesday night. Nearly 20 people spoke in a lively meeting.

They both want the otter-free zone abolished and were frustrated with their colleagues' unwillingness to take a clear stand on the issue.

"Has translocation failed? I think that is utterly clear," said Councilman Williams. "Translocation has not worked. It doesn't work to try and spend millions of dollars to recover a species while engaged in activities that lead to its death."

Mr. Williams said the city needs to set higher environmental standards and learn from the mistakes of the past.

"Humanity in general has done our local environment and in particular sea otters a disservice in the past," Mr. Williams said.

But Councilman Brian Barnwell couldn't support Mr. Williams' proposal. Looking frustrated all night with Mr. Williams' words, Mr. Barnwell frequently took off his glasses, sighed and shook his head when Mr. Williams spoke.

"I am not easy with this whole thing here," Mr. Barnwell said. "It isn't the way we do business here. This is completely out of line."

Mr. Barnwell criticized the way the issue came before the full council, saying that it didn't follow the process. Several times during the meeting, he poked fun at a UCSB master's thesis that proponents of abolishing the zone were using as one of several sources for suggesting that protecting the otters would help tourism.

"It is so out of whack with the way of the city of Santa Barbara does stuff that I am having trouble even listening to this discussion. I am not happy with this. I don't like it. and I don't ever want to find myself in this position again."

The councilman had an ally in Councilwoman Iya Falcone.

"The fishing fleet in this community is historic and should be protected," Ms. Falcone said, pointing out that the city's maritime history is strong and that every human got here initially by sea.

Although she acknowledged that the translocation plan has not worked, she said that the issue needs more study.

"It's a balancing act that we have to take very seriously and take our time with," Ms. Falcone said...


Council struggles in debate over otters

Downtown Parking Fee Increase

(Graphic courtesy of Carol Mendel Maps)

[ Excerpt from SBN-P article 11/16/05 By JOSHUA MOLINA ]


... In a unanimous 3-0 vote, the city's three-member finance committee on Tuesday gave its approval to raise the parking rates from $1 to $1.50 every hour, but keep the first 75 minutes free.

The city needs to raise $1.8 million annually for the next 10 years to pay for parking lot improvements, which include painting, replacing staircases, upgrading elevators and other maintenance work.

Of the $1.8 million, $500,000 will go toward building up reserves for the downtown lots.

Marshall Rose, chairman of the Downtown Parking Committee, said a fee increase of some type is necessary and that the proposed 50 cents is the least painful option for the businesses in the downtown area.

Keeping the first 75 minutes free for motorists will give people enough time to run their downtown errands or grab a meal. And for the long-term fiscal health of the downtown parking lots, a rate increase is needed, he said.

"It's fiscally irresponsible not do this," Mr. Rose said. "We should have done this five years ago."

... Separate from the parking rate talks, the city is also looking for new sources of revenue for mass transit. Councilman Das Williams, a member of the finance committee, said at Tuesday's meeting that even though he wants to increase funding for buses, he doesn't expect people who park downtown to shoulder the extra costs.

But he does hope the city can find money to improve pickup times at bus stops -- a move that he said would encourage more people to ride the bus, ultimately easing traffic congestion.

"There isn't an issue more on people's minds in this election than traffic," Mr. Williams said...


City prepares to raise downtown parking fee

Sea Otters 1

[ Excerpted from UCSB's Daily Nexus, 11/15/2005 ]

Otters Pop Questions to Council

By Christy Escobar — Reporter


At a hearing this afternoon, the Santa Barbara City Council will consider whether it “otter” let some of the most dangerously cute animals in the Pacific Ocean return to local waters after more than a decade in exile...

Council member Das Williams, who is co-sponsoring today’s hearing with fellow council member Helene Schneider, said he thinks the hearing could result in a substantial shift in the city council’s policies toward the presence of otters in Santa Barbara.

“The intent of the hearing is to change the council’s position from no-otter to pro-otter,” Williams said.

A 1987 program coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - a division of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior - resulted in the relocation of many otters from Santa Barbara to San Nicolas Island, Williams said. He said the program was created to protect the creatures from man-made catastrophes such as oil spills.

The letter to the Dept. of the Interior, which the council is considering today, alleges that the relocation plan did not take into account the mobility of otter populations, or the high mortality rate of relocated otters.

Having sea otters in Santa Barbara’s waters is fun for local beachgoers, Williams said, and produces many benefits for the local environment. Among other things, he said, the otters’ diet includes sea urchins that damage kelp forests, which plays an important role in the coastal ecosystem.

“I’m a surfer,” Williams said. “I don’t mind sharing the water with sea otters, but it has practical purposes, as well.”

Santa Barbara could also benefit economically from the presence of otters, Williams said in the draft of the letter to the Dept. of the Interior. The letter, which was signed by Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, states that otters are a good tourist attraction.

According to the letter, a study done by Defenders of Wildlife - an international animal rights group - found that increased populations of sea otters in the area could result in the creation of around 50 to 250 extra jobs in Santa Barbara’s tourist industry.

Opponents of the policy change include fisheries and individual fishermen who fear that the otters could have a negative impact on their businesses, Williams said. He said the policy’s detractors are mainly limited to fishermen who specialize in sea urchins.

“Sea urchin fisherman are opposed because they want as many [sea urchins] as they can get,” Williams said. “The crab and lobster fishermen are concerned there might be less [catch], but aren’t adamantly against it.”

According to the policy drafted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 140 otters were relocated from Santa Barbara to San Nicolas Island as part of the 1987 relocation program between August 1987 and March 1990. The majority of the otters left the island and either returned to Southern and Central California, or were never accounted for.

Today’s meeting will give locals a chance to voice their opinions about the otter relocation project and the possibility of a change in Santa Barbara’s policy regarding the animals, Williams said.

“It’s a great opportunity to impact the local and federal governments’ policies - to embrace otters and allow otters to live and thrive in Santa Barbara,” he said.


Otters Pop Questions to Council - Daily Nexus Online

Nov. 2005 Election Summary

[ Excerpted from SB Independent, 11/10/2005 article by Ethan Stewart and Nick Welsh ]


After weathering an election campaign defined by hardball political jockeying and insider crossfire, Santa Barbara voters did what they generally do, re-electing three incumbents and filling the sole open seat with the safest bet. Mayor Marty Blum easily prevailed over a field of four challengers, beating her closest rival, Lanny Ebenstein, by a margin of nearly 2-1. Incumbent Councilmember Roger Horton played both tortoise and hare, emerging as the top votegetter with nearly 21 percent of the vote, despite his emphatically low-key style on the stump. Trailing him by a scant 710 votes was incumbent Iya Falcone, who survived an intensely personal campaign launched by Blum and Councilmember Das Williams to replace her with neighborhood advocate Dianne Channing. Filling the seat vacated by outgoing Dan Secord is first-time candidate and former planning commissioner Grant House, a smart-growth advocate and champion of alternative transportation, who garnered an impressive 17 percent of the overall vote. Rookie candidates Loretta Redd and Channing came in fourth and fifth, respectively, followed by anti-panhandling activist Terry Tyler, barber Charles Quintero, and homeless activist Bob Hansen.

Unlike most city elections, there were no developer bogeymen uniting Santa Barbara's predominantly liberal, environmentalist, blue-state blocs... The police, firefighters', and service workers' unions poured money into the race like never before. Santa Barbara voters accustomed to the guns-and-hoses political coalition between the police and firefighters unions-normally joined at the hip on all issues-saw their first responders split this year over the question of which third candidate to endorse. Neither endorsed anyone for mayor and both supported Falcone and Horton, but the firefighters backed House while the cops endorsed Redd.

Perhaps the biggest surprise element to this year's race was the impact of SEIU Local 620 (Service Employees' International Union), the largest city employees' union. Enlivened by a close relationship with Councilmember Williams, SEIU has become a force to be reckoned with in a hurry, pushing the Living Wage campaign before the City Council, negotiating the first-ever contract for the city's hourly workers, and asking such pointed and specific questions about negotiations in candidates' questionnaires as to make many City Hall insiders squirm. In addition, SEIU donated an unprecedented amount into the campaigns of all the winners, with the notable exception of Falcone, whom Williams had openly disavowed in favor of Channing.

And while tensions certainly flared this election season between Blum and Falcone, the real showdown was between Williams and Falcone, with plenty more to play out. As the two most nakedly ambitious members on the council, Williams and Falcone also happen to represent rival wings of the Democratic Party; suffice it to say that "bridge building," normally tossed around by candidates who intend no such thing, may well provide some of the best spectator sport at City Hall for the next 12 months. Mayor Blum, for one, seemed not terribly worried. In her victory speech, Blum said, "We all just need to come together and heal and make sure everything is okay."

In the meantime, Santa Barbara voters-mirroring the sentiment of voters statewide-soundly rejected all eight of the ballot measures on this year's special election ballot, including the four sponsored by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.


newsoftheweek

Mountain House Dedication

[ Excerpted from "ON THE TOWN: Lorraine D. Wilson," SBN-P, 11/9/05 ]


'It may be a cool and overcast day, but having you at this event fills this day with warmth and caring," said California Assemblyman Pedro Nava at the dedication of Mountain House.

The nine-bedroom, six-bathroom facility is home to 14 adult men, diagnosed with mental illness, taking another step to rehabilitation and moving back into the community. The home is staffed with three trained counselors during the day, two in the evening and one overnight.

The focus is to assist residents to become skilled enough to move into their own apartments or less-structured situations.

Mountain House is part of Phoenix of Santa Barbara, a nonprofit agency serving the community since 1972, and funded by grants from foundations, private donations and contracts with Santa Barbara County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services...

A Chumash blessing ceremony and a blessing from the Rev. Virgil Cordano and recognition of John Smith, former owner of the property, completed the dedication that included drummers and a jazz band.

Major donors to the renovation of the house were recognized and included: Lillian and Jon Lovelace, Eleanor and Clifford Wright, Venoco, Montecito Bank & Trust, Santa Barbara Foundation and Wood Claeyssens Foundation.

Salud Carbajal, 1st District county supervisor, participated as well as Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, City Councilman Das Williams; J.T. Turner, Phoenix of Santa Barbara executive director; Jim Piekarski, clinical director; Brianna Quen, program manager; Jim Broderick, county director of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services; Buck Gardner, senior counselor; and supporters: Darleen Chirman, artist Dan Chrynko, Christy Tarman, Barry Berkus, Bob and Dolores Hanrahan, Dr. David Bearman and his wife Lily Maestes, and Jan Loc...

The dedication was also a kickoff for the $2 million capital campaign to pay off the Mountain House mortgage and develop an endowment fund. To participate or ask questions, call Phoenix House at 965-3434.


ON THE TOWN: Lorraine D. Wilson

Old Granada Theatre

[ Excerpt from "Collective Chatter" by Martha Smilgis, 11/8/05 ]

DRAMATIC DEMOLITION: Theme music from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" filled the empty, concrete shell of the old Granada Theatre. Harriet Miller stepped up to the stage with a giant sledgehammer. Just as the music swelled, our former mayor took a big swing and slammed the hammer into the old wooden floor. The floor began to wobble and then, wondrously, caved in the middle as bright light and smoke poured forth -- thanks to three fog machines. ... The Granada Restoration team cheered, hooted and whistled before retiring to the Founder's Room overlooking State Street, where coffee and scones were provided by Marla McNally Phillips and Anne Smith Towbes. Cups were raised for passing the $30 million mark by celebrants including Morrie Jurkowitz, Michael Towbes, Jon Clark (for Wendy McCaw), Marshall Rose, Joanne Rapp, Betty Stephens, Marty Blum, Das Williams and Hannah-Beth Jackson. ... Target date for completion is February 2007. ...

Collective chatter

Living Wage Chronology

[ Chronology of the struggle for the Santa Barbara Living Wage, from PUEBLO and Santa Barbara for a Living Wage ]

Our organization [PUEBLO] is part of the "Santa Barbara for a Living Wage" coalition
of faith, labor and community groups who proposed a living wage ordinance
("LWO") to the Santa Barbara City Council in April 2005. The full Council
voted 6-1 to pass it to two committees on June 21, 2005. Starting on July
12, 2005, the Ordinance Committee (Falcone/Schneider/Barnwell) reviewed our
proposal and drafted one of their own, which they passed to the Finance
Committee (Secord/Horton/Williams) on September 13, 2005.

The Ordinance Committee began with a massively restrictive mandate. Out of
concern for how taxpayer dollars are spent, living wage ordinances can apply
to city workers, city service contractor employees and employees of
city-funded (grants or contract awards) projects and programs such as those
run by non-profits. Our original proposal included all of these workers
because the gap between segments of our community is ever widening-with
absolutely no end in sight. Our proposed ordinance stood on principle:
continuing to ignore the plight of the working poor belittles our community
every day, and we refuse to be further implicated. Nevertheless, all council
members voted against including city workers-most already make a living
wage, and those that don't have been in union contract negotiations all of
2005; still, we had asked that any LWO include city workers with a provision
for their union to opt out of the LWO if their membership chose negotiated
contract results instead.!
The 6-1 vote exempted non-profits as well, and therefore the Committee's
charge to draft an LWO was narrowed to apply to employees of service
contractors only.

The following information updates you on each council member's position and
activity on the living wage ordinance at this point in the process (subject
to change, hopefully for the better!). We are not going to endorse
candidates, but we thought in this election season you would want this
information-to underpin your own voting decisions.

Incumbents running for re-election on November 8, 2005:

Mayor Marty Blum - At the June 21, 2005, Mayor Blum was second only to Roger
Horton in pushing to exempt non-profits, instead encouraging an incentive
program for non-profits, even as another council person raised the fact that
not all non-profits are fledgling or financially assisted by the city
through grants-some provide their services in competition with for-profit
service contractors. We had approached the Mayor to pull together a council
committee for the LWO with both Ordinance and Finance members, but she
declined to do so. She led the process and substance of the vote, so that
the LWO will apply only to the for-profit businesses that comprise service
contractors who are awarded city money for their services. Asked point
blank, she tells us she supports a living wage at the Ordinance Committee
recommend level ($14.00). We view her as our third vote for an LWO, although
she appears in no hurry to pass a living wage.

Roger Horton - At the June 21, 2005 vote, Mr. Horton strongly pushed to
exempt non-profits from any living wage ordinance drafted over the summer,
although he would allow for discussion of an incentive program for
non-profits and discussion for non-profits that were not grant recipients.
He attended one Ordinance Committee (he is not allowed to participate at the
O.C.) and we tried to include him in informational delegations while the
O.C. drafted their ordinance, because he sits on the Finance Committee and
the FC would be the next to receive the draft ordinance. He says the
Ordinance Committee's $14.00 wage level without benefits is too high, even
though it was set to specifically incentivize employers to provide health
benefits. Mr. Horton also seeks to increase the threshold for applying the
living wage (currently any contract over $15,000 would be covered) because
he wishes to protect small businesses, even though the contract amount is
not indicative of the size of t! he business. Mr. Horton seems to favor a
very narrow living wage ordinance, even though the broadest possible
ordinance would make the biggest impact on poverty; he is not running on a
living wage platform.
Mr. Horton may ultimately be an ally and vote to adopt a narrow living wage
ordinance, but right now the timing is bad as his campaign heats up for
November 8 and he may be trying to avoid the SB News-Press anti-fiscal brush
that they use to paint any living wage proponent with, as if the sky will
fall from a LWO. It is not easy to "count" Mr. Horton, because his support
is too contingent on very specific narrowing of any proposed living wage,
but we view him as a potential fourth vote.

Iya Falcone - Ms. Falcone chaired the Ordinance Committee over the summer,
in a pleasant and participatory manner. She met with our group outside of
the committee hearings, but we never felt any traction in moving our
proposal subsections, and therefore during the process we could characterize
Ms. Falcone as neither an ally nor an obstacle. As promised, she included
our coalition voice while the committee crafted the LWO but only in the
first 3 of 5 meetings. We were allowed only 5 minutes in the last two
meetings, which left us with a lot to accomplish in the Finance Committee
and the full council. Ms. Falcone introduced compromise wage levels (without
benefits) of $13 and $13.50 (we originally proposed $13.40 with benefits),
and Ms Falcone later voted for Mr. Barnwell's motion for $14.00/hour.
However, with what we know of her deep entanglement with anti-living wage
businesses, and given that her close ally Mr. Barnwell has disavowed support
for the $14.00/hour wage, we ! are not at all confident that Ms. Falcone
supports anything above $12.25 because she has expressed concern for her
business/political supporters who believe they are competing against the
wage of city hourly employees, which she sets at $12.25 with benefits. In
short, Ms. Falcone states she supports the living wage, but in our view sees
her job as paring off as much of our proposal as possible, and we therefore
cannot count on her as a fourth or fifth vote. She is likely to continue to
offer compromises that shave off pieces of our proposal until a majority of
other council members is set to vote in a living wage, at which time she
will join that majority. But if no majority comes our way, we can only
predict Ms. Falcone will not become part of one to pass a living wage.

Not running for office this election season:

Helene Schneider - ran on a pro-families platform in the November 2003
election when she was the top vote-getter. Ms. Schneider has consistently
listened to our concerns, even at the beginning when there was some residual
disgruntledness with some of our coalition members over a perceived lack of
support for her (in the 2003 election) by pro-affordable housing advocates.
She expressed concerns with our proposal early on, but was the only
councilmember to actually remain open to changing her view when presented
with true stats and evidence of good living wage ordinances. So, while we
viewed her as an ally from the start of this year's LWO effort, we have had
to win her over by proving our case to her on each piece of our proposal.
We did so, and each step brought her closer to being a strong ally for us.
Ms. Schneider introduced motions at the Ordinance Committee that supported
our wage levels ($15.40 and $13.40) and threshold ($10,000) and almost all
other parameters of o! ur ordinance. She understands the necessity for a
very strong health care incentive in detail and has demonstrated a sharp
ability to follow fine details whether presented by city staff or fellow
council or coalition. Ms. Schneider's integrity was consistent throughout
the process. Furthermore, she wrote a very compelling public statement
promoting a view of the city's budget as a vehicle for morality. We view Ms.
Schneider as the 2nd strongest vote for a LWO and a keen supporter of
participatory democracy. J

Das Williams - ran on a pro-living wage, pro-"working families" platform in
the November 2003 election when he was second top vote-getter. Pushed to
allow discussion of non-profits during the Ordinance Committee review of our
living wage proposal, because some non-profits are awarded city funds for
service contracts, i.e. are not grant-based social service programs. Has
consistently been our strongest ally in full council. At Finance Committee,
Das worked with staff to understand language he crafted to change staff
language, which recommends eliminating the loophole whereby the living wage
ordinance would only apply to south coast contractors, because that would
discourage a level playing field for local businesses and favor non-local
contractors in the bidding process. Knows living wage ordinances and laws
thoroughly and is our keenest ally on the council.

Brian Barnwell - Sits on the Ordinance Committee, and appeared to listen to
our concerns when we met with him outside of the Ordinance Committee, and we
had agreement on some pieces of the LWO by the time it was ready to move to
the next committee. However, since then, he wrote an anti-living wage
personal editorial in a local paper, with no statements supportive of
positions he previously took as an Ordinance Committee member. Mr. Barnwell
is viewed by some as being a willing puppet of the business community, which
has meant negating some positions he took in our favor. He appears to want
to pass a health care provision but is not willing to pass an LWO to do so.
Despite 20 hours of ordinance hearings, staff reports and public comment,
and work by his fellow councilmembers, Mr. Barnwell slammed his own
Committee as "clueless" in the newspaper and is now on record as against the
living wage in concept and in practice. We urge Barnwell supporters to
watch and be wary of th!
is councilmember, who boldly voted on seemingly rational bases and then
retracted his entire cognitive process.

Dan Secord - On June 21, 2005, Dr. Secord was the only council member to
vote against moving the Living Wage to the Ordinance Committee. Dr. Secord
is not running for another term due to term limits, although he's rumored to
desire a higher elected office. As a lame-duck city councilmember, he is
most interested in protecting his reputation for fiscal conservancy, and is
therefore raising all sorts of red-herring budget issues that do nothing to
further the fiscal impact analysis for a living wage in our community. (One
example: surveying current city contractors for employee zip codes as
unreliable, cumbersome and incomplete as that is likely to be, given that
each contract affected by the living wage is unknown because it will be bid
on in the future, let alone lack of relevance for drafting a living wage.)
Is against the living wage.

Non-Incumbent Candidates for City Council running for election (November 8):

Dianne Channing and Grant House have stated in public candidate forums that
they support the living wage.

No other viable non-incumbent candidates support the living wage.

In the end, you might wonder (as we often do) what has been the point of our
participating in the researching, writing, lobbying, editing and clarifying
of an ordinance that may yet become a very narrow band-aid to a very wide
problem. You may see from the descriptions above, witnessing the practice
of democracy is truly richer than one ever imagines in the abstract-both in
its heartening and disheartening moments. We urge you to please take up the
responsibility and power to vote and consider viewing the candidates through
the lens of the living wage ordinance process.

Sincerely,

Liaison Team for Santa Barbara for a Living Wage
Lisa Pompa, Marisela Marquez & Daraka Larimore-Hall

DAS Blog Comments

I thought I would say some things about commenting at the DAS Blog.

First, I think it is great that there is this other communication channel people have that they (you) can comment on the things that my son does and that he reads. It is easy for commenters and easy for Das.

Second, I believe it is important for an informed citizenry to give its input to its elected officials, no matter if that input is positive or negative, complimentary or critical. I certainly will not filter out comments made about my son that hold him to high standards. His mother and I have always done this, so why not you, the people who elected him?

Third and lastly, I DO feel uncomfortable about highly negative comments made about Das' work on behalf of the city that are marked "Anonymous." In order to make it as easy for people to comment, I have set the blog up so that anyone can comment and they are marked as "Anonymous" (as a default) for lack of any other identification. Generally, however, I think it would be best for those of you who comment -- positive or negative -- to identify yourself, unless there is a specific reason not to. It is the polite thing to do.

Thank you for commenting. Please keep them coming!

Malcolm Gault-Williams, DAS Blog webmaster

PUEBLO: Falcone

[ Excerpted from the PUEBLO Press Conference, 11/4/2005, Opposing Iya Falcone for City Council ]

While we have not been satisfied with some of her decisions, PUEBLO has not
previously opposed Iya Falcone's candidacy for City Council. However, her
vote on the Proposition 75 resolution was the last straw. This issue is too
close and too important for our elected officials who claim to be pro-labor
to sit on the sidelines. We need council members who will stand up for
working families. We need candidates who will do what they say.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Iya Falcone has let working
people down. We ask people to NOT vote to re-elect Iya Falcone. Please
vote for Grant House and Dianne Channing for City Council.

... On Tuesday, Council members Das Williams and Roger Horton proposed a
resolution for the City Council to oppose Proposition 75. The goal of
Schwarzenegger-backed Proposition 75 is to silence working families, by
making is more difficult for union workers to contribute to politics, while
further empowering corporations to give unlimited
contributions to Schwarzenegger and his initiatives.

With 6 Democrats on the council who claim to support working people, the No
on 75 resolution should have been a no-brainer. Proposition 75 is opposed
by teachers, firefighters, and police officers statewide. But the resolution
did not pass. Voting in favor of the No on 75 resolution were Das Williams,
Helene Schneider, and Marty Blum.

Voting against the resolution were Dan Secord, Brian Barnwell, and Iya
Falcone. Roger Horton, although a sponsor, was not at the meeting.

Since Dan Secord is very consistent in his opposition to any labor-supported
proposal, and Barnwell is a strong opponent of the living wage ordinance,
their opposition did not come as a surprise.

However, we are left to wonder about Councilmember Iya Falcone. Ms. Falcone
describes herself a strong supporter of organized labor. She says that
working people should have a voice, and that collective bargaining is a
beautiful thing. However, she voted against taking a stand on the most
important initiative targeting working people in years.

Council resolutions are not new. The City Council routinely passes
resolutions on various issues affecting our community on a state and
national level. Ms. Falcone and the Council have taken positions on the
Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, the drivers license bill, and more.

It is important that our elected officials take public stands on issues that
affect our community. We elect people to be leaders.

This is not the first time that Ms. Falcone has refused to stand up for
working families on an election issue... [Last year's] Proposition 72 [for example]...

Ms. Falcone was upset that this time two council members put the resolution
on the Council agenda instead of going to her legislative committee. Maybe
she did not want the public to see her true colors.

Perhaps we should not be surprised. After all, her largest individual
campaign contributions come from the family that recently hosted Arnold
Schwarzenegger to come to Santa Barbara and tout his anti-worker
initiatives. In the past, Ms. Falcone has also received substantial
contributions from Bill Levy, who is turning Santa Barbara into a playground
for the rich, with multi-million dollar timeshare projects.

She has also done little to see a resolution on the living wage ordinance,
and has let it languish her entire four years in office. Most recently, Ms.
Falcone further watered down the living wage ordinance as Chair of the
Ordinance Committee.

Santa Barbara needs candidates that will stand up for working
families. Our community is more sustainable when workers have living
wages, affordable housing, and a good public transportation system. We need
leaders who will ensure that working people are represented.

2nd District Supe

[ Excerpted from Barney Brantingham's column in the SBN-P, 10/30/2005 ]

... Poli-tricks: Although 2nd District Supervisor Susan Rose isn't saying whether she'll run for a third term next year, political insiders predict that she won't.
That's why at least four people are quietly rounding up support to run: First-term Santa Barbara City Council member Das Williams; Dan Secord, who's being term-limited off the City Council; former councilman David Landecker; and former Goleta school board trustee Janet Wolf, whom insiders say is apparently Rose's choice to succeed her.

The pay is a nifty $81,000 a year. But whoever wins the seat will have to contend with the scrappy controlled-growth, low-density "Noletans" and their opposing pro-housing forces. And also face life on the losing end of 3-2 board votes on key issues with the North County.

The winner could be the person who convinces voters that he or she can do a good job of dealing with the prickly land-use conflicts and somehow negotiate some sort of viable truce with the North County...

Jackson might want to watch his step