Candidate for
Councilmember; City of Santa Barbara

I believe the most pressing issue for the City of Santa Barbara is our current fiscal crisis and I will bring my many years of successful business experience to bear on the City's budget. I am a propoent of partnering with local business to increase sales revenues and thus increase revenues for the City. As an example, I would explore the recently announced California Public Utilities Commission effort to create a statewide electric vehicle charging station infrastructure and ensure that Santa Barbara is a leader in this burgeoning industry. Once our operating budget reserves are replenished, I propose a "lockbox" for those reserves that will prevent City Council from spending reserve funds without first establishing a dire financial need based upon objective economic triggers (e.g.-certain % drop in year over year revenue, unanticipated disasters). I believe the City Council must exercise fiscal responsibility and realize they are the fiduciary stewards of the community's funds. I will negotiate in good faith with labor groups but recognize that raises during recessions are not appropriate. I understand the dichotomy between private and public sector jobs and the increasing disparity between market rate positions and those offering government guaranteed benefits.

In addition to restoring fiscal responsibility, I am committed to public safety. Gangs and aggressive panhandlers threaten the quality of life for all citizens of, and visitors to, Santa Barbara. I believe in maintaining a healthy police and fire force and favor a gang injunction because it has been an effective tool in Los Angeles, Oxnard, Lompoc, San Bernandino and other Central California cities where civil gang injunctions have reduced violence by 30%. I recognize this is only part of a balanced approach and I remain committed to providing our youth with positive gang alternatives. Throughout my life I have performed community service reaching out to the less fortunate of our society by securing legal representation for the poor and moderate income workers, reading for the blind and dyslexic, tending to the homeless and counseling victims of domestic violence and rape.

Regarding the homeless, I acknowledge there are many different reasons some find themselves without a home, particularly in these difficult economic times. Santa Barbara is one of the most compassionate communities in the world and we are carrying more than our fair share of this social challenge. I favor transitional treatment aimed at movig people without homes from the street back into stable living environments. At the same time, however, I recognizes that aggressive panhandling cannot be tolerated and I have already recruited a number of State Street business and building owners to host "Alternative Giving Boxes" as a way to expedite implimentation of the Anti-Panhandling Ordinance. We must address both gang violence and agressive panhandling problem with a similar balanced approach incorporating enforcement, prevention and counseling.

Finally, we must work together to preserve the character of Santa Barbara by observing reasonable setback, design, parking and landscaping requirements that ensure appropriate development which enhances the quality of life of all who enjoy Santa Barbara. We should encourage, at every opportunity, sensible environmentally friendly building and living practices (I am impressed by the solid waste management's new recylcling program for Santa Barbara businesses). We must not become like other cities that have failed to protect the incredible views and natural aesthetics of their coastal communities. We must maintain our parks, beaches and neighborhoods in the first rate manner so that all who live, work and play here will continue to love to do so.