Why I am running

By Marty Blum

SBCC is beloved by our community for its credit classes and its continuing education. Recent decision-making has alarmed the community with top-down decisions affecting our nationally known programs such as the Center for Sustainability and the Parent-Child Workshops. I am running to bring inclusive community decision-making to SBCC.

As a member of the Continuing Education Advisory Committee I was alarmed in the spring of 2010 when ideas for fundraising were swept aside and classes were cancelled without explanation. Our community wants to help good causes like SBCC continuing education but we were not given a chance.

Our State budget and faltering economy challenge us, but together our community can find solutions to greater demands on SBCC and fewer resources.

SBCC staff works hard, and we thank them for continuing to foster innovative programs that make SBCC a national leader. For example, SBCC's Center for Sustainability has a national reputation, but it has been told it is no longer a priority without board discussion and at a time when the green job sector is growing. This great program should be encouraged, not shrunk. "No longer a priority" is not our community value for sustainability. UCSB's sustainablity program is growing, the Bren School is a good place to transfer, and Environmental Studies is growing as a major. SBCC Center for Sustainability is a great program which has attracted significant grants and gifts, over $100.000 per year. Our City and County governments are working in the area of energy efficiency, green buildings, and other sustainable efforts. SBCC should reflect our community values, not go against them.

In addition, for over 60 years SBCC has hired professors who teach parenting through the Parent Child Workshops. Recently the workshops have been given a rough time by SBCC. We value our children and the parenting courses through Adult Education. Why has their funding been cut over 40% and why have answers been slow in coming and their existence not celebrated?

Our community values are reflected in programs such as sustainability and the parent child workshops, among others.

I am running for the Board of Trustees to bring active, engaged leadership to SBCC. As a teacher, attorney and mother I bring many skills to the job. As Mayor of Santa Barbara for the past eight years and before that, as a City Council Member for two terms, I have faced major issues and have brought people together with the goal of strengthening good programs, not dismantling them.

We can't fix the State budget, but we can work together for our community. Vote for me for a better tomorrow at SBCC. We deserve an outstanding college that plans for the future.