Santa Barbara Current : Letters

Letters to the Editor

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:31:24 GMT

Californians Forced to Rely Upon Dirty Third-World Oil

This state possesses substantial oil resources and has for decades produced, refined, and distributed, much of the petroleum used by its residents. Yet, government policy at several levels has increasingly restricted the development of those domestic resources while Californians continue to consume large quantities of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other petroleum products.

The result is a growing contradiction: California is becoming increasingly dependent on oil produced elsewhere in the world, while simultaneously restricting its own ability to produce that oil.

The numbers are significant. In 2019 California crude supplied approximately 29.7% of crude oil received by California refineries. By 2025, that figure had fallen to only 22.9%, while foreign crude supplied 61.1%. During the first six months of 2026, California crude accounted for only about 25% of refinery receipts while foreign crude accounted for approximately 56%. The balance came from other sources

The foreign dependence comes from a wide variety of countries. In 2025, California imported crude from Brazil, Iraq, Guyana, Canada, Ecuador, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and the United Arab Emirates, among others. These supplies are, therefore, consequentially exposed to international conflicts, political instability, shipping disruptions, and decisions made by foreign governments.

At the same time, California’s own oil production has been declining for decades. Aging oil fields are certainly part of the explanation, but government restrictions permitting requirements, and litigation have also affected the ability to develop remaining resources. The state’s energy agencies are well aware of the resulting supply challenge. The California Energy Commission now routinely monitors petroleum supply, refinery capacity, imports, inventories, and reliability as part of its energy security planning.

But acknowledging a problem is not the same as solving it.

The recent action by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors illustrates the contradiction particularly well. While California is increasingly dependent upon imported oil, the county has moved to prohibit new on-shore oil drilling. Santa Barbara is not California’s largest oil-producing county, but the decision is significant because it represents another reduction in the state’s potential domestic supply at precisely the time when California’s own statistics demonstrate increasing reliance on foreign crude.

The distinction is important. Reducing demand for petroleum and restricting its domestic supply are not the same thing. California can pursue electric vehicles, renewable energy, and other alternatives, while maintaining sufficient domestic oil production and refining capacity to protect consumers during the transition. If petroleum demand declines more slowly than domestic production, however, the difference must be supplied from elsewhere.

That dependence creates risks California cannot control. California is geographically isolated from the major US refining centers on the Gulf Coast and the state already relies heavily upon marine shipments. The California Energy Commission has acknowledged that international disruptions can make petroleum supply difficult to forecast beyond relatively short periods.

The Fundamental Policy Question

The issue is therefore not whether California should eventually reduce its dependence on petroleum. The more immediate question is whether it is prudent to reduce California’s ability to produce and refine petroleum faster than Californians, realistically, reduce their need for it?

California’s energy policy should consider not only environmental objectives, but also energy security, affordability, and resilience. Domestic production provides a source of supply that California can influence and regulate itself. Foreign production does not.

The recent Santa Barbara’s County Decision makes the central contradiction difficult to ignore. California is recognizing that its dependence on outside oil is increasing while some of its governmental policies continue to restrict domestic production that could reduce that dependence.

A responsible energy transition should not require California to choose between environmental goals and energy security. It should pursue both: reducing petroleum consumption, while preserving enough domestic production, refining capacity, storage and transportation infrastructure, to protect Californians from foreign supply disruptions and sudden energy-price shocks.

Energy independence is not merely an economic issue. It is an element of energy security. California should be cautious about surrendering a domestic resource before dependable alternatives can fully replace it.

Derek and Barbara Hanley

Santa Barbara

The Death of San Roque

The 1,123 rental units proposed at La Cumbre Mall will be a seismic change to our San Roque neighborhood. Santa Barbara has never experienced this many units being developed in one place in its entire history. As a matter of fact there have been only a few projects of this size ever built from Los Angeles all the way up to San Francisco. It’s insane these two projects are even being contemplated for our neighborhood with basically little or no resistance from our political leaders.

How you can build this many units in one location without impacting traffic on a congested State Street is beyond me. I know for a fact that the Hope School District is not in any way equipped for the sudden surge in enrollment from these two projects. The developers have rejected pleas from the Hope School superintendent to help defray the expense of serving these new students. The height and density of these projects are totally incompatible for Santa Barbara.

And if you think you are going to get more affordable units, think again.

Less than 10% of the units are affordable. Most importantly, these projects are totally incompatible with Santa Barbara’s iconic small town Spanish Mediterranean charm, which is the reason why so many of us want to live here. At some point we are going to wake up and realize Santa Barbara is no longer the place that so many of our past and current residents vigorously fought to maintain.

Candidates running for the council from this district have different views about these proposed projects. Baucke has said he will enthusiastically support these developments. Cathell opposes the massive size of these projects and has indicated she has major reservations with what is being proposed. I know we are dealing with state mandates forcing these projects on us, but that doesn’t mean our political leaders should do nothing or make it easy for these developers to build these projects.

At a minimum, we should use every tool at our disposal, including fighting this in the courts if we have to. We need to force these developers to reduce the number of units, the height of the buildings, and to comply with the strict design and visual guidelines that have been in place since the 1920s.

Unfortunately, our present representative and candidate for mayor, Eric Friedman, has been way too passive and accepting of these developments. Although he has “concerns,” he seems to be resigned to its eventual development.

I disagree with this approach.

We need someone to fight for the residents of this district to ensure that a few developers – who don’t live in the district –don’t ruin it for the people that do.

Lou Segal

Santa Barbara

250 Years of Freedom and Prosperity in Peril

This land, our beloved United States, is celebrating 250 years as the living example of what a nation of free people can achieve. Our soil has been nourished by the blood and lives of too many, willing to sacrifice that we might inherit a better life.

We were founded as a nation with a moral code, visible in the Ten Commandments honored by Jewish and Christian peoples, and a standard that should rule all honorable people with a foundation of strong families who respect others.

Yet somehow, within the beautiful garden we have nurtured, a vast patch of weeds has germinated. Our republic, dependent upon elections when educated citizens vote, has been corrupted by illegal, deceased, and fraudulent ballots.

Among the weeds are thistles with lovely yellow and purple blossoms which turn into sharp bristles, like the socialist promises of free healthcare, free food, and no need to labor, which end in poverty for all but the ruling class.

Also, we see the whole trans agenda, attempts to deny biological reality and destroy our children, forcing women to compete against biological men in sports and to share intimate spaces.

When our borders were open during the four years of Joe Biden’s presidency, we were overrun with people who don’t belong and have no respect for our values. Our hospitals, schools and housing are pushed beyond our capacity to care for our own.

Not least of our problems is a media – in print, on TV, and the Internet – that specialize in spreading propaganda and incendiary language. It has become challenging to find sources of truth, for indeed truth is a real thing.

Just listen to refugees from China, Cuba, and Venezuela, and those who survived Hitler or Stalin as they ravaged Europe. How slippery was the slope down from Socialism and Fascism to chaos and destruction. And they are both equally bad.

Nothing is free. Someone must pay. Those who have invented a product or provided a service that benefits all of us, deserve what they have earned. Where will we be if there is no longer incentive to create. That is why our nation (and, by the way, Israel) have been so successful. It takes freedom to think and create.

As we look forward to a nationwide election, it is important that we each try to discern the truth in all the chatter, and vote to preserve this great nation, still a beacon to all the earth.

Gretchen Kieding

Solvang

Letters to the Editor

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:32:04 GMT

Courtesy of Peter Green, Glendale.

Crossing Capone

Regarding Brian Campbell’s piece on the “Affordable Housing Crises.” Ever seen the old movie “The Untouchables” starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery?

There is a scene where they are about to do their first raid.

A young inexperienced Elliott Ness (Costner) says to the older battle weary Chicago Police D…

Letters to the Editor

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:30:21 GMT

Remembering Montecito and Santa Barbara

GROK offers this time line on the Fourth of July Pits, ending in 1989: History and Timeline Origins (late 1960s–1970s): The tradition started around 1970 or earlier, tied to relaxed beach culture, easy access to Leadbetter Beach (near the harbor and Shoreline Park), and 4th of July celebrations. Locals recall diggi…

Letters to the Editor

Sat, 23 May 2026 13:31:26 GMT

Have We Seen the Last State Street Parade?

Finally, we get some sort of vote. This isn’t an “I think” or “I feel” debate. It’s just math. If the City Council actually carries out its Portland-style car-free street calming initiative, we will never have a parade on State Street again. The physical infrastructure and insurance liabilities will make it impo…

Letters to the Editor

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:30:55 GMT

(This week we feature four letters from SBCurrent supporters and/or contributors, two from our editorial board whose experience of the first Spotlight Santa Barbara event activated their responses, both positive and negative. We always encourage readers to add comments to a column that had some impact. If you’d like to contribute your thoughts as a Lett…

Letters to the Editor

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:31:44 GMT

The Extraordinary Talent of Julian Nott

NASA’s Scientific Ballooning Handbook 50th Anniversary Edition has just been published. In its dedication, my late husband, Julian Nott, is identified as one of the leaders in the field. I’ve sent you this edited version of that dedication. I am so proud of him, and he would have been over the moon with this genero…

Letters to the Editor

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:30:18 GMT

(The following is just a trickle of some of the many comments, observations, claims, and suggestions received by Santa Barbara Current, a publication that is reader supported and receives no direct or indirect USAID or nonprofit funding. To enhance your reading experience, please follow the Comment thread that appears immediately after each column. If y…

Letters to the Editor

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:31:33 GMT

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Edited by Jim Buckley

Letters to the Editor

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 13:31:26 GMT

Letters to the Editor

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:40:15 GMT

Letters to the Editor

Santa Barbara Current — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:30:59 GMT

(The following is just a trickle of some of the many comments, observations, claims, and suggestions received by Santa Barbara Current, a publication that receives no direct or indirect USAID or nonprofit funding. To enhance your reading experience, please follow the Comment thread that appears immediately after each column. If you’d like to contribute …

Letters to the Editor

Santa Barbara Current — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 14:30:15 GMT

Letters to the Editor

Santa Barbara Current — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 14:30:59 GMT

(The following is just a trickle of some of the many comments, observations, claims, and suggestions received by Santa Barbara Current, a publication which is reader supported and receives no direct or indirect USAID or nonprofit funding. To enhance your reading enjoyment, please follow the Comment thread that appears immediately after each column. If y…

Letters to the Editor

Santa Barbara Current — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:07:31 GMT

In addition to the presidential contest being waged between Donald J. Trump and the D.C. establishment (fronted by Vice President Kamala Harris), there is at least one more issue that has taken hold in the Santa Barbara area. While we know that Mr. Trump has little chance of prevailing among Santa Barbarians, defeat of the SBCC bond boondoggle called “M…

Letters to the Editor

Santa Barbara Current — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:10:31 GMT

(The Comment section after every featured article is always active with opinion, but often we received letters via e-mail that never appear as Comments. What follows are a selection of those recent missives.)

Repeat the Sounding Joy

Mainstream journalists have been even more insufferable than usual since Kamala Harris sent a thrill up their legs. Like a …

Letters to the Editor

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:46:25 GMT

At bat. Courtesy SteveGarvey.com

No DEI at Olympic Games

Part of the modern world goes on pause during the Olympics. The stunning performances by young athletes who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their skills belies the new cult of equity. Equity translates into mediocrity as evident when we see it applied in academia and government.

Unfortunatel…

Letters to the Editor

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 12:30:58 GMT

(The Comment section after every featured article is always active with opinion, but occasionally we run letters that SBCurrent receives via e-mail and never appear as Comments. What follows are two of those recent missives.)

Too Gross, Too Depraved, Too Sad

For me, the Opening Ceremonies stained, tarnished, and diminished the 2024 Olympics.

The whole prod…

Letters to the Editor

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 13:31:19 GMT

The Willful Ignorance of the Press

Since the founding of our country, never has there been a time when news of current events spread so quickly. No longer is print our main source of information; now social media by computer or smart phone bombard us with the latest news, almost before it happens.
Our challenge is discerning truth from mis- or dis-inf…

Letters to the Editor

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:30:35 GMT

The Comment section after every featured article is always active with opinion, but occasionally we run letters that SBCurrent receives via e-mail and never appear as Comments. What follows are some of those missives.

Leftist Radical Administrators in Charge

It’s never a good idea to negotiate with Islamic radicals or their supporters.

But that’s exactly …

Letters to the Editor

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 13:31:05 GMT

Political Prostitution of Government Officials

What the heck is happening with elected government?

Talk with most voters, and they expect – at a minimum – that the people they vote for are supposed to be neutral and make decisions based on facts. The same voters want the appointed (hired) government employees to also be neutral.

What is that supposed to me…