This is what Sneddon was actually paid by taxpayers in toto for 2023. 2024 will provide new numbers in toto as well - regardless of what may have been deducted for missed meetings. Transparent California records come from state finance offices. Checks issued to government employees.
Apparently the Council has plans to hold a 4th of July Parade going down State Street!
I believe the idea is fantastic if realized. If so, we might also be able to enjoy the “Christmas” Parade that we once enjoyed. These activities, along with Fiesta, have been tradition in our precious town for decades, unfortunately lost. With State Street reopened, Citizens may return to our downtown district to celebrate and SHOP, something that was also halted by closure and resulted on the death of multiple businesses!
Parades become special because we close down normal street traffic for these occasional community-wide events. A parade rattling down the typically empty State Street corridor is now just a sad reminder of the loss of our prior connection to our former downtown.
During this council meeting, McAdoo mentioned they are having discussions with the parade groups... They talked about smaller parades back on State St and other streets for the larger ones...
If any did come back the soonest would be Veteran's and Holiday
We are NOT SAFE. Study after study has warned residents and elected representatives. This essential fact was again stated by Mayor Rowse that as usual missed 5-6 deaf set of Council Rep ears: “Capacity to move people in or out of any area as quickly as possible and that means all roads should be as open and free as they possibly can be.”
We have elected self-serving reps with party or personal agendas, not to mention other paid jobs, or childcare responsibilities, when representation is full-time work that they ignore.
District residents need to start now to identify talented, successful business and community leaders, and then get them elected to replace each district’s distracted reps who has another job or caregiving responsibilities.
Danger knows no boundaries! Why not add 2-3 proven, smart Council Reps at large (as done in other communities) to represent the entire immediate area which includes Montecito, Hope Ranch? When the 101, State Street, Hollister, Salinas/APS, Sycamore Canyon are closed, we are trapped!
Did the debris flow with main road closures, plus major fast moving fires, not teach us to advocate for our own safety? I & other can use JACKHAMMERS and bulldozers to help remove all the recently added Council approved concrete creating road blocks.
I expect reps to walk the streets in their districts monthly to see the many hazards I see, to talk to City essential workers maintaining our streets and to residents. Santa Barbara City — and Goleta too— are mismanaged.
The City has become a joke in public planning. They have knelt before the alter of shutting it down will create more business and revenue.
Guess what boys and girls..... you can hire all the "professional?" staff who are crushing the city with abject failed housing, density, and maintaining the history and ethic of over a 100 years.
Remember you made Joe Public mad. You lied to them about street planning and now you cannot go out in public without being told tor roll it back.
The Mayor is correct. We need to be able to move swiftly in an emergency. Whether it is fire, flood, or tsunami, we need to get into actual vehicles and move quickly. The number of businesses that have closed is mind numbing. I was in Florida this month and was astonished by the busy, healthy retail districts. How do they keep their shops full?
Retail shopping is full pretty much EVERYWHERE else! I've been out of the area for many months and just came back this week. I, too, am floored with how slow State Street is with the lack of shoppers and open businesses. SB City Council is NOT doing us any favors at all and is not concerned with our opinions, especially that crook Oscar Gutierrez. Public Enemy #1 if you ask me.
In reply Carolyn: FL has competent elected officials from local to state level; plus law enforcement by police, sheriff, and courts. We don’t! The difference between FL and CA is alarming. Plus, in addition to busy eateries, and businesses, there’s no FL income tax. So where & how are our CA hefty income tax revenues spent? On government, school & medical expansion and from continued increasing of public employee compensation.
Unmanned police cars are parked in FL tourist areas as a visible reminder, FL residents will not tolerate bad behavior including from co-eds over Spring Break.
Beats being President of the United States, paywise for a lot less stress, wear and tear who clocks in at only $450,000 a year. But the President gets a free house.
Just recently returned from almost 11 years retired in Central America. Returning every year or two for family and medical visits. Having been raised here, I am saddened to see what has happened to beautiful and vibrant State St. I went to Apple Store around 11:45 am. Maybe 20 cars on top deck. Maybe a little more going down and looking at the decks. Very few people around. Across the street, closed storefronts with Lease or Sale signs. Then to top it off, got stuck in the elevator at lot 9 for about 25 minutes. No maintenance I guess. I wish the city council could open their eyes to the destruction they have done.
Unfortunately no. Headed back to Panama Monday. It is now home. I have been reading sbcurrent from afar and glad to see some conservative, common sense and logical voices left in Santa Barbara. I will tell my friends about sbcurrent though. Actually, some people on here that I have known through the years. I pray your voices are heard and things change back to “normal”…..
At the Council meeting, Rob Fredericks asserted that he had been promised that 30%-35% of all new sales tax revenue would be provided to him for his use to create low income housing. Promised by whom? The sales tax proposition did not provide any specific allocation of how new monies would be used and the voters were not told of any “promise” to Fredericks. You should each contact your council representative and ask if they are the one who made this undisclosed “promise”.
Public, residents of our City and merchants ALL NEED EMERGENCY VEHICLE FREE & SWIFT PASSAGE. Take care of the people's access to the merchants and doctors offices, etc.....make safe and easy parking for cars so the merchants have customers. Make the streets safe with some obvious police presence.
Admittedly, I don’t have a horse in this race since I live in Goleta, but the economic well being of SB has a direct effect on our economy. It would seem some on the CC want us to live like the third world. The impression being, let’s give State St. which is our most valuable generator of sales tax, to the housing justice crowd. How is it ADA laws to mandate cars to accommodate the elderly and disabled are not required?
The way it’s going on State looks to be made up of bars, souvenirs shops and subsidized housing?
Another read of this Current, has me wondering if the Council has provisions to remove a Member due to lack of attendance? Given that, according to 2023 numbers, the Council members are paid $91,873 per annum, each meeting pays $7656.08. If common sense is exercised, a missed meeting should cost that Member that payment. Perhaps MS Sneddon, and others will place more attention to serving her/his constituents and our City when not paid!?
There is a city budget crisis; not a local housing crisis.
Adding token numbers to the already exceptionally generous numbers of local subsidized housing units available is no longer necessary. Additional subsidized housing provides no community benefit. In fact taking even more property off local tax rolls, in order to provide even more subsidized housing is now counter-productive.
The continued addition of more subsidized housing is very low priority; especially considering the extremis position city staff compensation and backlog city infrastructure demands have placed on local taxpayers and property owners. See Transparent California for details - City of Santa Barbara.
JL: public Housing Authority Fredrick’s is handsomely paid. Is there a Transparent CA site for NGOs? I bet 65% or more of S.B. residents are government, NGO, NPO paid: county, city, Cottage, UCSB, SBCC, SBUSD, MUS, CSS, Hope District, Area Agency of Aging, …
And of course taxpayer subsidize all tax exempt churches, government, school and NPO buildings.
I recall reading City owned some 30+ downtown tax exempt properties.
Howard- so please confirm: you do not live in Santa Barbara or State of CA. That’s what I learned from your post.
Kristin Sneddon capitalizes off her husband’s father’s famed name. His name got her identified as a party candidate. Daughter-in-law Rep Sneddon was/is actively mentored by Dem operatives former Mayor Sheila Lodge and hugely successful focused Dem Candidate Consultant/ Manager Mary Rose. Sneddon’s political career is solid unless and until her Coast Village Rd- Eucalyptus Hill- Riviera to San Rogue home owning voters wise up. Het husband Sneddon is a County employee. Their household income derived from taxpayers. Sneddon does not care about Public Safety or streets or reality as evidence by her advocacy and votes. The typical Eastside home has 4 cars. New approved MAJOR affordable housing projects have no parking or only 1 space.
Rivera, Eucalyptus Hill residents need electric bikes to escape fires and apparently are willing to leave elders, disabled and even children behind. (Recall the Painted Cave and Tea Fire headlines.)
On a side note - I always wonder why so many of the fire and police have sooooo much overtime pay. I would understand if it was some here and there. But it seems like most of these occupations make a substantial part of their earnings via OT.
"SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - When Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow announced she would retire on Feb. 13, 2021 she became one of many public safety leaders to make the decision this year."
PS1 - So why did so many Santa Barbara and coastal town leaders ALL OF A SUDDEN RESIGN? Last Victim of Resignation Yours Truly DA Joyce Dudley. Did someone show her the Exit Door and Make a VERY STRONG SUGGESTION? Before Joyce was
Chief Lori Luhnow, then Captain Alex Altavilla and anyone else? >>
Many highly compensated government employees reside in Kristen Sneddon's district, so unlikely they will "wise up" since they can well afford to live in this area of Santa Barbara thanks to taxpayer unstinting generosity. (See Transparent California)
KRISTEN SNEDDON - City Council $92,000 + SBCC Instructor compensation $125,459
Total annual cost to taxpayers: $217,459
From Transparent California - 2023
Kristen Sneddon
Instructor (2023) Santa Barbara City College
Regular pay: $114,108.35
Overtime pay: $0.00
Other pay: $11,350.70
Total pay: $125,459.05
As Alan Casebier posted above - Ms. Sneddon should lose some part of that for not attending meetings.
This is what Sneddon was actually paid by taxpayers in toto for 2023. 2024 will provide new numbers in toto as well - regardless of what may have been deducted for missed meetings. Transparent California records come from state finance offices. Checks issued to government employees.
Sneddon is the focus point for the reason I'm in Georgia right now. She'll need all the money she can get ... if you get my drift.
Apparently the Council has plans to hold a 4th of July Parade going down State Street!
I believe the idea is fantastic if realized. If so, we might also be able to enjoy the “Christmas” Parade that we once enjoyed. These activities, along with Fiesta, have been tradition in our precious town for decades, unfortunately lost. With State Street reopened, Citizens may return to our downtown district to celebrate and SHOP, something that was also halted by closure and resulted on the death of multiple businesses!
Parades become special because we close down normal street traffic for these occasional community-wide events. A parade rattling down the typically empty State Street corridor is now just a sad reminder of the loss of our prior connection to our former downtown.
During this council meeting, McAdoo mentioned they are having discussions with the parade groups... They talked about smaller parades back on State St and other streets for the larger ones...
If any did come back the soonest would be Veteran's and Holiday
That's another thing to think about.
State Street closed and then closed Anacapa St for a parade, re-evaluate your escape route AGAIN...
We are NOT SAFE. Study after study has warned residents and elected representatives. This essential fact was again stated by Mayor Rowse that as usual missed 5-6 deaf set of Council Rep ears: “Capacity to move people in or out of any area as quickly as possible and that means all roads should be as open and free as they possibly can be.”
We have elected self-serving reps with party or personal agendas, not to mention other paid jobs, or childcare responsibilities, when representation is full-time work that they ignore.
District residents need to start now to identify talented, successful business and community leaders, and then get them elected to replace each district’s distracted reps who has another job or caregiving responsibilities.
Danger knows no boundaries! Why not add 2-3 proven, smart Council Reps at large (as done in other communities) to represent the entire immediate area which includes Montecito, Hope Ranch? When the 101, State Street, Hollister, Salinas/APS, Sycamore Canyon are closed, we are trapped!
Did the debris flow with main road closures, plus major fast moving fires, not teach us to advocate for our own safety? I & other can use JACKHAMMERS and bulldozers to help remove all the recently added Council approved concrete creating road blocks.
I expect reps to walk the streets in their districts monthly to see the many hazards I see, to talk to City essential workers maintaining our streets and to residents. Santa Barbara City — and Goleta too— are mismanaged.
The City has become a joke in public planning. They have knelt before the alter of shutting it down will create more business and revenue.
Guess what boys and girls..... you can hire all the "professional?" staff who are crushing the city with abject failed housing, density, and maintaining the history and ethic of over a 100 years.
Remember you made Joe Public mad. You lied to them about street planning and now you cannot go out in public without being told tor roll it back.
Interesting article......
The Mayor is correct. We need to be able to move swiftly in an emergency. Whether it is fire, flood, or tsunami, we need to get into actual vehicles and move quickly. The number of businesses that have closed is mind numbing. I was in Florida this month and was astonished by the busy, healthy retail districts. How do they keep their shops full?
Retail shopping is full pretty much EVERYWHERE else! I've been out of the area for many months and just came back this week. I, too, am floored with how slow State Street is with the lack of shoppers and open businesses. SB City Council is NOT doing us any favors at all and is not concerned with our opinions, especially that crook Oscar Gutierrez. Public Enemy #1 if you ask me.
In reply Carolyn: FL has competent elected officials from local to state level; plus law enforcement by police, sheriff, and courts. We don’t! The difference between FL and CA is alarming. Plus, in addition to busy eateries, and businesses, there’s no FL income tax. So where & how are our CA hefty income tax revenues spent? On government, school & medical expansion and from continued increasing of public employee compensation.
Unmanned police cars are parked in FL tourist areas as a visible reminder, FL residents will not tolerate bad behavior including from co-eds over Spring Break.
Kristen Sneddon does more harm than good at these meetings. The whole council excluding Randy needs to be raked clean like our forest floors. 😉
Boom! Well said, as was everything that our Mayor articulated.
Say it louder for the Dems that voted in these nut jobs.
Visit Transparent California to learn why the Dems "voted in these nut jobs".
Tell us, JL
Emerald Eye: Kristen Total annual cost to taxpayers: $217,459 Husband Chris annual cost to taxpayers: 311,612.80. They live well.
Beats being President of the United States, paywise for a lot less stress, wear and tear who clocks in at only $450,000 a year. But the President gets a free house.
Just recently returned from almost 11 years retired in Central America. Returning every year or two for family and medical visits. Having been raised here, I am saddened to see what has happened to beautiful and vibrant State St. I went to Apple Store around 11:45 am. Maybe 20 cars on top deck. Maybe a little more going down and looking at the decks. Very few people around. Across the street, closed storefronts with Lease or Sale signs. Then to top it off, got stuck in the elevator at lot 9 for about 25 minutes. No maintenance I guess. I wish the city council could open their eyes to the destruction they have done.
Welcome home Jim to our abandoned, mismanaged town. Can you help us find others who observe and then care to press for needed change?
Unfortunately no. Headed back to Panama Monday. It is now home. I have been reading sbcurrent from afar and glad to see some conservative, common sense and logical voices left in Santa Barbara. I will tell my friends about sbcurrent though. Actually, some people on here that I have known through the years. I pray your voices are heard and things change back to “normal”…..
Hi Jim,
Nice to see you on Santa Barbara Current.
At the Council meeting, Rob Fredericks asserted that he had been promised that 30%-35% of all new sales tax revenue would be provided to him for his use to create low income housing. Promised by whom? The sales tax proposition did not provide any specific allocation of how new monies would be used and the voters were not told of any “promise” to Fredericks. You should each contact your council representative and ask if they are the one who made this undisclosed “promise”.
Public, residents of our City and merchants ALL NEED EMERGENCY VEHICLE FREE & SWIFT PASSAGE. Take care of the people's access to the merchants and doctors offices, etc.....make safe and easy parking for cars so the merchants have customers. Make the streets safe with some obvious police presence.
One voice of reason. Unfortunately, the others have their own agenda and do not care.
Exactly
KC should lose a percentage of her pay for non participation and Randy has the right answers.
Transparent California reports actual payments made by government finance offices
Mayor Randy is the voice of reason! He is correct in his analysis of State St.
Admittedly, I don’t have a horse in this race since I live in Goleta, but the economic well being of SB has a direct effect on our economy. It would seem some on the CC want us to live like the third world. The impression being, let’s give State St. which is our most valuable generator of sales tax, to the housing justice crowd. How is it ADA laws to mandate cars to accommodate the elderly and disabled are not required?
The way it’s going on State looks to be made up of bars, souvenirs shops and subsidized housing?
Another read of this Current, has me wondering if the Council has provisions to remove a Member due to lack of attendance? Given that, according to 2023 numbers, the Council members are paid $91,873 per annum, each meeting pays $7656.08. If common sense is exercised, a missed meeting should cost that Member that payment. Perhaps MS Sneddon, and others will place more attention to serving her/his constituents and our City when not paid!?
There is a city budget crisis; not a local housing crisis.
Adding token numbers to the already exceptionally generous numbers of local subsidized housing units available is no longer necessary. Additional subsidized housing provides no community benefit. In fact taking even more property off local tax rolls, in order to provide even more subsidized housing is now counter-productive.
The continued addition of more subsidized housing is very low priority; especially considering the extremis position city staff compensation and backlog city infrastructure demands have placed on local taxpayers and property owners. See Transparent California for details - City of Santa Barbara.
JL: public Housing Authority Fredrick’s is handsomely paid. Is there a Transparent CA site for NGOs? I bet 65% or more of S.B. residents are government, NGO, NPO paid: county, city, Cottage, UCSB, SBCC, SBUSD, MUS, CSS, Hope District, Area Agency of Aging, …
And of course taxpayer subsidize all tax exempt churches, government, school and NPO buildings.
I recall reading City owned some 30+ downtown tax exempt properties.
I read this article by Bonnie Donovan tilted "Kristen Sneddon Appears at City Council!"
I propose a Historical Title "Tom Snedden & County of SB Falsely Arrests Michael Jackson."
You all may want to know EXACTLY what was going down in the MJ Case from the SB
"Way Back Machine" so let me inform you all. MJ's case was a financial Shake Down on
MJ's significant Assets. Put MJ in Jail and Get All of his Assets $1.5 Billion by placing
his many children into a Court Appointed Conservatorship.
Tom Snedden's plan did not work but it did forever effect MJ weblink below>
https://tinyurl.com/yufptpwx
"Michael Jackson: 10 Years Since The Court Acquittal That Eventually Killed Him"
I had a friend that was a key part of the Sneddon's Prosecutors Team which I learned
recently. He left the SB Justice System just after the train-wreck MJ Case.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-court-of-appeal/1222758.html
I recently had two long sit-down talks with him. These talks formed some of the basis for
my leaving the State of CALI and Santa Barbara. He also left Santa Barbara.
The MJ Case is just the Tip of the SB Titanic that is sinking before your very eyes.
Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family
Howard- so please confirm: you do not live in Santa Barbara or State of CA. That’s what I learned from your post.
Kristin Sneddon capitalizes off her husband’s father’s famed name. His name got her identified as a party candidate. Daughter-in-law Rep Sneddon was/is actively mentored by Dem operatives former Mayor Sheila Lodge and hugely successful focused Dem Candidate Consultant/ Manager Mary Rose. Sneddon’s political career is solid unless and until her Coast Village Rd- Eucalyptus Hill- Riviera to San Rogue home owning voters wise up. Het husband Sneddon is a County employee. Their household income derived from taxpayers. Sneddon does not care about Public Safety or streets or reality as evidence by her advocacy and votes. The typical Eastside home has 4 cars. New approved MAJOR affordable housing projects have no parking or only 1 space.
Rivera, Eucalyptus Hill residents need electric bikes to escape fires and apparently are willing to leave elders, disabled and even children behind. (Recall the Painted Cave and Tea Fire headlines.)
Is this of whom you speak?
Christopher Sneddon - County of Santa Barbara
Asst Dept Ldr-Exec (2023)
Regular pay: $198,992.94
Overtime pay: $0.00
Other pay: $13,471.20
Total pay: $212,464.14
Benefits: $99,148.66
Total pay & benefits: $311,612.80
On a side note - I always wonder why so many of the fire and police have sooooo much overtime pay. I would understand if it was some here and there. But it seems like most of these occupations make a substantial part of their earnings via OT.
Thomas John that is exactly how the local government leaders
pad their buddy's wallet. FBI looks for the Good Ole OT SCAM
while doing their Public Corruption Investigations some other
agencies playing the OT Scam are local Police Depts. Please tell
me why five Chiefs in Our Area Resigned all at once>?????
https://keyt.com/news/2020/12/14/santa-barbara-police-chief-lori-luhnow-is-the-latest-local-leader-to-announce-retirement/
"SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - When Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow announced she would retire on Feb. 13, 2021 she became one of many public safety leaders to make the decision this year."
PS1 - So why did so many Santa Barbara and coastal town leaders ALL OF A SUDDEN RESIGN? Last Victim of Resignation Yours Truly DA Joyce Dudley. Did someone show her the Exit Door and Make a VERY STRONG SUGGESTION? Before Joyce was
Chief Lori Luhnow, then Captain Alex Altavilla and anyone else? >>
https://tinyurl.com/5ccpdhca
https://www.independent.com/2023/01/02/santa-barbara-district-attorney-joyce-dudley-officially-retires/
Council froze positions and hiring, BLM, etc.
If we don't have people taking the jobs that adds to current staff having to take on other shifts...
Many highly compensated government employees reside in Kristen Sneddon's district, so unlikely they will "wise up" since they can well afford to live in this area of Santa Barbara thanks to taxpayer unstinting generosity. (See Transparent California)