Again you nailed it, thank you again for your great work on exposing the council’s failures on doing there job, every time something important comes up that is a major decision they hire a consultant !
Why are we overpaying paying our city leaders when they can’t make decisions?
We should just hire consultants to run our beautiful city..
Excellent, Jerry. And Bonnie is amazing. A funny thing right now reading this column and your comment: I made our weekly beef stock overnight using Shalhoob Butcher Shop bones. My husband just walked in with a mason jar of it to show me how much marrow had been in the bones. Definitely will cure whatever ails us. Now, if only I could feed some of this great Shalhoob beef bone broth to our city officials maybe their brains would work better.
Bonnie, you are so smart and so funny - you make me laugh on waking up to another day of politics just as you also make me realize how bad it truly is. I have a question. Wouldn't we get better results out of these experts who are shaping Santa Barbara's future if a requirement of their job was that they actually have to live downtown in one of their housing and street projects - in order to collect the money we're giving them?
Hire consultants to interview people? Are these people not available to the 1,000 employees of the city of Santa Barbara? To the 4,600 of the county? What are each of these employees doing today that is more important than the economic viability of State Street? Yesterday? Tomorrow? Why not equip them with a questionaire and turn them loose for at least a half day each?
It’s been crazy watching the fiasco unfold at the city. Your figures for the cost of the economic Director don’t include the cost of the benefits that the city paid for him probably an extra 30%. What’s crazy is it all the bicyclists don’t help pay for any of this. They don’t use the parking, they don’t shop or very little. I have another question, why is it necessary to close Carrillo Street for the farmers market on Saturdays in the future. couldn’t the farmers market be on State Street? That’s already closed.
BCycle is a public bicycle sharing company owned by Trek Bicycle (cut from wikipedia). It's not even a non-profit. I get that they want to put more people on bikes - but this seems like they are supporting a for profit venture. What if I wanted to put healthy food vending machines on the corner - would I get that space for free?
I was talking to a licenced food cart owner here in town. He said most of the fruit carts are coming from Riverside. And from what I've noticed driving south on the 101 that they are coming up on pickups loaded with many carts each morning. He was proud that at least he was spending the money he earned here in town.
As the old saying goes, “when you’re in a hole…stop digging!” It would seem our city is turning into Santa Monica!
Clearly, CC if they were serious, would take a look at the number of city employees and compensation. ALL departments should be subject to immediate staff reductions.
The issue of our once beautiful downtown is now a political “hot potato .” Businesses gone, tax base has eroded and now State Street seems to be overrun by E-bikes, putting pedestrians in danger.
How ridiculous that while $7 million underwater, the CC can’t make a decision to let cars return to State St. Is this some kind of nutty statement about climate change? Seriously, we need to go bankrupt over this?
Time to start catering to those who pays the bills, namely, taxpayers, tourists and small businesses. NOT homeless bums who contribute NOTHING to our local economy, NOT environmentalists who are constantly whining, wringing their hands over climate change and NOT the very vocal, influential bike lobby, who pays NOTHING in terms of user fees.
Time to open up State, lower fees, free parking and roll out the red carpet for tourists and cruise ships! Have more police presence and make public safety a priority.
In the end, this is yet another example of leftist politics which has negatively affected California cities, turning LA, SD, S.Monica into hellscapes. All of which stopped catering to the citizens and businesses, choosing rather to cater to the homeless industrial complex and public sector unions.
What honesty and truth in government? CAB Comments on Donnovan's excellent report.
employees are compensated well for their services. Gov. Newsom $~290K City Manager of SB -- Uh, the approximate same salary for Bjork the previous City Administrator....So the new Manager is paid at least the same for managing less than 10th land and gov. of the State?
Cars Are Basic, Inc. asked repeatedly of Casey and the fired Dayton what the cost of shutting down State St. was and the answer was repeatedly "It is impossible to calculate."
Kozmot and Associates, shut down State Street before COVID hit. Now that is not too smart. Understand this was Murrillo and most of the current council. What the reader needs to understand this was a hard stance by Dave Davis who gave use the Failed MIG narrowing of State St. Davis who has been defended and coddled by the anti car - shut down the streets majority of the current council
Who gave us the "free rent contract with Bcycle"?? Casey and Dayton. Now that the halo effect is gone and their use is dramatically down why are they still here?
".......questions about the financial implications of these decisions on taxpayers......" CAB has repeatedly questioned this Council. CAB has given the Council positive alternatives and proof of concept for street / transportation planning, and never once was asked to explain the details the likes of Harris, Casey, Dayton, and more refused to give the Taxpayers a rational explanation.
The South Coast Chamber proposal is ludicrous, if they are doing their job most of the data they want to be paid for is already in their files.
$84K a year for part time and failed council members? Find that harsh? Then the next time you are stuck in traffic congestion because the streets have been narrowed and obstructed, and you avoid "Death Valley" (aka State St.) think about it. YOU the taxpayer have allowed a classification of a "professional prejudiced" politician at the council level, that used to be filled by business "locals" and "concerned" citizens for far less . It is time to go back to hundreds of dollars and no benefits.
It is gratifying that an independent voice has exposed the fact the Emperor is naked and feckless.
I think the reasons the City of Santa Barbara out-sources to so many consultants are:
1) City Council Members (ok..maybe other than Mayor Rouse) are cluless on the issues at hand so they find a consultant who can research and recommend decisions that they can "rubber stamp".
2) City staff is, also, cluess on the issues.
Apparently, neither Council nor Staff are equipped nor are they interested to address the many challenges Santa Barbara faces when they can just hire "white shoe" consultancies to do their research and decision making.
Council can collect their comfortable salaries and spend time advocating for their chosen political causes and campaigning for reelection, all while the city's infrastructure slowly fails, Santa Barbara slowly submerges into a sea of red ink and the well-paid consultants all meet at happy hour after work give each other a group hug and laugh all the way to the bank.
Council only hires the City Attorney and City Administrator. The City Administrator hires or approves all other City employees.
The Unions pick and hire the Council members who are responsible for union contracts. Mayor Rowse is an exception, as his activities in City affairs had shown him to be wise and fair.
Thank you Bonnie, it is quite amazing how the numbers talk when you want to make a point. Monopoly Money indeed.
There is only one way to fight back against incompetence and misuse of taxpayer's money. Refuse to give the city council and senior city officials any more money. Make them cut spending by strongly opposing their proposed tax increase and winning the vote.
Explore suing the city for malfeasance in the fruitless squandering of the people's money.
Take the fight to the perpetrators through your votes and the grand jury system.
Thank you for writing. A requirement for Council must be playing (Santa Barbara) Monopoly - at least several games. Of note are some squares: Chance, Community chest, Free parking and Go to jail.
Although monopoly is a simple cash game and the city "game" is more complicated with salaries, voters and bonds, the squares are scary similar. Is the Chance square using Community chest square for business as usual with predicted results defining the important projects? No free parking here. The consequence for expensive consultants/employees (chance) decisions that avoid personal council blame is a very poor way play "City" monopoly; here, I point out the last above noted square.
I, for one, would gladly volunteer to survey my De la Vina neighborhood for needs and wants. I don’t think we need to pay outside consultants to do this. I certainly am not in favor of paying the Chamber of Commerce to, in turn, pay REACH, a SLO consultancy that favors more private jets and billionaire space trips, to tell the Chamber what to say. The $250,000 is seed money for a possible million dollar contract over the next few years. I attended the finance committtee meeting and urged the three council members to delay the vote —and I am a leftist so how do you like that?! lol.
I thought I read somewhere the city was contemplating homeless housing - something like $300 - $400k per unit. Amazon sells dandy little pre-fab ADU’s (Accessory Dwelling Units) complete with kitchen unit, bathroom etc. for $17,000. Add a slab foundation, utilities and labor to put it together - $25,000 max.
Oh! I forgot! $1000000000 for the City to conduct feasibility studies, project planning, mission assessment, cost-benefit evaluation, environmental audits, DEI, Woke analysis etc.etc. etc.! :)
Bonnie,
Again you nailed it, thank you again for your great work on exposing the council’s failures on doing there job, every time something important comes up that is a major decision they hire a consultant !
Why are we overpaying paying our city leaders when they can’t make decisions?
We should just hire consultants to run our beautiful city..
Excellent, Jerry. And Bonnie is amazing. A funny thing right now reading this column and your comment: I made our weekly beef stock overnight using Shalhoob Butcher Shop bones. My husband just walked in with a mason jar of it to show me how much marrow had been in the bones. Definitely will cure whatever ails us. Now, if only I could feed some of this great Shalhoob beef bone broth to our city officials maybe their brains would work better.
Bonnie, you are so smart and so funny - you make me laugh on waking up to another day of politics just as you also make me realize how bad it truly is. I have a question. Wouldn't we get better results out of these experts who are shaping Santa Barbara's future if a requirement of their job was that they actually have to live downtown in one of their housing and street projects - in order to collect the money we're giving them?
Hire consultants to interview people? Are these people not available to the 1,000 employees of the city of Santa Barbara? To the 4,600 of the county? What are each of these employees doing today that is more important than the economic viability of State Street? Yesterday? Tomorrow? Why not equip them with a questionaire and turn them loose for at least a half day each?
Bonnie, please run for city council!🌸
Community Leaders who do not know how to make a decision. Or ask where is the money going? Why do we need so many consultants? Corruption?
Don’t forget the $11.5 million for the underpass no one uses.
We used to have the shuttle that cost $0.25 to ride. Back when State St had more life.
Our City Council has been trying to kill Stare St for a long time.
As to housing. Per the Census The City has lost 2,000 residents in the last 20 years. Why do we need more housing?
South coast has had an increase of 4,000 residents in 20 years.
People have been complaining about housing for over 130years.
But we do not have a population boom.
Why are we rushing tiny homes downtown?
Who do the Dems want to house?
Illegal aliens, like NYC & Chicago?
It’s been crazy watching the fiasco unfold at the city. Your figures for the cost of the economic Director don’t include the cost of the benefits that the city paid for him probably an extra 30%. What’s crazy is it all the bicyclists don’t help pay for any of this. They don’t use the parking, they don’t shop or very little. I have another question, why is it necessary to close Carrillo Street for the farmers market on Saturdays in the future. couldn’t the farmers market be on State Street? That’s already closed.
Thank you Bonnie.
BCycle is a public bicycle sharing company owned by Trek Bicycle (cut from wikipedia). It's not even a non-profit. I get that they want to put more people on bikes - but this seems like they are supporting a for profit venture. What if I wanted to put healthy food vending machines on the corner - would I get that space for free?
I was talking to a licenced food cart owner here in town. He said most of the fruit carts are coming from Riverside. And from what I've noticed driving south on the 101 that they are coming up on pickups loaded with many carts each morning. He was proud that at least he was spending the money he earned here in town.
As the old saying goes, “when you’re in a hole…stop digging!” It would seem our city is turning into Santa Monica!
Clearly, CC if they were serious, would take a look at the number of city employees and compensation. ALL departments should be subject to immediate staff reductions.
The issue of our once beautiful downtown is now a political “hot potato .” Businesses gone, tax base has eroded and now State Street seems to be overrun by E-bikes, putting pedestrians in danger.
How ridiculous that while $7 million underwater, the CC can’t make a decision to let cars return to State St. Is this some kind of nutty statement about climate change? Seriously, we need to go bankrupt over this?
Time to start catering to those who pays the bills, namely, taxpayers, tourists and small businesses. NOT homeless bums who contribute NOTHING to our local economy, NOT environmentalists who are constantly whining, wringing their hands over climate change and NOT the very vocal, influential bike lobby, who pays NOTHING in terms of user fees.
Time to open up State, lower fees, free parking and roll out the red carpet for tourists and cruise ships! Have more police presence and make public safety a priority.
In the end, this is yet another example of leftist politics which has negatively affected California cities, turning LA, SD, S.Monica into hellscapes. All of which stopped catering to the citizens and businesses, choosing rather to cater to the homeless industrial complex and public sector unions.
Want positive change? Stop electing leftist activists!
What honesty and truth in government? CAB Comments on Donnovan's excellent report.
employees are compensated well for their services. Gov. Newsom $~290K City Manager of SB -- Uh, the approximate same salary for Bjork the previous City Administrator....So the new Manager is paid at least the same for managing less than 10th land and gov. of the State?
Cars Are Basic, Inc. asked repeatedly of Casey and the fired Dayton what the cost of shutting down State St. was and the answer was repeatedly "It is impossible to calculate."
Kozmot and Associates, shut down State Street before COVID hit. Now that is not too smart. Understand this was Murrillo and most of the current council. What the reader needs to understand this was a hard stance by Dave Davis who gave use the Failed MIG narrowing of State St. Davis who has been defended and coddled by the anti car - shut down the streets majority of the current council
Who gave us the "free rent contract with Bcycle"?? Casey and Dayton. Now that the halo effect is gone and their use is dramatically down why are they still here?
".......questions about the financial implications of these decisions on taxpayers......" CAB has repeatedly questioned this Council. CAB has given the Council positive alternatives and proof of concept for street / transportation planning, and never once was asked to explain the details the likes of Harris, Casey, Dayton, and more refused to give the Taxpayers a rational explanation.
The South Coast Chamber proposal is ludicrous, if they are doing their job most of the data they want to be paid for is already in their files.
$84K a year for part time and failed council members? Find that harsh? Then the next time you are stuck in traffic congestion because the streets have been narrowed and obstructed, and you avoid "Death Valley" (aka State St.) think about it. YOU the taxpayer have allowed a classification of a "professional prejudiced" politician at the council level, that used to be filled by business "locals" and "concerned" citizens for far less . It is time to go back to hundreds of dollars and no benefits.
It is gratifying that an independent voice has exposed the fact the Emperor is naked and feckless.
Bonovan thanks.
I think the reasons the City of Santa Barbara out-sources to so many consultants are:
1) City Council Members (ok..maybe other than Mayor Rouse) are cluless on the issues at hand so they find a consultant who can research and recommend decisions that they can "rubber stamp".
2) City staff is, also, cluess on the issues.
Apparently, neither Council nor Staff are equipped nor are they interested to address the many challenges Santa Barbara faces when they can just hire "white shoe" consultancies to do their research and decision making.
Council can collect their comfortable salaries and spend time advocating for their chosen political causes and campaigning for reelection, all while the city's infrastructure slowly fails, Santa Barbara slowly submerges into a sea of red ink and the well-paid consultants all meet at happy hour after work give each other a group hug and laugh all the way to the bank.
Council only hires the City Attorney and City Administrator. The City Administrator hires or approves all other City employees.
The Unions pick and hire the Council members who are responsible for union contracts. Mayor Rowse is an exception, as his activities in City affairs had shown him to be wise and fair.
Yes, Mr. Halverson. Have we learned much from the Roman and Pompeian elite cultures that razed their cities to the ground?
Thank you Bonnie, it is quite amazing how the numbers talk when you want to make a point. Monopoly Money indeed.
There is only one way to fight back against incompetence and misuse of taxpayer's money. Refuse to give the city council and senior city officials any more money. Make them cut spending by strongly opposing their proposed tax increase and winning the vote.
Explore suing the city for malfeasance in the fruitless squandering of the people's money.
Take the fight to the perpetrators through your votes and the grand jury system.
Thank you for writing. A requirement for Council must be playing (Santa Barbara) Monopoly - at least several games. Of note are some squares: Chance, Community chest, Free parking and Go to jail.
Although monopoly is a simple cash game and the city "game" is more complicated with salaries, voters and bonds, the squares are scary similar. Is the Chance square using Community chest square for business as usual with predicted results defining the important projects? No free parking here. The consequence for expensive consultants/employees (chance) decisions that avoid personal council blame is a very poor way play "City" monopoly; here, I point out the last above noted square.
I, for one, would gladly volunteer to survey my De la Vina neighborhood for needs and wants. I don’t think we need to pay outside consultants to do this. I certainly am not in favor of paying the Chamber of Commerce to, in turn, pay REACH, a SLO consultancy that favors more private jets and billionaire space trips, to tell the Chamber what to say. The $250,000 is seed money for a possible million dollar contract over the next few years. I attended the finance committtee meeting and urged the three council members to delay the vote —and I am a leftist so how do you like that?! lol.
Please address your concerns to Kozmot and Associates.
As always, Bonnie, excellent investigative report. Unbelievable what is going on behind closed and not so closed doors.
.
I thought I read somewhere the city was contemplating homeless housing - something like $300 - $400k per unit. Amazon sells dandy little pre-fab ADU’s (Accessory Dwelling Units) complete with kitchen unit, bathroom etc. for $17,000. Add a slab foundation, utilities and labor to put it together - $25,000 max.
Oh! I forgot! $1000000000 for the City to conduct feasibility studies, project planning, mission assessment, cost-benefit evaluation, environmental audits, DEI, Woke analysis etc.etc. etc.! :)