Need For a Non-Democrat City Council

By Denice Spangler Adams

It’s Mine; You Can’t Take It

Think of the last time you heard news that made you mad enough to stop everything to sound the alarm. Seeing the Washington Post headline “Mamdani’s New Tenant Advocate Wants to Seize Private Property” cannot be ignored. New York City is 2,880 miles from Santa Barbara, yet it’s our ideologic next door neighbor with leaders of shared values and political goals. We need a Homeowner/ Property Rights Coalition to fight back. As a single 32 year old, determined female, I built my home, and you can’t take it!

The Democrat Socialist of America - Santa Barbara Chapter, hold two seats on the SB City Council (D1 and D3) and are positioned with resources to pick up three more seats in November in Districts 4, 5 and 6. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2:1; however, if we align, the number of registered No Party Preference (NPP) and other voters can deliver victories for non-Democrat Candidates.

Muslim Zorhan Mamdani as promised is setting the pace having frozen rents on January 1, launching his ‘Rental Ripoff’ hearings in the court of public opinion, and appointing DSA Comrade Cea Weaver, Tenant Tsarina or aka Director of the Office to Protect Tenants. She was formerly Exec Director of Housing Justice for All, who holds an Urban Planning Degree from NYU.

In 2018, she posted “Impoverish the *white* middle class. Homeownership – the American dream – is racist/failed public policy.” She also wrote “there is no such thing as a ‘good’ gentrifier,“ calling on voters to “elect more communists.” In 2019, she posted, “Private property – especially homeownership – is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as “wealth building” public policy. In 2021, she claimed rent control is “a perfect solution to everything, adding it’s a “more effective way to shrink the value of real estate” than zoning restrictions. Weaver’s statements remind me of Goleta’s SBCC Trustee Attorney Robert Miller, who said the Pledge of Allegiance is White Supremacist and must be stopped.

Weaver’s now in a position of authority in America’s biggest city. She and Santa Barbara City D1 Rep Wendy Santamaria are on the same page. Mamdani stated in his inaugural address, that he had “no apology for what we believe.” So how is this to be accomplished here or there?

The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly guarantee an absolute right to own property or to protect owners against all regulations, zoning, damages, or taxation. The Fifth Amendment Takings Clause reads “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation: pay fair market value for any direct seizure via eminent domain” – after taxing or regulating the owner into poverty. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, covering due process for procedural fairness against arbitrary regulations, have not been clarified by Congress; and won’t be via our socialist affiliate of DSA Congressman Salud Carbajal.

What are other ‘indirect’ methods of seizing private property beyond rent control, property taxation, rezoning, and damage that devalue property until owner bankruptcy or abandonment could be upheld as lawful by the Court?

In CA, thanks to local CA Senate Leader Monique Limon, Builder’s Remedy projects destroy property values, neighborhoods, and traffic flow. Street narrowing and street closures for bike use also reduce values. Are these valid exercises of policy power for the general welfare?

NO.

Whereas, in 1950-51, our three family homes in Inglewood were confiscated to build new terminals at LAX to accommodate the Jet Age leaving us at a start-over homeownership loss that continues to benefit millions.

Of widespread local personal concern is the proposed ’Registry of Occupancy and Bedroom Count’ of all privately owned housing which was proposed by DSA-SB endorsed D3 Westside City Council Rep Oscar Gutierrez.

After Oscar’s initial election he shared this idea in detail on Jerry Roberts’ Newsmakers Talk Show. At the time I thought, “Thank God I live one house outside of the City, in Montecito. I use every one of my five bedrooms, and no government is going to access my home!”

However, as time passed, I noticed, ‘The Registry’ idea has gained traction: ‘damage property value’ without full taking. Moreover, we must acknowledge the County Board of Supervisor majority are just as socialistic as are five or six of seven members of the SB City Council, putting all County residents at risk.

D1 voters confirmed this by their vote. Montecito again supported the Countywide Democrat stronghold when electing Laura Capps-controlled novice Roy Lee. With Steve Lavagnino (NPP) ending his fourth and final term, who are those contemplating his seat to hold onto a 3-2 vote, or let slide to 4-1? Yesenia Cuevas, Ricardo Valencia, and Cory Bantilan, … ?

SB City and County need fiscal conservative, financially literate, business savvy opposition candidates who support property rights. Economic Development aka “Affordability” demands are fuelled locally.

The timing is now! The SB City Council has three open seats plus Mayor: D4 (Coast Village/Alston/APS/Riviera), D5 (Samarkand/San Roque/La Cumbre), and D6 (Downtown/State Street). Two Democrat career politicians (Kristen Sneddon, and Eric Friedman) have announced their run for incumbent candidate NPP Mayor Randy Rowse’s seat.

Are there no retired non-Democrat business executives, engineers, financial gurus, CPAs, willing to serve our community?

You’re needed!

Our County and City are broke, mismanaged by Democrats and their bureaucrat hires. Our property rights are at risk.

Finally we’ve a stellar exceptional Congressional Candidate in Commander Bob Smith (ret.) from Carpinteria.

1) We must actively support Bob. Otherwise, our do-nothing DNC script-reading socialist Salud will remain.

2) If we are against property confiscation, CA Rent Control, high property taxation, bond fees, imposed damages, including 1 in 7 residents residing in tax-exempt housing contributing nothing for schools and municipal services, we must find four non-Democrat City Council candidates, and one for the Board of Supervisors, and each of us contribute an all-out effort to win seats.

3) Let’s join forces as property owners. Otherwise, we have only ourselves to blame in NYC West aka Santa Barbara.

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