Bonnie, you are a local treasure. I'm so grateful for your columns because I can't make sense of how Santa Barbara is being run otherwise. To me it seems run for the benefit of government employees, special interest groups and unions. Not for me or other civilian taxpayers.
The government here seems to me - and I hope I'm wrong - to be a grifting operation with several lucrative self-perpetuating hoaxes, one being affordable housing. Through their tax increases, they make it harder and harder for middle class people to continue living here. But voters are seduced by “affordable housing” propositions thinking that will solve the problem and vote them in. And, of course, the tax money just goes to pay for government workers who can afford to live here while the taxpayers' financial problems with living in Santa Barbara only get worse.
After reading Bonnie's column I went over to the Housing Trust Fund website. Good lord, how much bloat can one non-profit organization have? Any money they get would have to go to supporting the organization itself rather than solving anything.
The problems the government says it needs increased taxes to solve? They seem to me to be problems they've created - through their inept problem-solving policies. Franz Kafka would have been right at home in Santa Barbara.
Everyone knows what the problems are, but nobody does anything about them. Look for the problem solvers amongst y'all and get them working on limiting the spending. Narrow the operation of the city to the basics such as: fixing roads, keeping water and sewage moving through pipes, repairing streetlights and signs ... you know what I'm talking about. City government think they are designers and don't have a clue as to what they are doing when creating something. There needs to be a non-government group with the ULTIMATE POWER over the city and county government that imposes spending limits of city-government folk's non-sensical spending projects. Remove or significantly limit the "creation" activities of never-ending project activities. If city government people were smart to create stuff, then they would be working in industry. The city needs to stick to their main purpose in life and that is just fix what's broken without building anything, only allowed to use screwdrivers, hammers, shovels, chisels, etc. Nothing requiring the use of any brainpower because they don't have it in the first place!
Ya, the problem is the unnecessary politics aspect of running a city. A business ignores politics. But what has to be the most irritating to us is the running of the city based on incorporating politics of all the identity politics of giving so-called aid or support to special interest groups. Has nothing to do with running the city, it only has to do with emotionally based so-called leaders that believe they have to spend OUR money to do THEIR stuff. Just fix things broken in the city and if you have anything left over in the budget, then return the money to the taxpayers. We don't give you, the city, to spend money on excess ... like building an empire with thousands of people sitting on their butts all day long.
A system of checks and balances is required to prevent the city from working in an uncontrolled, open loop condition as presently existing. The city actions need to be countered by the people, shutting down excess spending. The city uncontrollably experiments with their personal interests using taxpayers' money. The city operation uses way too many people and spends way too much money to operate. Comparable cities have budgets one-tenth the amount as used in SB. See the problem with this picture? The public is being "screwed" by the city. The city needs to be run like a business. A business will determine the amount of money actually required to operate the city. A business will not use more people than necessary to operate the city. You still need the checks and balances with a city. Residents can provide instantaneous voting for their opinion on any projects. You don't need ballots. If a business-like organization has an idea beyond the basics, ALL the residents can volt on it.
Yet another confidence game being played on us, the taxpayer. When will this ever end? Never, it goes on in perpetuity. The way the con works is simple. The politicians calls for voting in pay and pension raises at the expense of the public and in exchange, the unions give political support to those running for office. It’s not complicated. Quid pro quo…I do something for you, you do something for me!
The pension house of cards is not sustainable and will at some point, collapse. Unless of course, the voters keep bailing them out.
Want to become a millionaire? Simple, become a city or county employee and join a public sector union.
Those that own property need to unite and join together just like Howard Jarvis advocated for. Can anyone who owns property imagine what California would look like if Mr. Jarvis never stood up and said enough is enough?
All of this con by the way, is brought to you by the local Democratic machine which controls all the city/county contracts and unions like the SEIU.
To illustrate how confident and arrogant local politicians are in maintaining their power, they won’t even debate the opposition during elections. That’s right our local Congressman, Salud Carbajal won’t even discuss the issues facing us, the voters by REFUSING to debate his challenger, Thomas Cole. Now that’s true power! I guess the jokes on us…what a bunch of suckers!
So true! It’s a quid pro quo AND it’s just not sustainable. Also —-I suspect their guaranteed retirement “schemes” absolutely qualify them as millionaires! Although I haven’t taken the time to research and verify that
Time for the city to also assess redundancies, overlaps with the county, and sunsetting program missions that were initiated decades ago and now long satisfied. The only recent fiscal howl from city council members was to enhance union requirements on most outside city contracts. (Eg: PLA).
Now we face structural budget deficits, along with increasing failures to meet projected revenue expectations from all city divisions. I know Mayor Randy Rowse knows how to look at the bottom line in any business operations; but I cannot name another current city council person with similar skills. Instead they continue to act like virtue-signaling Lady Bountifuls, as if city revenue streams will appear by magic. While hostaging expected minimal city services to their continual demands for more taxes.
This is ridiculous. Council members are supposed to manage this city for the residents, not just to favor government employee unions - the prime mover and driver of their own local Democrat politics. We pay and they play.
Voters: pay more attention to where your tax dollars are now forced to go, thanks to electing too many self-serving city council members for far too long. While they move on up the local Democrat food chain.
Their claims they need to maintain internal "labor peace" must now be pitted against recognizing taxpayer peace as well. Put it on the table. Tax payer revolt is perfectly reasonable. Cut off their crack and bring in a new team who does not operate as functioning addicts. The strain of relying on these intentionally unbalanced revenues and expenses has cracked.
Notice this same affliction is now affecting other control local governing boards. Mismanage and play favorites for years and then cry we need more money or else you, the public, will suffer. This continual party politics fiscal dysfunction must not be rewarded by their continual local re-elections.
Voters, this is in your hands. Value your ability to change this now well-failed course of action by our local representatives beholden only to party; not the public. Too many decades of single party politics dominating NON-PARTISAN OFFICES is over. This is the bitter harvest. Yes, try INDEPENDENCE, the way local elected offices were originally designed.
Get this city checkbook balanced. Reject all candidates who push national agendas on to local voters. And who exhibit zero fiscal common sense. The till is dry. They killed it.
Very astute summation. Yes, but the ability to layoff or downsize public employees is nearly impossible due to civil servant rights guaranteed by law or negotiated by union contract. The fix is ALREADY baked into the cake and they know it! The perfect con, unlimited job security and power protected by law! What could possibly be better?
Create a city management corporation and replace the city government altogether. Then you can run the city like a real business, no more voting in of incompetents. First thing to do is get rid of the pyramid structures requiring an excess of managers. Keep only the real workers. The city management company is rewarded by maintaining a low cost of operation. If there's a will, then there's a way of doing this. The State of CA needs to replace Newsom, too.
BR: Excellent. Case in point: Look at the posted list of prohibited conduct when visiting inside the privatized Paseo Nuevo foot print, compared to what the public is required to accept on surrounding public sidewalks.
Great example, Paseo Nuevo requires a certain decorum, and the city accepts a transient with an exposed erection sleeping on the ground ... which I've actually seen one morning when going to eat at Sambos. A business-oriented city management would think if a tourist saw what I saw ... it would affect tourism and we can't have that in the city. But all the city thinks, "Well, that's life."
Find someone that knows how to structure a business managed city and go from there. When designing electronics, the "how" question follows after the "what" is it I have to do to perform a task. Carefully define the "what it is you want" and then work on the "how to do it." Sometimes when defining "how," I'll reverse engineer solutions made by others. In the past, I've done that so to improve on what was done prior to when I was handed to solve a solution. I tend to want to build a better mousetrap. It's rare to find something that hasn't been done before. When I formed a singles social club in the early 80's, I simply placed a two-line ad in the newspaper and that turned into over 500 people interested. Figure out where to start and go from there. Not to get overwhelmed by the idea, just figure out where to start. I can give other examples ... all the things I "touched" worked out fine.
Seriously, has the SB government adhered to a budget and made cuts when they can’t afford something like every household has to, no.
They just raise your taxes and keep spending.
Perfect example is the State St underpass. Why?
We were in debt before they approved spending millions to beautify an underpass. It will not generate revenue.
It dies out ,Indy into a certain artists pocket which when yiu look back at other nonsensical spending he’s been the recipient before. The Milpas maize street lights in an area that is not traveled by tourists
So instead of actually helping lower income people with housing they spend money on stoopid items putting money in other people’s pockets. How many studies have been done on state street? Over a million dollars.
The DNC endorsed city council doesn’t put the money to the people. The DNC has controlled this city and county for decades. State street has spiraled downward because of them. Homelessness has not decreased under their rule.
Debt has built up along with taxes with nothing to show for it.
This new tax has to go to pay off debt first. Then do you think they will actually do what is right? They haven’t with any previous tax hikes, why would they do the right thing now.
Once again, Bonnie, you have put out an excellent and most important article. I would wish that every Santa Barbara voter would read it, take it to heart, and vote no on the proposals that the City is putting on the ballot. Thank you for your investigative work. It is an eye opener for sure!
They spend like drunken Marxist sailors. California is truly the laboratory and testing ground for every unConstitutional scheme to break down society and our individual liberties. Our government is rotten to the core and needs a massive ‘Twitter-like’ overhaul that fires 80% of those currently employed who are not working efficiently and more importantly, ‘for the people’. Santa Barbara is run like a small tyrannical nation and the citizens need to wake up and take back our City from the Marxists before there is nothing of value left to salvage. They steal nearly half of our working dollars and then use our money to rule over us like subjects that they disdain but tolerate for our tax dollars.
Yes, our medical institutions and Dr's are also under their mismanagement. So, like everyone, they first go along to get along, turning a blind eye, running scared. Until it all turns on them. They become reduced to nothing under the demise of those now in charge.
Peanut, That’s why I go to Dr. Aijians office in Goleta. He is the only local doctor that I know brave enough to have stepped away from the corrupted system during Covid. There are many great docs but it takes a special kind of integrity to risk everything, especially your livelihood that you’ve worked your whole life for.
“Politics is the only field in which the more experience you have, the worse you get…I don't see how the people who created the problem can fix it.” -Kinky Friedman
The same people keep breaking the same promises, getting more brazen in the process. It’s time for voters to stop pretending the result will be different this time.
I read this very good article by Ms. Donovan titled "Sales Tax Go Up Again, Same for the City
Employee Salaries, Perks, and Pensions" and I quote from same "I’ve submitted a Public Records Act Request (PRAR) for the last five years of CALPERS bills to illustrate where the city’s funds are allocated and why they’re seeking an additional half-cent sales tax from us."
AND BOOM!! Ms. Donovan is now using a very powerful tool TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS just like JUDICIAL WATCH in Washington that obtains Documents to EXPOSE CORRUPTION see weblink >>
PSS - Any "Destruction of Records" in the above Case? Why would the SB Court want to Destroy Records? Any Records Destroyed in Other SB Court Cases?? Refer to Sergeant Schultz above.
"I SEE N O T H I N G!!!!!"
PSSS - Is the SB County Legal Counsel, Rachel Van Mullen currently involved in a Case involving
the "Alleged Sexual Abuse" of a Child? You cannot make this up it is SO BAD.
Yes they hope to suck over $15 million dollars out of our pockets annually. Probably much more when you consider in the rising costs due to inflation.
I’ve lost confidence in their ability to prioritize where they spend money i.e. $11 million to narrow the State Street underpass, millions to exclude vehicles from State Street, just to name a few examples of their dereliction of duty.
The city is also giving employees raises by cutting the hours they need to work and cutting the years they need to work to retire for life on tax payer funded pensions.
SB Current is the closest thing we have to a real newspaper. Yes, it’s opinions and exposing facts. The Indy is a propaganda machine for the Democrats.
Yes, I agree the Indy is a local embarrassment. “Angry Poodle,” Nick Welch, Jerry Roberts and “Tom Tomorrow,” clearly slanted, bias reporting… amateur hour!
It infuriates me the city’s Friday closures; and locked police station! Why is everyone so supportive of inaccessible local police, and top brass (Chief and her “caring deputy) who are incapable of strong arming even me let alone a dangerous criminal? Heck we all work Monday-Friday and weekends as needed. SB City is quickly falling below mediocrity. The Mayor needs to lead, better inform voters of the 3 Council reps mostly responsible for present day problems, and get his out of area City Manager to get to work. It’s all too sad and frustrating. Same as SBCC.
Every person out there pays the use tax regardless of income so once more, this affects disproportionately the poor and middle class.
The public records act request was an extipendous idea and the question well stated. When are these tax increases going to stop? My guess is never. Tax and spend is the motto. Specially in those salaries and pensions.
Defined-benefit pensions awarded many government employees, starting about 20 years ago in full fury, means these "tax increases" will never cease.
Public needs to better understand what future financial obligations they placed on themselves, after letting Democrat party politics become a super-majority in this state. Can't blame the Democrats because they are doing what they promised they would do - create a union member paradise on the backs of unwitting taxpayers. We continue to hear this exact same siren appeal nationally, as we speak.
Yet California being one of the early adopters of pro-union, all the time is now demonstrating what was predicted when this defined-benefit pension Ponzi scheme was thrust upon us. We ran out of other people's money.
Big money is leaving the state (tax the rich -make them pay their "fair share") while government dependencies has grown, fueled by more government union employee demand.
Breaking point - we are there. Not a threat, this was predicted over 20 years ago. The betrayal of the Gov Gray Davis recall and RINO Arnold Schwarzenegger sell-out to the government unions days. The last gasp of the vox populi; now silenced.
Absolutely, do not use failed strategies of the past. Who can describe what elected politicians fear the most? Certainly not letters. Not 2–3-minute speeches in council meetings.
What they fear the most, are organized demonstrations of public rejection and the press reports on them, especially if the national press gets involved
Will the local voters send a message to the elected Progressive "Leadership" who runs our city, by saying "NO" to yet another tax increase?
I predict the uninformed electorate will blindly agree to yet another self-inflicted theft from their wallets, as they believe the propaganda that is spewed from the mouths of Environmental Studies majors (staff) who run this city.
" . . I predict the uninformed electorate will blindly agree . ." You can count on it. No matter what I ask my Golden Retriever he says "OK." So do the stupid voters.
Local tax dollars support a conveyor belt, moving local Democrat politicians along to their next stop on the taxpayer-funded food chain. Stop this one-party craziness. Demand independence in all local elections; no more one-party favoritism.
Nice job Bonnie. As long as the taxes go into the general fund this will continue. I remember the same things happened in New Jersey when the Democrats ran a campaign to vote for casinos in order to finance senior citizens. Later it was admitted that it is not permitted to specify that a tax will be used a specific way. Housing issues are a bottomless pit until the flow from the border is stopped.
Bonnie, you are a local treasure. I'm so grateful for your columns because I can't make sense of how Santa Barbara is being run otherwise. To me it seems run for the benefit of government employees, special interest groups and unions. Not for me or other civilian taxpayers.
The government here seems to me - and I hope I'm wrong - to be a grifting operation with several lucrative self-perpetuating hoaxes, one being affordable housing. Through their tax increases, they make it harder and harder for middle class people to continue living here. But voters are seduced by “affordable housing” propositions thinking that will solve the problem and vote them in. And, of course, the tax money just goes to pay for government workers who can afford to live here while the taxpayers' financial problems with living in Santa Barbara only get worse.
After reading Bonnie's column I went over to the Housing Trust Fund website. Good lord, how much bloat can one non-profit organization have? Any money they get would have to go to supporting the organization itself rather than solving anything.
The problems the government says it needs increased taxes to solve? They seem to me to be problems they've created - through their inept problem-solving policies. Franz Kafka would have been right at home in Santa Barbara.
Everyone knows what the problems are, but nobody does anything about them. Look for the problem solvers amongst y'all and get them working on limiting the spending. Narrow the operation of the city to the basics such as: fixing roads, keeping water and sewage moving through pipes, repairing streetlights and signs ... you know what I'm talking about. City government think they are designers and don't have a clue as to what they are doing when creating something. There needs to be a non-government group with the ULTIMATE POWER over the city and county government that imposes spending limits of city-government folk's non-sensical spending projects. Remove or significantly limit the "creation" activities of never-ending project activities. If city government people were smart to create stuff, then they would be working in industry. The city needs to stick to their main purpose in life and that is just fix what's broken without building anything, only allowed to use screwdrivers, hammers, shovels, chisels, etc. Nothing requiring the use of any brainpower because they don't have it in the first place!
Agree. Thank you.
Ya, the problem is the unnecessary politics aspect of running a city. A business ignores politics. But what has to be the most irritating to us is the running of the city based on incorporating politics of all the identity politics of giving so-called aid or support to special interest groups. Has nothing to do with running the city, it only has to do with emotionally based so-called leaders that believe they have to spend OUR money to do THEIR stuff. Just fix things broken in the city and if you have anything left over in the budget, then return the money to the taxpayers. We don't give you, the city, to spend money on excess ... like building an empire with thousands of people sitting on their butts all day long.
Could not agree more.
A system of checks and balances is required to prevent the city from working in an uncontrolled, open loop condition as presently existing. The city actions need to be countered by the people, shutting down excess spending. The city uncontrollably experiments with their personal interests using taxpayers' money. The city operation uses way too many people and spends way too much money to operate. Comparable cities have budgets one-tenth the amount as used in SB. See the problem with this picture? The public is being "screwed" by the city. The city needs to be run like a business. A business will determine the amount of money actually required to operate the city. A business will not use more people than necessary to operate the city. You still need the checks and balances with a city. Residents can provide instantaneous voting for their opinion on any projects. You don't need ballots. If a business-like organization has an idea beyond the basics, ALL the residents can volt on it.
Yet another confidence game being played on us, the taxpayer. When will this ever end? Never, it goes on in perpetuity. The way the con works is simple. The politicians calls for voting in pay and pension raises at the expense of the public and in exchange, the unions give political support to those running for office. It’s not complicated. Quid pro quo…I do something for you, you do something for me!
The pension house of cards is not sustainable and will at some point, collapse. Unless of course, the voters keep bailing them out.
Want to become a millionaire? Simple, become a city or county employee and join a public sector union.
Those that own property need to unite and join together just like Howard Jarvis advocated for. Can anyone who owns property imagine what California would look like if Mr. Jarvis never stood up and said enough is enough?
All of this con by the way, is brought to you by the local Democratic machine which controls all the city/county contracts and unions like the SEIU.
To illustrate how confident and arrogant local politicians are in maintaining their power, they won’t even debate the opposition during elections. That’s right our local Congressman, Salud Carbajal won’t even discuss the issues facing us, the voters by REFUSING to debate his challenger, Thomas Cole. Now that’s true power! I guess the jokes on us…what a bunch of suckers!
You get it, LT. Bravo.
So true! It’s a quid pro quo AND it’s just not sustainable. Also —-I suspect their guaranteed retirement “schemes” absolutely qualify them as millionaires! Although I haven’t taken the time to research and verify that
Time for the city to also assess redundancies, overlaps with the county, and sunsetting program missions that were initiated decades ago and now long satisfied. The only recent fiscal howl from city council members was to enhance union requirements on most outside city contracts. (Eg: PLA).
Now we face structural budget deficits, along with increasing failures to meet projected revenue expectations from all city divisions. I know Mayor Randy Rowse knows how to look at the bottom line in any business operations; but I cannot name another current city council person with similar skills. Instead they continue to act like virtue-signaling Lady Bountifuls, as if city revenue streams will appear by magic. While hostaging expected minimal city services to their continual demands for more taxes.
This is ridiculous. Council members are supposed to manage this city for the residents, not just to favor government employee unions - the prime mover and driver of their own local Democrat politics. We pay and they play.
Voters: pay more attention to where your tax dollars are now forced to go, thanks to electing too many self-serving city council members for far too long. While they move on up the local Democrat food chain.
Their claims they need to maintain internal "labor peace" must now be pitted against recognizing taxpayer peace as well. Put it on the table. Tax payer revolt is perfectly reasonable. Cut off their crack and bring in a new team who does not operate as functioning addicts. The strain of relying on these intentionally unbalanced revenues and expenses has cracked.
Notice this same affliction is now affecting other control local governing boards. Mismanage and play favorites for years and then cry we need more money or else you, the public, will suffer. This continual party politics fiscal dysfunction must not be rewarded by their continual local re-elections.
Voters, this is in your hands. Value your ability to change this now well-failed course of action by our local representatives beholden only to party; not the public. Too many decades of single party politics dominating NON-PARTISAN OFFICES is over. This is the bitter harvest. Yes, try INDEPENDENCE, the way local elected offices were originally designed.
Get this city checkbook balanced. Reject all candidates who push national agendas on to local voters. And who exhibit zero fiscal common sense. The till is dry. They killed it.
Very astute summation. Yes, but the ability to layoff or downsize public employees is nearly impossible due to civil servant rights guaranteed by law or negotiated by union contract. The fix is ALREADY baked into the cake and they know it! The perfect con, unlimited job security and power protected by law! What could possibly be better?
I love that J. “taxpayer peace.”
Create a city management corporation and replace the city government altogether. Then you can run the city like a real business, no more voting in of incompetents. First thing to do is get rid of the pyramid structures requiring an excess of managers. Keep only the real workers. The city management company is rewarded by maintaining a low cost of operation. If there's a will, then there's a way of doing this. The State of CA needs to replace Newsom, too.
BR: Excellent. Case in point: Look at the posted list of prohibited conduct when visiting inside the privatized Paseo Nuevo foot print, compared to what the public is required to accept on surrounding public sidewalks.
Great example, Paseo Nuevo requires a certain decorum, and the city accepts a transient with an exposed erection sleeping on the ground ... which I've actually seen one morning when going to eat at Sambos. A business-oriented city management would think if a tourist saw what I saw ... it would affect tourism and we can't have that in the city. But all the city thinks, "Well, that's life."
HOW?
Find someone that knows how to structure a business managed city and go from there. When designing electronics, the "how" question follows after the "what" is it I have to do to perform a task. Carefully define the "what it is you want" and then work on the "how to do it." Sometimes when defining "how," I'll reverse engineer solutions made by others. In the past, I've done that so to improve on what was done prior to when I was handed to solve a solution. I tend to want to build a better mousetrap. It's rare to find something that hasn't been done before. When I formed a singles social club in the early 80's, I simply placed a two-line ad in the newspaper and that turned into over 500 people interested. Figure out where to start and go from there. Not to get overwhelmed by the idea, just figure out where to start. I can give other examples ... all the things I "touched" worked out fine.
NO ON TAXES
Seriously, has the SB government adhered to a budget and made cuts when they can’t afford something like every household has to, no.
They just raise your taxes and keep spending.
Perfect example is the State St underpass. Why?
We were in debt before they approved spending millions to beautify an underpass. It will not generate revenue.
It dies out ,Indy into a certain artists pocket which when yiu look back at other nonsensical spending he’s been the recipient before. The Milpas maize street lights in an area that is not traveled by tourists
So instead of actually helping lower income people with housing they spend money on stoopid items putting money in other people’s pockets. How many studies have been done on state street? Over a million dollars.
The DNC endorsed city council doesn’t put the money to the people. The DNC has controlled this city and county for decades. State street has spiraled downward because of them. Homelessness has not decreased under their rule.
Debt has built up along with taxes with nothing to show for it.
This new tax has to go to pay off debt first. Then do you think they will actually do what is right? They haven’t with any previous tax hikes, why would they do the right thing now.
Once again, Bonnie, you have put out an excellent and most important article. I would wish that every Santa Barbara voter would read it, take it to heart, and vote no on the proposals that the City is putting on the ballot. Thank you for your investigative work. It is an eye opener for sure!
Amen.
They spend like drunken Marxist sailors. California is truly the laboratory and testing ground for every unConstitutional scheme to break down society and our individual liberties. Our government is rotten to the core and needs a massive ‘Twitter-like’ overhaul that fires 80% of those currently employed who are not working efficiently and more importantly, ‘for the people’. Santa Barbara is run like a small tyrannical nation and the citizens need to wake up and take back our City from the Marxists before there is nothing of value left to salvage. They steal nearly half of our working dollars and then use our money to rule over us like subjects that they disdain but tolerate for our tax dollars.
Yes, our medical institutions and Dr's are also under their mismanagement. So, like everyone, they first go along to get along, turning a blind eye, running scared. Until it all turns on them. They become reduced to nothing under the demise of those now in charge.
Peanut, That’s why I go to Dr. Aijians office in Goleta. He is the only local doctor that I know brave enough to have stepped away from the corrupted system during Covid. There are many great docs but it takes a special kind of integrity to risk everything, especially your livelihood that you’ve worked your whole life for.
HOW?
Dr. Aijian is a terrific dr. I go to his partner, Dr. Alex Murdoch, also really terrific.
Thank you Bonnie for the great reporting on how we got to where we are.
“Politics is the only field in which the more experience you have, the worse you get…I don't see how the people who created the problem can fix it.” -Kinky Friedman
The same people keep breaking the same promises, getting more brazen in the process. It’s time for voters to stop pretending the result will be different this time.
I read this very good article by Ms. Donovan titled "Sales Tax Go Up Again, Same for the City
Employee Salaries, Perks, and Pensions" and I quote from same "I’ve submitted a Public Records Act Request (PRAR) for the last five years of CALPERS bills to illustrate where the city’s funds are allocated and why they’re seeking an additional half-cent sales tax from us."
AND BOOM!! Ms. Donovan is now using a very powerful tool TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS just like JUDICIAL WATCH in Washington that obtains Documents to EXPOSE CORRUPTION see weblink >>
https://www.judicialwatch.org/
Is their Corruption In Santa Barbara that I have been pounding the Table Here at SB Current?
I have a New Title as follows "Corruption Goes Up Again, Same in the Salaries, Perks and Pensions"
Get your CA Records Act Letters Filed at the SB Local Government Agencies and see what the
CAT TRAGS IN ...... I THINK ALL HERE WILL BE SHOCKED.
Hint .................... I have filed many, many CA RECORDS ACT REQUESTS and yes "BANG" is what I found.
AND I will be posting them on my substack for all to see and be completely sick.
The SB So-Called Leaders Responses are "VERY INTERSTING" Like someone we know of>>>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ag4nkSh7Q
"I SEE N O T H I N G!!!!!"
"I WAS NOT HERE!!!!"
YEAH RIGHT!!!!
Howard Walther, member of a Military Family
PS - I am going to add this Weblink and please read about a Mother and her Kids >>>
Any "Sexual Abuse" Allegations in this case possibly "Covered Up"?
Any other cases of Concealed Child Abuse or "Sexual Abuse" being COVERED UP FOLKS????
https://www.independent.com/2016/06/09/mom-says-she-abducted-daughters-protect-them/?amp=1
PSS - Any "Destruction of Records" in the above Case? Why would the SB Court want to Destroy Records? Any Records Destroyed in Other SB Court Cases?? Refer to Sergeant Schultz above.
"I SEE N O T H I N G!!!!!"
PSSS - Is the SB County Legal Counsel, Rachel Van Mullen currently involved in a Case involving
the "Alleged Sexual Abuse" of a Child? You cannot make this up it is SO BAD.
They're all ignorant OR have NO soul!!
I am trying to "EDUCATE" them Peanut but it is like dragging a dead horse to drink water.
By the way good Moniker.
Thanks Bonnie.
Yes they hope to suck over $15 million dollars out of our pockets annually. Probably much more when you consider in the rising costs due to inflation.
I’ve lost confidence in their ability to prioritize where they spend money i.e. $11 million to narrow the State Street underpass, millions to exclude vehicles from State Street, just to name a few examples of their dereliction of duty.
The city is also giving employees raises by cutting the hours they need to work and cutting the years they need to work to retire for life on tax payer funded pensions.
Scandalous, you’d think the Press would take this Ponzi scheme apart and report it to the public. Oh but wait….their on the take as well!
SB Current is the closest thing we have to a real newspaper. Yes, it’s opinions and exposing facts. The Indy is a propaganda machine for the Democrats.
Yes, I agree the Indy is a local embarrassment. “Angry Poodle,” Nick Welch, Jerry Roberts and “Tom Tomorrow,” clearly slanted, bias reporting… amateur hour!
Oh! Thank You ❤ So much agree!!
It infuriates me the city’s Friday closures; and locked police station! Why is everyone so supportive of inaccessible local police, and top brass (Chief and her “caring deputy) who are incapable of strong arming even me let alone a dangerous criminal? Heck we all work Monday-Friday and weekends as needed. SB City is quickly falling below mediocrity. The Mayor needs to lead, better inform voters of the 3 Council reps mostly responsible for present day problems, and get his out of area City Manager to get to work. It’s all too sad and frustrating. Same as SBCC.
Excellent article and topic.
Every person out there pays the use tax regardless of income so once more, this affects disproportionately the poor and middle class.
The public records act request was an extipendous idea and the question well stated. When are these tax increases going to stop? My guess is never. Tax and spend is the motto. Specially in those salaries and pensions.
Defined-benefit pensions awarded many government employees, starting about 20 years ago in full fury, means these "tax increases" will never cease.
Public needs to better understand what future financial obligations they placed on themselves, after letting Democrat party politics become a super-majority in this state. Can't blame the Democrats because they are doing what they promised they would do - create a union member paradise on the backs of unwitting taxpayers. We continue to hear this exact same siren appeal nationally, as we speak.
Yet California being one of the early adopters of pro-union, all the time is now demonstrating what was predicted when this defined-benefit pension Ponzi scheme was thrust upon us. We ran out of other people's money.
Big money is leaving the state (tax the rich -make them pay their "fair share") while government dependencies has grown, fueled by more government union employee demand.
Breaking point - we are there. Not a threat, this was predicted over 20 years ago. The betrayal of the Gov Gray Davis recall and RINO Arnold Schwarzenegger sell-out to the government unions days. The last gasp of the vox populi; now silenced.
Absolutely, do not use failed strategies of the past. Who can describe what elected politicians fear the most? Certainly not letters. Not 2–3-minute speeches in council meetings.
What they fear the most, are organized demonstrations of public rejection and the press reports on them, especially if the national press gets involved
Will the local voters send a message to the elected Progressive "Leadership" who runs our city, by saying "NO" to yet another tax increase?
I predict the uninformed electorate will blindly agree to yet another self-inflicted theft from their wallets, as they believe the propaganda that is spewed from the mouths of Environmental Studies majors (staff) who run this city.
Mike, change your beliefs. It may start a flood. Break this Stockholm Syndrome grip on far too many in our small little town.
" . . I predict the uninformed electorate will blindly agree . ." You can count on it. No matter what I ask my Golden Retriever he says "OK." So do the stupid voters.
Local tax dollars support a conveyor belt, moving local Democrat politicians along to their next stop on the taxpayer-funded food chain. Stop this one-party craziness. Demand independence in all local elections; no more one-party favoritism.
Nice job Bonnie. As long as the taxes go into the general fund this will continue. I remember the same things happened in New Jersey when the Democrats ran a campaign to vote for casinos in order to finance senior citizens. Later it was admitted that it is not permitted to specify that a tax will be used a specific way. Housing issues are a bottomless pit until the flow from the border is stopped.
Yes, California is fast becoming New Jersey and ran by our version of the Sapranos!
Yes!! Exactly. Chicago, NYC, and New Jersey "players." A rose by any other name...........