A little more than forty years ago, in 1982, there were 298,694 residents in Santa Barbara county compared to today’s population of 448,229. While our population grew 50% since 1982, the county budget grew by 1,000%.
How could this be?
It all has to do with obscene growth in government salaries, benefits, and pensions.
In 1982, per capita income in the cou…