The Parking Problem

by Bonnie Donovan

Santa Barbara City Council Meets

In the upcoming November election, there are three seats available on the Santa Barbara City Council for candidates to fill. It is crucial to elect individuals who can effectively balance the budget and prioritize safety.

During the 4-30-2024 City Council meeting, Mayor Randy Rowse expressed concerns about the impact on Fire Station #1 on Carrillo due to the proposed relocation of the Farmers Market. (Closure of Carrillo Street on Saturdays)

Councilmember Eric Friedman emphasized that safety is the Council’s top priority. 

The relocation of the Farmers Market to Carrillo Street will have consequences for emergency services, as confirmed by the Fire Chief and Police Department. Despite their concerns, the council voted in favor of the move, with Mayor Rowse and Alejandra Gutierrez dissenting. 

The decision has raised questions about the city's priorities and the potential risks involved. 

If the relocation negatively affects emergency services' response times, there may be a reconsideration of the decision. The safety of the residents should be paramount, and any delays in emergency assistance must be avoided to prevent tragic outcomes.

More Budget Issues

During the 4-30-2024 Finance Committee meeting, Meagan Harmon highlighted the issue of street parking in downtown areas. “You can’t find any street parking,” she noted but failed to point out that the lack of enforcement in ticketing has led to downtown workers occupying parking spaces for extended periods, resulting in lost revenue opportunities. 

The proposal to introduce metered parking on the streets aims to address this problem and open up more parking spaces for visitors and customers. Simply having parking enforcement return to ticket cars over-staying their allotted 15- or 75- minutes for hours would also “fix” the problem. Downtown employees know there is no enforcement and use street parking during their entire shift.  

The Parking Problem

Regarding parking fees, there have been changes implemented over time. Initially, there was a period of one and a half hours of free parking, followed by a charge of $1.50 per hour. However, this was later increased to $3.00 per hour after only one hour and 15 minutes. They are now proposing to reduce the free parking time to 60 minutes and charge $2.00 per hour thereafter. Additionally, the proposal is to introduce a charge of seventy-five cents per 15 minutes for street parking. It is worth considering that the downtown parking situation is currently experiencing financial losses. 

One possible reason for those losses could be the closure of State Street. To address this issue, alternative solutions can be explored, such as reopening State Street, letting go of high-salary workers, and refraining from hiring individuals who bring practices from their previous locations. It is important to remember that Santa Barbara has its own unique identity and should not be compared to other places.

People should remember that “free parking” is subsidized by landlords and businesses, who are billed for that “free” time. It's considered a benefit to their business. 

And, speaking of “benefits,” maybe it’s time to stop paying $100,000, $200,000, and $300,000 for employees who will also receive that amount upon retirement. That would certainly help Santa Barbara balance its budget. Besides, we aren’t seeing the return on our investment in these overly generous salaries. 

Time to Tax Street Vendors

One issue in Santa Barbara is the unequal taxation of street vendors. They are only charged $25 per year and are not required to collect sales tax. In contrast, if I were to get takeout from a restaurant or fast-food place, there would be a to-go tax.

To promote fairness and support local businesses, it is time for Santa Barbarians to reconsider patronizing street vendors until a more equitable tax system is established. By advocating for equal taxation across all food vendors, the community can ensure that businesses operate on a level playing field and contribute fairly to the local economy. It is essential to address these issues to uphold fairness and support the growth of businesses in Santa Barbara. It is important for all businesses to contribute equally to the local economy through taxes. By not enforcing sales tax collection from vendors, the city is inadvertently favoring one type of business over another. 

It's also past time to begin charging street vendors rent for the space they take up on our sidewalks and streets. For example, B-Cycle also does not pay rent for using the sidewalks and streets. Like other tenants, B-Cycle should be charged for their use of public spaces. It is important to address these inconsistencies and ensure that all businesses, including street vendors and B-Cycle, contribute their fair share to the community.

Let's refocus on equity or equality, whichever term the staff and council prefer. This should apply to everyone, including beachfront taco trucks, fruit carts, and B-Cycle. They should pay just like city tenants on the Pier and in the Harbor. Even participants in the Art Show pay hundreds of dollars for Sundays. Wouldn't it be fair for them to pay $25 per year as well?

More Projects, Less Parking

In a separate discussion at the Transportation Circulation meeting on 4-25-2024, concerns were raised regarding the removal of parking spaces in projects involving the expansion of more bike paths on Cliff Drive, Westside, and Milpas. While these projects are expected to enhance transportation options, the cost implications are significant. With an estimated total cost of 50 to 60 million from State and Federal funds, the city will also need to contribute 10 million towards these initiatives, potentially impacting the budget deficit for the years to come. 

It is crucial to consider the balance between improving transportation infrastructure and managing financial resources effectively. While addressing parking issues and promoting alternative modes of transportation are important goals, it is essential to evaluate the financial implications of such projects. 

Transportation and Circulation Committee - April 25, 2024

Back to the vote in November

In the upcoming November elections, three seats are available: These seats include Alejandra Gutierrez’s seat in District 1 (Eastside), Oscar Gutierrez’s seat in District 3 (Westside), and Mike Jordan’s in District 2 (Mesa). It is crucial to elect individuals who can effectively balance the budget without burdening taxpayers or reducing essential services. These three voted on all expenditures, including the $11-million underpass at State Street, along with its increase in price of $400,000. 

It matters who you vote for!

A whole block of street parking at Castillo and Sola is removed for a bike path. Source: DYK Photographer

Now for some good news.  People are fighting back and this week we read about SB9 

Court throws out SB9