Up Go Our Taxes Again
by Bonnie Donovan
In a previous article, I discussed the financial challenges faced by the city and the necessity of raising a significant amount of money, ranging from 7.1 to 10 million dollars. One of the points I highlighted was that street vendors or sidewalk vendors are not required to pay sales tax, and they only need to pay a $25 permit fee.
Additionally, I mentioned that B-cycle, a business operating in Santa Barbara, does not pay rent for utilizing our sidewalks or streets, and we do not receive any sales tax from them. Recently, the city staff decided to extend the pilot program, and this decision was approved by the City Council. Consequently, B-cycle will continue to be exempt from paying rent and sales tax to the city.
A reader sent the following email: “B-Cycle pays an extraordinary fee to the City. Their fee is inclusive of the space rental. Also, they are very popular. The City profits from B-Cycle. Best to know the facts before ranting. Street vendors need to be controlled B-Cycle jumps thru all the City Hoops.”
Despite confidence in the accuracy of my previous statements, I decided to submit a Public Records Request to substantiate my claims. This request specifically sought information regarding the funds received by the city from B-cycles, including rental fees and sales tax.
Here is the response I received regarding my inquiry, providing details on the monetary transactions between the city and B-cycles.
Response from the City
Dear Bonnie Donovan,
The City of Santa Barbara has received the below records request from you on May 7, 2024, pursuant to the California Public Records Act (PRA).
"Hi Sarah, Can I please have the total rent and sales tax amount from B-Cycles that the City of Santa Barbara has received? Thank You Bonnie Donovan "
The City of Santa Barbara has determined there are no responsive documents to your request.
If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this further, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
City of Santa Barbara, City Clerk’s Office
(805) 564-5309
Considering that B-Cycle has been operating throughout the city for the past five years, what benefits should we have gained from this? Could this have potentially alleviated some of our budgetary concerns?
Additionally, I am curious as to why the city staff and council have not held B-Cycle accountable for their promises. During their proposal, they mentioned using a bike with a trailer to replace batteries around town.
You know that the bike is to avoid carbon. However, we have evidence of them still using a van for this purpose.
More “Consulting” on Tax Rates by City Council
The city has enlisted the services of yet another consultant to conduct a survey on whether a ½ cent sales tax would be approved if added to the ballot. If you have not already, I recommend watching Josh Molina's podcast from May 14, 2024, as he provides explanations and poses a question.
We have consistently highlighted the financial strain caused by non-profit organizations and the Housing Authority not contributing property taxes.
The proposed ½ cent sales tax aims to sustain essential services such as 911, homeless initiatives, libraries and more.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the existing funding for these services, particularly with non-profit organizations and the Housing Authority exempt from property taxes, resulting in a strain on available resources due to properties being removed from the tax roll.
Recently, the Housing Authority requested additional millions for another project, following a previous request of millions for a hotel project at State and De La Vina. These properties will further contribute to the list of tax-exempt properties, with the blame often placed on Proposition 13 for the financial challenges faced.
Maybe we should start a count on properties removed from the paying Property Tax like we do our City removal of trees!
Have you received the media release about the city's tree removal? I noticed it was sent by the Marketing Coordinator. Surprisingly, the city did not reach out to the group that has been consistently engaging with them regarding these trees.
Here Today, Gone (maybe) Tomorrow
The City of Santa Barbara’s Urban Forestry staff will remove five Italian stone pines ranging from 96 to 116 years old on East Anapamu Street after a comprehensive assessment identified the aging trees as a threat to public safety. Many of the remaining trees will receive canopy pruning to reduce the risk of limb failure once neighboring trees are removed. Removals are expected to begin the week of June 3.
Between March 29 and March 30, two Italian stone pines on East Anapamu Street failed, and three required emergency removal due to the risk of imminent failure. While the trees are regularly monitored due to their age and size, a comprehensive tree risk assessment evaluated the overall health and structural stability of each Italian stone pine and identified five trees with dead and decaying roots, requiring full removal. Seven trees are in an irreversible decline in health but were not identified as high-risk and are not currently scheduled for removal. Urban Forestry staff will continue to monitor these trees.
The mature trees were planted in 1908 and 1929 and have been weakened by a combination of factors, including drought, disease, and development over the past century. When the trees were planted, East Anapamu Street was a wide, unpaved road. Today, the trees are in parkways ranging from 4-6 feet. The large lateral roots of the Italian stone pines cause damage to nearby asphalt and concrete, lifting sidewalks and damaging roads. As repairs are made to the surrounding hardscape, the roots of the trees are pruned, weakening the tree. Aggressive canopy pruning to accommodate overhead utility lines places additional stress on the mature trees.
Recent lab testing identified Phytophthora root rot in the soil of all tested trees. This fungal pathogen kills a tree’s roots, first infecting small fibrous feeder roots before moving into larger roots. Infected feeder roots impact the tree’s ability to uptake water and nutrients, leading to overall decline. Given the pathogen’s ability to easily spread from one location to another, it is presumed to be present in each of the parkways. Lab testing also identified Diplodia tip blight within the canopies of tested trees. This fungal pathogen causes the decline and death of portions of the tree canopy over time.
Urban Forestry staff will develop recommendations for replanting, including consideration of whether the Italian stone pine should remain as the designated street tree or whether there are other tree species that would successfully re-establish the canopy while honoring the City’s horticultural legacy. This process will include review and discussion during public meetings with the Historic Landmarks Commission, Street Tree Advisory Committee, and Parks and Recreation Commission.
Visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/StonePines for more information, including answers to frequently asked questions.
Contact
Eryn Blazey
Marketing Coordinator
(805) 564-5589
EBlazey@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Here is something you might want to attend:
Please try to attend Memorial Day events this weekend!
Monday, May 27 is Memorial Day. Please plan on attending one (or more) of the following ceremonies…
9am, Goleta Cemetery, 44 S. San Antonio Road 93110 (Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 218 is presenting a wreath)
10am, Carpinteria Cemetery, 1501 Cravens Lane 93013 (VVA Chapter 218 is presenting a wreath)
11am, Santa Barbara Cemetery. 901 Channel Drive 93108
You’re encouraged to wear your uniform, chapter shirt or other appropriate attire. Look sharp, stand tall!
NOON, Monday, May 27: The World-Famous Chili Cook Off kicks into high gear at the Santa Barbara Veterans Building! My best to all who are competing!
Time to move this city to at least "hybrid district" elections and reverse the negative trend of our recently mandated switch to solely district elections. This recent switch was crammed down under threat of CVRA attorney fee damages. (CVRA - California Voting Rights Act)
There has been no measurable benefit to the overall health of this city after making this election format switch a decade ago. Just the opposite. We are now floundering and flailing with only the mayor still elected city wide, who now is the only elected representative required to take the wider view on matters that are ultimately critical to all of us.
"Hybrid elections" require candidates to reside in a certain city district, but are still voted on at-large by the entire city. They continue to bring in the voice of their own unique community, but remain responsible to city voters as a whole. This city is too small to support only district elections. The growing insularity of this current narrow district voting mandate is creating overall institutional dysfunction.
At least provide an audit of city revenue generation per city district and each district's subsequent demand on city resources, to see if there are unequal fiscal issues we are inadvertently overlooking. The city is primarily a fiscal entity; not an experimental social engineering proving-ground, costs be damned.
Let's get our internal books balanced first, before we are dunned for another round of increased taxation, or intentional loss of city revenues, now used to carry out some narrowly focused social engineering scheme.
Cutting waste on projects such as unused bike paths would go a long way toward restoring fiscal health.