Subscriber Comments for
SB Wealth

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COMMENT 326251	2012-09-30 10:49 AM
People spend millions on a painting they hang on the wall. If you have it, flaunt it ...or not. But key is that it is yours to do what you want to do with it. Putting cash back into the economy in any way a buyer chooses to do it is okay with me. Think instead of that $35 million now re-circulating somewhere outside the McCaw bank vault, okay? Maybe some of that will trickle down to you when the seller buys a lattes on the house at Starbucks. Or donates to UCSB. Class envy needs to be replaced with a little more financial sophistication so people are not so anal about the wealth that should be encouraged flow all around in this town. If the only response is kill the rich, who will be left to pick up their lion's share of taxes they are already paying for all your current freebies?
COMMENT 325555	2012-09-28 04:59 PM
Craig McCaw bought a green 1962 250 GTO Ferrari for that 35 mil.
COMMENT 325538P	2012-09-28 04:35 PM
RE: $35 million for the car. Anyone know where it was bought and if sales tax was paid on the purchase?
COMMENT 325538P	2012-09-28 04:06 PM
Certainly there are names of donors who've helped our community, as many from this area provide generous donations. The names of the billionaires however, I haven't seen much into local philanthropy. Oprah has donated funds for our hospital; the others on this list? Especially considering how wealthy they are, it would be good to know and give thanks to billionaires who have been major benefactors.
RAINE5360	2012-09-28 03:57 PM
To be fair, every time I attend a cultural event, there are names of donors everyplace. Ditto when my kids were in high school and scholarships were doled out. The locals do in fact give to the community, thought not all of them, of course. That said, I think a 35 million dollar car is stupid, and I assume it's a foreign car, haha (I'm not a car fancier). They buy a lot of stupid things, for sure.
COMMENT 325538P	2012-09-28 03:42 PM
With the exception of the Ty Warner Sea Center, the names shown as local area billionaires, have they contributed to local philanthropies? Perhaps, anonymously or just that I haven't heard about it.
DEE D	2012-09-28 01:27 PM
America is trending towards more wealth in fewer hands at the top, less income, let alone wealth, in the middle, and greater numbers of poor, unable to earn a living wage with one job. At some point this trend becomes unsustainable due to social instability. Who wants to be a rich person in a poverty-stricken country, living in fear behind a wall? We should be smarter than this.
RED CREEK	2012-09-28 01:04 PM
One thing for sure, the wealthy in Santa Barbara County put back more here then they take out due to their philanthropy, investments in the community and creating jobs. However, the negative impact is that some of the jobs they create are for the poor (yard maintenance, cleaning), whom need to be subsidized by the middle class with the education system and medical/social services. After a brief sojourn living in another nearby but nowhere as wealthy state and community, I'll take the mega money folks as neighbors any day. How they got their dough is probably a combination of hard work, smarts and knowing what politico to buy. The middle class can play the same games at a smaller level, but doesn't have the capital or energy to invest.
COMMENT 325367	2012-09-28 12:29 PM
@130P- I did a google search and stand by the EVERYONE comment. Cuts across the board.
COMMENT 325538P	2012-09-28 12:02 PM
Various thoughts come to mind: 1) The money came from somewhere, we all must have contributed to the wealth of billionaires. (2) My Father said "Take all the money in the world and divide it equally and the rich would have most of it back in about three years. (3) It does seem there are more billionaires than formerly and tax loopholes and overseas bank accounts are probably a factor. (4) Does seem the middle class is struggling. (5) Long ago I read a Wall Street Journal article suggesting to invest in either lower end department stores, such as Walmart, or higher end stores. That the mid-level stores (where the middle class might shop) would have challenges and failures.
COMMENT 325271	2012-09-28 10:13 AM
A flat tax is the exact opposite of fair, 200P.
COMMENT 325255	2012-09-28 10:00 AM
NINE OF AMERICA'S POOREST PEOPLE LIVE IN AND AROUND SANTA BARBARA and like the nine richest they seem to be invisible
COMMENT 325251	2012-09-28 09:54 AM
Let's not forget all the jobs these people have created. Many more might be homeless if it weren't for these entrepreneurs.
COMMENT 326251	2012-09-28 09:43 AM
Making money takes more risks, sleepless nights and 24 hour dedication than most people are willing to make. Let them enjoy what they earned in any way they want. They did build it and earn it. And you the consumer supported their wealth because they created something you wanted and you paid them money for it. You all could do the same thing and ironically low-education illegal immigrants understand this more than most Americans - find a need, fill it, and make money doing it is still the American Way. And once one accumulates wealth for themselves it is theirs to dispense anyway they want un-earned or not whether to lazy children, greedy ex-wives or their favorite causes. The hate the rich, share the wealth yappers are no better than the panhandlers on State Street. They just use a different piece of cardboard to make their own selfish demands.
COMMENT 325214	2012-09-28 09:10 AM
I think most peeps agree that anyone can spend their money any ol' way they want....however it does seem as if there might be more satisfying ways to spend a tiny percentage of a couple of billion dollars than on a car that sits in a climate controlled box (garage). When I read about SOME of these folks (family-bonding- fun yachts- gimme a break!) I thank whomever, for folks like Paul Orfela and the other very generous folks in SB (none of whom even approach the vast wealth of the above folks...)
COMMENT 325200P	2012-09-28 08:40 AM
Wealth is so relative. Drop your average Haitian into Santa Barbara and the poor would look wealthy to them. Be happy with what you have. As for this "their fair share talk", the only fair tax is a flat income tax for everyone without deductions. That way, the Congress can't give favors to their friends at the expense of everyone else.
COMMENT 325202	2012-09-28 08:40 AM
@Lotuseater - You are SO right! I see so much anger and negative energy here in SB and it always puzzles me. I see it downtown, on the roads, at the beach, and especially in forums like this. We just need to open our eyes and see where we live and stop hating on people and complaining about everything. This is by far the best place to live in the world. Enjoy it!
COMMENT 326251	2012-09-28 08:14 AM
Gotta love the irony of those doing their usual hate the rich dance here. At the same time, the haters are among of the biggest consumers of the products that made these very same people so wealthy - computers, cell phones, the whole digital revolution, junk fad products, and the faux celebrity entertainment world. Here's an idea: If you hate the rich, stop buying their products.
ARCHIE	2012-09-28 07:56 AM
Where would she drive it?
FLICKA	2012-09-28 07:40 AM
In the 1920s Montecito had the highest income per capita in the U.S. Around the 1940s, movie actor David Niven often spent time in Montecito, visiting his friend Al Weingan at the San Ysidro Ranch (co-owner w/actor Ronald Coleman). In his book, "The Moon is a Balloon", Niven said there were more millioners (sp?)per acre in Montecito than any other community in America. I grew up there, my family worked as domestic help for 3 generations; cooks, maids, chauffers, gardeners. My friends from wealthy families, and their parents, were wonderful to me.
LOTUSEATER	2012-09-28 06:43 AM
I don't remember ever being jealous or bitter about what other people have. Just happy and ecstatic that I, too, can live in Santa Barbara. I used to live in D.C. Area....man o man, about 1 million people there all fighting over scraps thrown to them by our colossal federal government. No thanks! What's the line..."In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king...."......right? Try and be thankful, people, for what you have here. These politicos come and go....and yet... We still get to live here. How lucky we are! Peace!
COMMENT 325130P	2012-09-28 01:28 AM
@951, no, not EVERYONE. His plan would result in a middle class tax increase. Do a fact check on google on the topic, or see Tax Policy Center.
COMMENT 325101	2012-09-27 08:22 PM
I'm not wealthy, but I'd sure like to be wealthy. If I were in congress now I wouldn't have to worry about a thing for the rest of my life. Good on ya Lois!!!
COMMENT 325074	2012-09-27 07:27 PM
Enough at some point. I really do not believe it is healthy to have to much. I know it sounds dumb. But I truely believe the overly rich can be the saddest people on our planet . When I see this kind of wealth my heart goes out to them. Let's be just as kind to them as we are to the homeless. If the homeless want to stay in there situation , let them be. If the wealthy want to grow there accounts, let them be. A new book, Enough by Dr. Will Davis is a good read on what is enough.
COMMENT 325075P	2012-09-27 07:27 PM
To say "they worked hard for their money," is laughable.
COMMENT 325555	2012-09-27 06:52 PM
@928. We think alike. Hey, you local billionaires---yeah, you! Save the Gaviota Coast, PLEASE. What a tax write-off that could be. Keep our coast wild and free. (Think any of them read Edhat?)
BECKY	2012-09-27 06:08 PM
I don't think it's hatred and bitterness, it's cynicism. The system is gamed, and almost everyone knows it. The rich have been buying politicians' votes (on both sides) for some time now, so the rich and powerful become more so, and the former middle class working stiffs are largely struggling to not become even poorer. All the stats show that the gap is growing, and it isn't because the shrinking pool of extremely rich people are smarter or work harder. The system is rigged, and we all have to work at making it fairer again. Without a strong middle/ working class, we're all poorer, and the country itself is in danger, because that's what drives the economic engine, as well as what supplies workers, soldiers, consumers, etc.
COMMENT 325004	2012-09-27 04:44 PM
I don't understand the hatred and bitterness and anger directed at wealthy people. Common, and understandable, envy has deteriorated for many into pathological fury. (I'm jealous of all 9 of them, but I'm not foaming at the mouth with loathing.) And the irony is, probably 7 of the 9 are Obama supporters.
COMMENT 325003	2012-09-27 04:42 PM
Just think of the property tax's they pay and sales tax on all their purchases. They get hit!
COMMENT 325001	2012-09-27 04:33 PM
I wonder what the list would look like for the world's richest people. Seems like if I was so rich, no matter what country I lived in, I'd have at least one place in SB.
COMMENT 324989	2012-09-27 04:16 PM
These people have worked hard for their money - and have paid income taxes - and have donated money to many causes. And, most of all, are paying property taxes in our small town. That's great!
COMMENT 325271	2012-09-27 04:07 PM
Not all government is inefficient (see: Medicare, which operates at a much lower administrative overhead than private insurance). At any rate, $35m for a car is chump change for a guy who owns and is trying to sell a private island.
COMMENT 325367	2012-09-27 04:04 PM
Well that's his money and if he wants to spend $35mill on a car, then so be it. If the government was gifted $35 million to clean up State st and the RVs, they would get 1/8th of the job done b/c they are so inefficient.
COMMENT 324978	2012-09-27 03:56 PM
Now that they can spend whatever they want electing their preferred candidates, it will be impossible to stop the accumulation of wealth. If anyone can figure out how to rein in the out of control political process in this country, they've got my vote!
COMMENT 324979	2012-09-27 03:56 PM
35 million for a car? Really? Imagine what one could do to clean up the down and out along State st. and all the RVs along the beach for 35 million? But then again this is America! Now where did my Obama phone go?
COMMENT 324966	2012-09-27 03:43 PM
We get pissed that people like this make so much money, and we want to make it so they pay their fair share.... too bad that no matter what you do, people of this wealth keep getting richer, while many small business people end up getting stuck with the side affects for being lumped into a "rich" category.
COMMENT 325367	2012-09-27 03:31 PM
@KIDS, you're right, since Romney wants to reduce taces for EVERYONE.
ROGER DODGER	2012-09-27 03:27 PM
Naples is the next Santa Barbara..
COMMENT 324935	2012-09-27 03:14 PM
I'm surprised there's not more here. No better place to live in the U.S.
COMMENT 324933	2012-09-27 03:12 PM
928 - Awesome idea! Maybe if they even split the cost between them, I mean, it can't be THAT much can it?
COMMENT 325271	2012-09-27 03:09 PM
That's a lot of money.
COMMENT 324928	2012-09-27 03:07 PM
Wouldn't it be great if one of these folks bought Naples from the current owner as a gesture of good will and turned it into a preserve? Sigh...I can dream; can' t I?
ROGER DODGER	2012-09-27 03:02 PM
Do you think any of them have some spare change?
KIDS	2012-09-27 03:02 PM
These must be the people who Romney wants to reduce taxes for! Unbelievable!

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