Effort to Buy San Marcos Foothills Receives $1,000,000 Donation

Markle is a good guess- nice intro to her new community. Following the footsteps of Michael Douglas. Property today is far more a white elephant due to wildland fires, utility access and insurance costs- price is probably negotiable.

Current amount garnered is $1,281,144. Market value on the 104 acre property is 5.5 million. Looks like the date for purchase has been extended, as last week I read it was Sept 12 or 15. I would like very much to see that area kept as green/open space. To that end, I donated $500 today. (If the property purchase by donors doesn't go through, your donation will be returned to you.)

What a wonderful contribution. Thank you.

You are probably new to this topic and don’t have context or understanding of what you are talking about. The preserve (and open space) was created from private land in an agreement to make these houses. Hundreds of acres went from private fenced land to an open preserve for all so that a few houses could be built. We can all hope it gets bought and completely preserved... but it went from a completely private (and completely inaccessible) property to a public preserve that we all enjoy. Context and a general understanding and concern of things often help!

Sure, DUKEMUSNON, you are correct about that, but SFGA055 is STILL right... the last thing we need is more luxury mansions. Period. No matter HOW they get here. We need to preserve this open space in perpetuity.

*Degeneres

Don't play the lottery.

Where is the gazillion plus uptick button for your post, SBLOCAL-67. Bravo.

Where is the gazillion minus downtick buttonn for your post, SBLocol? But welcome to the extremist wing here on Edhat.

I'm with PITMIX, as a native Californian and long -(long)-time Santa Barbara resident, I do not think that Santa Barbara has gone in a good direction since the 70's. It is a playground for only the wealthiest of people now, ... and it's everywhere, in all the high end shops downtown and in the Funk Zone to the northern reaches of Goleta, where they ruined Haskell's and built the Bacara, one of the most overrated over-expensive resorts I've ever seen. Santa Barbara used to be a lovely small town filled with middle class local families, it wasn't always the posh resort town they've made it out to be, and you can thank high end BIG real estate developers for that, and you can bet your bottom dollar that NONE of those guys are voting Democratic.

Private property rights are fundamental to the success of our nation. Government does not cure all ills as you claim; since too much government creates ills as well. Handle with care; not just a self-interested wish list. Government at best protects individuals from harm from other individuals. And jointly we the people decide what other powers we want to grant - like zoning and private property rights protection. When one says the "state", that is really nothing more those actual persons we choose to elect - Hannah beth Jackson, Monique Limon, Salud Carbajal ...etc.

RHS - what the hell are you talking about?

RHS, I’m confused. You say the owners of this property are wanting us to bail them out? Do you mean that they don’t think they can make money by building the eight luxury homes there, so they hope to sell the property? Or??? Please explain.

Including sell it to a conservancy, right? Or in your world they don't have the right to do that?

Shame, et al. The "owners of the land" do not have the right to do with it as they wish. This is pretty basic stuff. If they wanted to build an oil processing facility on it could they? If they wanted to build a 1000 unit condominium would that be allowed. With respect to the bail out comment. Let's find out what these speculators paid for this property, what the previous owners paid for it, etc., and then reimburse them for that cost plus maybe some inflation. The prices of the homes being built in the property adjacent to this parcel are so expensive they have been on market for years. The same will be true for this if they actually tried to build SFR's as promised so the owners of the land are looking to escape by convincing us that we have to give millions to them. In addition, of course, real estate speculation is fueled by tax write offs and sheltered profits ad nauseum. This is why Trump probably doesn't have to pay taxes on his alleged millions of dollars income each year.

Except, they aren't. Do you ever have any idea what you are talking about? They had an agreement in place that allowed for the property to be purchased and "preserved". Last I checked they had sold a few of the houses off Cieneguitas, so yes...properties in the development have been on the market for years, but they are different houses as they are obviously using the money from sales to build the rest. It looks like they remain a ways off on breaking ground on this part of the property. It was a generous concession to being allowed to build the parcels (the option to buy). I'm glad you brought up Trump though...like Trump you seemingly only make (wildly confident) crazy statements that have no basis in reality.

Harry can also volunteer with SB Search and Rescue and keep his helicopter pilot license up to date.. Preserve the land and save lives - how is that for their new lifestyle branding - walking the walk, not just talking about it. Heritage of personal philanthropy has long set this area apart when compared to other coastal communities.

PITLOCAL, I'm with you 100%. Let's work to save this land. Our native wildlife needs it and so do we. The uber wealthy have enough.. and enough is enough.

Unfortunately democrats have taxed the wealthy to the point that these type of philanthropic endeavors are no longer feasible.

@sblocal, if that's true how is it that trump and bezos are getting away with paying less in taxes than a McDonald's manager?

SB, if that is that case, how is the income gap growing so rapidly that the top 1% in the US has more wealth than the bottom 80%? Their taxes were just cut by President Virus. And how did the US survive and thrive when the tax rates on the rich were pretty high in the 50s? Try to at least get the facts on your side when you criticize.

I think the Democrats "eat the rich" attitude has made charitiable giving unpalatable, when all the donor gets is why didn't you give me something else or why didn't you give me more, or why did it take you so long. When just a simple thank you would have been sufficient..

The government does not own anyone's wealth. People agree to tax themselves in certain amount, and for specific purposes. Taxation is the only control the government has over the production of others. No such thing as a public "fair share" of someone's else's earnings or inheritances. There is only the tax code, as written by our duly elected officials. This is the fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives. Liberals think they have an automatic right to everything other people own or produce, and they only reluctantly allow them to keep part of their own property. Conservatives think they own what they produce and retain, and will give to the govenrment only what is legally required. Because of this fundamental difference of belief, the two camps are like oil and water. One group wants to take everything; one group wants to hold on to as much as they can.

BYZANTIUM, you are entirely wrong. People enjoy philanthropic giving even if they are poor. I fall into the lowest economic income bracket, and yet I was able to raise $800 back when they were saving the Wilcox Property, and I donated over $100 to save the Carpinteria Bluffs, and you bet I'll be giving to this cause too, even though I don't have much. When people are motivated for a good cause, they GIVE, they make it happen. Charitable giving is a good thing to do, and people like to know they are making a difference. Democrats have NOTHING to do with this, take your right wing propaganda elsewhere, and let's work to save this beautiful land!

Thank you, PITMIX. You are right. The wealthy, especially the uber wealthy, should be taxed proportionately.

SBLOCAL Who are you trying to kid? A whopping 76 percent of registered voters think the richest Americans should pay more taxes.

Ever since freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) proposed a 70 percent marginal tax rate on Americans earning more than $10 million a year, Republicans have been hysterically warning that Democrats will turn the United States into a version of socialist Venezuela.

However, polls show most Americans simply don't share these fears. Taxing the ultra-rich is very, very popular, with more than three-quarters of registered voters supporting the idea.

According to a Politico/Morning Consult survey, 76 percent of registered voters say the "wealthiest Americans" should pay more in taxes. That includes a majority, 54 percent, of Republican voters. And then there's people like Trump who just skirt taxes altoghether. Pffft.

In re: to why rich people pay less taxes than a McDonalds employee.
Most wealthy businesspeople do not take a paycheck in order to redistribute this savings inside the company which is then able to hire and pay employees. Rich people may go years without any taxable income. Many rich people do not start off that way as is the case with Bezos - he took many risks and worked very hard to create Amazon which in turn creates many jobs. All you mentally challenged morons talking about taxing the rich are just "takers". If you want wealth distribution then move to a socialist country - else just be happy you keep getting your government handouts and are able to enjoy a like that was built on the back of "creators".

@SBLocal: I see what you're trying to say but that just doesn't shake out to your favor unless you are Jeff Bezos. Small businesses and the middle class are getting absolutely crushed by those who don't pay their fair share in taxes.

In 2019, Amazon paid a tax rate of 1.2% on $13 BILLION in pre-tax income $280.5 billion in total revenue. In 2018 and 2017, Amazon paid ZERO federal income taxes. The federal corporate tax rate is 21%. Let's imagine if Amazon paid just 10% of its required 21% tax, this would lower taxes for the middle class and small businesses and Amazon would still turn a ridiculous profit in the name of capitalism. Our tax code is broken in favor of the rich and this is something every person in the 99% can get behind. (or so I thought)

Bezos built a better mousetrap and people flocked to his door. No one was forced to financially support Bezos. People willingly gave him money for what he was offering in return. I avoid all Bezos enterprise activities which is the way to prevent him from keeping his "fair share". Don't give it to him in the first place.

I can't with you Byzarre. This has nothing to do with purchasing power and everything to do with monopolistic capitalism crushing small business and the middle class with their unfair tax advantages, government bailouts, low wage workers, and cheap imported crap.

Will our congressman Salud Carbajal go after Silicon Valley billionaires under the anti-monopoly statutes already on the books? If not, why not. Is there some overly cozy relationship between Silicon Valley's financial support for Democrats, and the Democrat's hand-off approach to Silicon Valley? This has nothing to do with "capitalism". Far more to do with cronyism. Know the difference.

Byzzare, I'm sure you know this but Carbajal is a US Representative, not a State Senator. The US Senate is filled with GOP members who are the epitome of "cronyism" and are led by the biggest Cronie of all. You know what they say about glass houses and your beloved GOP.

6:07 Congress writes the anti-monopoly statutes US Commerce Clause - that was the topic in discussion with 5:48. One can assume if someone is addressed in their post as Congressman Carbajal one knows they are not our state senator (Jackson), nor our state assembly woman (Limon).

Thank you for donating. For as long as I can remember I have adored the open space of the San Marcos foothills. I will be donating too, and praying that we save it. Another bunch of luxury homes is the very LAST thing Santa Barbara needs. Ughhhhhhh. No. Just NO.

Non-profit charitable ownerships takes it off the county property tax rolls. That is a current county revenue stream that would also have to be made up. County can tell you what amount of property taxes the owners are now paying. And you can calculate what new property taxes the several high end homes would generate, if developed.