sbrobert
2024 November Election Endorsements – As of 16 October 2024
Feel free to offer suggested changes. Here is how I plan to vote:
FEDERAL
President: Kamala Harris
US Senator: Adam Schiff
US Representative: Salud Carbajal
STATE
State Senator: Monique Limon
State Assembly: Gregg Hart
PROPOSITIONS
2 – YES – School bond
3 – YES – Right to marriage regardless of sex or race (my own marriage was once illegal in some states)
4 – YES – Water bond
5 – YES – Affordable housing bond
6 – YES – Eliminates prison slave labor
32 – YES – Raises minimum wage
33 – YES – Repeals prohibition on local renter protections
34 – NO – This is a “revenge” for Prop 33 and never should have been on the ballot
35 – YES – Maintains funding subsidy for Medi-Cal
36 – NO – Turns minor crimes into felonies
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA
Measure H2024 – YES – Bed tax increase for essential services
CITY OF GOLETA
This election is about sustainable transportation and pedestrian safety.
A few loud trouble makers are trying to destroy the safety improvements in Old Town Goleta.
We must reward those who had the courage to do this work.
Mayor: Paula Perotte
City Council District 3: Jennifer Smith
City Council District 4: Stuart Kasdin
Measure G2024 – YES – Extend agricultural land protections
SCHOOL BOARDS
[Endorsements by Santa Barbara Independent]
SANTA BARBARA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
District 2: Kyle Richards
District 3: Jett Black-Maertz
District 4: Dave Morris
Measure P – YES – Bond Measure to Fund Campus Building Repairs and Renovations
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Area 2: Nadra Ehrman
Area 3: Brian Cox
Area 6: Katya Armistead
SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Area 2: Sunita Beall
Area 3: Bill Banning
Area 5: Celeste Kafri
Ahchooo Thanks for that information and thanks for asking. I have not yet voted and this is part of why I posted my current endorsements. I am still open to being persuaded otherwise. Thanks!
As for sales taxes, I agree. Glad I don’t live in SB. I believe fuel taxes should be at least ten times what they are. Not to punish anyone. Just to pay the true costs of the impacts of driving, based on actual evidence.
A lot of other taxes currently subsidize what should be motorist user fees. And that includes charging user fees to electric car drivers, too.
I enjoyed a couple chili relleno’s this afternoon with super refried beans and rice.
The corn tortilla’s seemed as though they were old style home made.
And you don’t even share the name of the restaurant.
Def on brand.
Alex – No restaurant, stayed home. That’s why my wife gave me the bad eye when she read the tortilla’s (seemed) as though they were old style home made. And then I have to read that “Ernest Hemingway” Anonymous doesn’t like my communication skills. Enough to give a man gas.
Do_lie still can’t figure out possessives as opposed to plurals.
Give it up with the nanny grammar lessons…no one cares
Come on, you’re not no one. You’re someone. Don’t tear yourself down.
LOL!
Robert – how many Prop. “Yes’s” can we afford to pay for??
Thank you!
Robert, I see you are in favor of Prop P. Have you considered that a third of that bond is slated for a new Physical Education building, but the proponents don’t tell us that in their mailers? Have you read Marsha Croninger’s anti-P argument? I generally support all school bonds, but this one doesn’t seem right to me.
What are your thoughts on the proposed increase to the city of SB’s sales tax (city measure I 2024) ? Sales taxes are regressive, so I think we need to tread very carefully when increasing them.
Jennifer Smith, a member of the Planning Commission who just moved to District 3 in January 2024, is running for Goleta District 3 City Council against life long District 3 resident and frequent City Council attendee, Ethan Woodill. Ms. Smith, a member of the Planning Commission, previously lived in District 4, wherein she voted for high density housing at project sites such as Kenwood Village located at 7300 Calle Real between Baker Lane and 7-11. Now that she moved to District 3 in January 2024, she states she can not vote on certain issues in District 3, like Kenwood Village. A recent e-mail she sent me states, “Hi April, I am sorry to say that I have developed a conflict of interest on the matters to be considered at the continued meeting which I will announce at the meeting, so I will have to recuse myself from deliberation and vote on the Housing Element items. Jennifer Smith Chair, Planning Commission”
In the past two years, District 3 is the only District that has not had either an official or unofficial District City Councilmember. The other districts, 1, 2 and 4, have City Councilmembers advocating for them. As a result, the City other Councilmembers, who advocate/vote for the best interests of their own districts, voted to take millions of dollars from District 3 and give it to District 2; Old Town. If we elect Ms. Smith, she will have to leave the room when certain issues are discussed/voted on for District 3 and the City Councilmembers from the other districts will continue to have the opportunity to take more money away from District 3.
Even worse, Mayor Paula Perotte, who also lives in Dstrict 3, recuses herself from voting on Kenwood Village.
I do acknowledge the people will have to recuse themselves from certain issues/projects. There is nothing wrong with Ms. Smith having to recuse herself from various issues/projects. But, District 3 should not have to pay the price for having a City Councilmember who can not advocate for us. Alternatively, Ethan Woodill has stated he does not have any conflicts with any issues/projects in District 3, so he will be able to fight for/vote for issues that affect the people of District 3. Ms. Smith will have to leave the room whenever issues are discussed/voted on in District 3 that she has to recuse herself on.
There will be a lot of projects coming up in District 3 and the surrounding area in the next few years, including Kenwood Village; Colusa and the County of Santa Barbara County project Glen Annie Golf Course. We need someone who can participate in the conversations.
I would propose the following: vote for Ethan Woodill for City Council so he can fight for/vote for issues in District 3. That way, Ms. Smith will continue to be able to work on the Planning Commission, even though she can not vote on certain issues. We will have the best of both worlds, so to speak. Even tough Ms. Smith may want to work as a City Councilmember, we need someone who can fight for us. Ms. Smith can still contribute as a Planning Commission since she can give advice, but her recusals will not hurt District 3.
The same Ethan Woodill that went bananas on the edhat comment board a month ago after someone found his public twitter account and reposted all the racist, sexist, transphobic, MAGA crap he said? No thank you. Do not vote for Ethan Woodill.
Ethan Woodill deleted his Twitter account after I exposed its vile contents here.
Robert, I’ve only read this once:
https://calmatters.org/health/2024/10/prop-35-health-insurance-tax/
so damn complicated… I haven’t buckled down to study such issues yet. This one seems to be challenging.
This a typical bigger government, more taxes, more inflation, more regulation voter ballot.
No thank you.
On another note measure P proponents state “will not increase your taxes.” This is misleading as if you vote no and it doesn’t pass the last bond will expire and your property tax bill will be lower.
DAVID0593 – honestly curious, do you know how much lower our prop taxes will be if this does not pass? We talking cents, single dollars, tens, hundreds?
Again, very curious if anyone knows the answer.
Please keep in mind that local Teachers are NOT endorsing Bill Banning. His actions during bargaining last year show that he has very little respect for teachers. His actions have done harm in the relationship between board and educators and he has done nothing to try and repair that harm. While Banning has said that he believes we should keep things as they are Chris W wants to make positive change. He has worked in this district as a Special Ed teacher and has kids who will be starting in the SB district in the next few years. Please vote for school board members who want to work with teachers for a better district, not someone like Banning who just wants to keep things the same.
While I recognize that Bill Banning has experience (and he’s endorsed by the Independent) – I cannot help but think about how the existing board rubber stamped everything that Hilda has asked for. And, they’ve extended her contract. I honestly believe in giving people a second chance – but man, she really sucks. So nope, Chris is getting my vote.
If someone fails at their job for 3.5 years, you reward their failure by promoting them? It’s a baffling but interesting concept.
You’re absolutely right, Anon – but he was actually there for a full four years before being beaten soundly by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And yet he’s running again, and people are actually supporting him! I agree – it’s a “baffling” concept.
Mine is better with Biden.
What is the job of the VP? Is it to ignore your constitutional oath and duty and try to overthrow the will of the people? Or act as a tie breaker for the Senate and attend State functions while acting as an understudy to the POTUS.
If the former, Vance will do as his Daddy tells him, since Pence failed to follow his orders.
If the latter, Harris holds the record for most tie votes and seems to have done quite well in her attendance record at State functions.
I urge everyone to read Marsha Croninger’s piece in The Independent on why she is voting No on P. She’s on the SBCC board of trustees and has some interesting arguments as to why P is not what it is purported to be, and not what City College and the community needs.
Robert, seems inconsistent of you to support the ‘bed tax’ increase which is really undemocratic opportunism. The people being taxed have no voice in the matter and generally are unaware of the cost until they check out of their lodging. If we need local services, and we certainly do, we should tax ourselves to pay for them, not people just passing through as though they are just patsies.
If anyone in College School District in Santa Ynez is listening, please vote Yes on Measure L2024. The facilities desperately need an upgrade and the cost is next to nothing compared to the benefits the community will realize.
I am voting NO on all the tax increases. Both the city and the county will spend most all the money on increases in current employees wages and benefits, resulting in no new benefits for the community, They need to stop kicking the can down the road and deal with their wage/benefit issues now.
I’m giving prop 36 a closer look.
California has a golden opportunity to recalibrate on crime
Proposition 36 aims to reduce smash-and-grab robberies and provide treatment for drug addicts.
Free gift link:
https://wapo.st/3YvT8yI
I’m voting against it.
This seems to be the No On P argument that Ahchooo was referring to.
It is by Marsha Croninger, who is on the SBCC Board. Does anyone have a counter argument?
https://www.noozhawk.com/marsha-croninger-why-as-an-sbcc-trustee-im-opposed-to-measure-p/