Weekly awards. Kudos to Jay Higgins, Jim Scafide and Kristen Sneddon, the trio of high-quality candidates competing for city council in the expansive Fourth District, who sat down together Thursday night for a spirited half-hour of conversation and questioning on Newsmakers-TV.
In a discussion dominated by, what else, housing, significant differences emerged among the three on: Measure C, the proposed one-cent sales tax on the November 7 ballot; the equity of the city’s short-term rental law; the importance of millennial housing in and around Macy's, as well on matters of temperament.
The show, produced by Hap Freund, will be available for viewing shortly. Will advise,
UPDATE: Here's the video:
Hack and flacks. Directly before the District 4 round table, Laura Capps, Nick Welsh, Josh Molina and Brooke Holland joined Jerry for a hacks and flacks confabulation, kicking around the campaign, the latest developments on DACA and Nick’s in-depth report, in the just-out Indy, about the innovative new Integrated Care Clinic on West Anapamu, which focuses on treating street people afflicted with mental illness, addiction and acute medical issues.
More: Josh's analysis of the unintended consequences of the local Democratic Party’s failed efforts to clear the field for favored candidates with early endorsements, Laura's inside view of school district actions to protect staff and students from the threat posed by Trump and his right-wing departments of Justice and Homeland Security, and, the poisonous and terrifying atmosphere they've set upon the land over immigration: Brooke's report on a dismaying teach-in event at SBCC, in which undocumented students, concealed behind curtains, recounted in disembodied voices the dread and foreboding that shape their lives since our 46 percent president cancelled DACA, screwing over hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and now want to work.
Watch this space for You Tube link after final edit of Newsmakers Hack and Flacks wraps.
Thanks for waiting: here it is:
Cancel that latte. District 5 council candidate Eric Friedman emails to say we got it wrong, in our report on the big housing forum last week, by describing him as “slightly over-caffeinated.”
"For the record, I don't drink caffeine, especially coffee," Friedman writes, punctuating the note with an oddball smiling emoji which unfortunately I've been unable to replicate.
Happily, Friedman also reported that he got his shift changed at Trader Joe’s and will be able to make a face-to-face sit down with opponent Warner McGrew on Oct. 5 on our show.
Last man on Earth. Aaron Solis, on the ballot in District 5, and the eighth and last candidate to respond to our invitation to appear with his rivals on Newsmakers – the seven others all accepted – sends word that he won’t be able to join Friedman and McGrew, because he’ll be in Chicago. All righty then.
Solis also was the only district council candidate MIA at the Sept. 14 Coastal Housing Coalition event. Turns out, however, he was in attendance, but chose to watch the game from the cheap seats.
"I was there in the audience,” says Aaron. "I didn't know about it until a few days before (saw a Facebook post about it). I was at a school event that (sic) left to head to the Vic, so I didn't get there until a little after 4pm, and then I had to leave about 5:30 to get back to the school event. “
As Woody Allen either did or did not say, eighty percent of success is showing up.
Bottom line. Voice/Casa magazine is the latest local media organization to join the ad hoc collection of dead tree publications, online operations and public access TV producing special coverage of the Nov, 7 municipal election, in an effort to boost voter interest, registration and turnout, at a time when local politics grows increasingly important because…Trump.
Voice Magazine joins the Independent, TVSB and Newsmakers in committing resources to the public interest project.
More recommended reading: the Chamber’s outstanding Q&A interrogations with the candidates, which chief honcho Ken Oplinger has had posted. Their mayoral print interviews (minus Bendy White, who didn’t become a candidate until after the questionnaires went out) can be found here and the district council contenders’ answers are here, here and here,
Off to Cachuma for grandkid birthday camping celebration. Hmm. Have a great weekend.
FAQs:
Who can vote?
All Santa Barbara voters are eligible to cast a ballot for mayor. Those in Districts 4, 5 & 6 also will be able to vote for a city council representative.
What district am I in?
Here is link that will help lead you to your council district (they really need a simpler “what city council district do I live in?" search function).
Huh?
Here is a map that shows the districts (may load slowly)..
Sorry, I'm not a visual learner.
Here is a head-scratching boundary description of each district.
Isn't there just somebody I can call?
Here is the Santa Barbara Registrar of Voters information page on the election, including how to reach them.
When is the election?
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. BUT REMEMBER this is entirely a vote by mail deal and...
...Mail-in ballots are to be sent out Oct. 9, 2017. BE CAREFUL NOT TO THROW OUT YOUR BALLOT, thinking it’s just more campaign junk mail. Deadline to register is Oct. 23.
Who's running?
JR
Photos: Jim Scafide, Kristen Sneddon, Jerry Roberts, Jay Higgins (l-r); Laura Capps; Eric Friedman; Woody Allen.
Email us at newsmakerswithjr@gmail.com or comment on our stories on our Facebook page - SB City Desk. Thanks for reading.