Tag Archives: Santa Barbara

Central Coast

LA Times reports Republicans targeting Congressional District 24

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Dear Calitics community:

I wanted to give you an update on my congressional race.

On Monday, the LA Times reported some good news about California’s redrawn Congressional districts.  According to the Times, Republican “party leaders aren’t happy about the situation.  Some say privately that the GOP could lose up to five of its 19 California congressional seats.”

However, the Times also quotes David Wasserman, editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, who said “there are some Republican opportunities” as well.  Specifically, Republican strategists have targeted my race because Congressional District 24 “has been made more compact and more evenly divided between Democrats and Republican voters.”  LA Times link

Without question, my district is the toughest Democratic-held seat to defend in California.  The district has the slimmest margin of Democratic voters in the state.

During my time in Congress, I have developed strong relationships with the residents of my district.  But the Republican playbook is to “nationalize” this race and try to distract voters from my solid record working as their representative in Washington and providing effective constituent services.  

Already Karl Rove’s SuperPAC Crossroads GPS has run a false TV ad criticizing me for supporting Healthcare reform.  The National Republican Campaign Committee also ran a TV ad against me in the district that the Washington Post factchecker debunked, giving it “4 Pincocchios!”

There are at least three Republicans who have indicated they may run.  Millionaire Abel Maldonado is running and has already invested $250,000 of his own money in the race.  Tea Party favorites Tom Watson and Chris Mitchum are also running and they tied for first place in a recent straw poll, showing their ability to energize the Republican base.

Meanwhile, I’m not taking any chances.  Our experienced campaign manager, Kris Pratt, is on the ground now and we’re staffing up our finance and field teams so we can be ready for 2012.

I know there’s a big bulls-eye on my race, so I’m reaching out to you and progressive activists across California.  I hope you’ll play a big role in my campaign.  You can reach us at [email protected] or get involved at www.cappsforcongress.com

We need your help to organize in my district and raise money so we can communicate with voters.  We need to win seats like CD24 to take back the U.S. House of Representatives.

So I hope you’ll join me in 2012 and help us keep California’s beautiful Central Coastal district blue.

Thanks, and happy holidays.

Lois

www.cappsforcongress.com

Uncategorized

CA-35 Update

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One of the many flaws of California’s term limits law is that it creates needless conflict and enmity between would-be allies each vying to do their part to make the State a better place, as each candidate is forced to abandon a job they have just barely learned, to campaign for a different job.  Conflicts arise in this perpetual game of musical chairs, accountability is minimal, and activists are left in a jam deciding whom to support.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in AD-35, where Assemblymember Pedro Nava has been termed out, forcing a run at the Attorney General job.  The power vacuum left by Nava’s absence has opened the field for two impressive candidates, both of whom are well-liked in the district: Susan Jordan, Mr. Nava’s wife and co-founder of the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) and Vote The Coast, and Das Williams, Santa Barbara City Councilman and longtime community activist through CAUSE as their legislative analyst.  Williams also serves as a national board member of the National Organization for Women, and is on the Peabody Charter School Board.

The Republican banner will be carried by former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker.  However, given the 20-point voter registration advantage favoring Democrats in the district, the winner of the Democratic primary is almost certain to hold this safe Democratic seat.

Most activists here in the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas know each of these individuals well, and have worked with them on multiple issues.  As the race intensifies, it is painful for many to make a choice between them, and many have avoided doing so to date.  I personally have endorsed Mr. Williams, having worked with him on a number of different issues here already in less than a year of local activism, while my contact with Ms. Jordan has been more limited.  Each candidate has amassed a long list of endorsers (in-fighting remains about who exactly has endorsed whom at this point, adding to the confusion), and a large number remain on the fence.  Ms. Jordan’s biggest ally, obviously, is Assemblymember Nava; Mr. Williams, however, counters with the almost equally hard-hitting support of Hannah-Beth Jackson, whom he served as Chief of Staff in the SD-19 2008 election.

On a personal level, there is already significant rancor between the two sides: while both have promised a positive campaign, and neither candidate has made overt attacks on the other, various operatives have been busy attempting to earn support with some negative charges.  Williams is extremely active in the community and had expected to be next in line for the spot; his backers have hinted at nepotism between Nava and Jordan; Jordan backers paint Das as overly ambitious and opportunistic because Williams previously ran unsuccessfully for Supervisor, because of his comparative youth at 34 years of age, and because many say that Williams had told them earlier in the year that he would not run for the seat.  Williams is in his second term on the Santa Barbara City Council, and will be termed out–needlessly adding increased stakes under the guise of “reform” through term limits.

Also an issue in the race is the vaunted PXP drilling at Tranquillon Ridge: during the early days of the proposed deal, Williams backed a variety of local environmental organizations in supporting the deal.  Jordan and Nava were opposed, due to precedent and the belief, later reinforced by various agencies, that the deal’s sunset provision would be unenforceable.  The deal eventually became the famous statewide issue it is today, and it is sure to be a major attack avenue against Mr. Williams by Ms. Jordan.

To date, the race is playing out similar to the Clinton-Obama primary war in a battle between youth/change and experience/responsibility–but with an added wrinkle.  While Mr. Williams is young, he also boasts greater experience in elected office, particularly in the field of balancing budgets, an issue particularly crucial to Assembly candidates.  Mr. Williams has repeatedly referenced Santa Barbara’s continued balanced budgets as proof of his ability to make difficult budget choices in a progressive fashion in a tough economic environment, and contrasted his record in Santa Barbara with that of the legislature in Sacramento (somewhat unfairly, as the SB city council is not hamstrung by a 2/3 rule).  Ms. Jordan, meanwhile, will be running ostensibly (and probably unfairly) to the left of Mr. Williams on environmental issues, will be leveraging her longstanding statewide activism, and will portray herself as something of an outsider to the political process despite her connection with Mr. Nava, while attempting to frame Mr. Williams as a career politician.

It is in this somewhat unpleasant context that the Williams campaign released their surprisingly strong fundraising numbers yesterday evening (the Jordan campaign released its own press release this afternoon.)  While it was expected that Ms. Jordan would outraise Mr. Williams due to greater large-scale institutional support and an earlier head start (including a high-profile fundraiser at the home of Pierce Brosnan), the campaigns are essentially even in terms of fundraising, with each campaign spinning the numbers as coming out in their favor: the Williams campaign is emphasizing Jordan’s $12,000 loan to her own campaign to even up the numbers, while the Jordan campaign is emphasizing its $10,000 advantage in cash on hand.

The full text of the competing press releases follows below the fold:

Local Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams Outraises Main Opponent In Campaign for Assembly District 35

Santa Barbara, CA – Showing that local residents are looking for a new kind of elected leader in Sacramento, local Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams today reports having raised over $120,000 in his campaign for Assembly District 35 as of the June 30th reporting deadline.  In significantly less time, Das Williams outraised his main opponent Susan Jordan – wife of the District’s current Assemblymember Pedro Nava – who raised $110,000.

Das’ strong financial showing complements his already strong grassroots network and growing list of local endorsers and supporters.  

“Das Williams raised more money than Susan Jordan in just half the time,” said campaign spokesperson Josh Pulliam.  “Loaded with a $12,500 personal loan and strapped with unpaid debt, Susan Jordan’s financial report comes straight out of the same Sacramento playbook that brought us a historic budget crisis.  These financial reports illustrate that voters in the district are ready for change.   As a local councilmember, Das already represents nearly a quarter of the Assembly District, and today’s numbers prove that he’s going to have the necessary resources to mount a successful campaign.”

Das Williams is campaigning to succeed termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava.  

Das Williams grew up on the Central Coast and is a product of local public schools. In 2003, Das Williams became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007. Das has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer working to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Das serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Das received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a graduate degree in Environmental Science & Management from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Jordan Shows Strong Support for Assembly District 35 Race

“Never before has it been so important that we make fundamental changes to the way of doing business in Sacramento. The voters know that fixing the problems won’t be easy, and it will take someone with experience, integrity and determination to stand up to the special interests,” said Assembly candidate Susan Jordan.  “The people in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties who encouraged me to run have backed up their encouragement with campaign contributions. In my first run for elective office, I am inspired by their early show of support.”

Jordan leads fundraising for the primary election, which will be held June 8, 2010, with an impressive $124,129 raised between January 1 and June 30.  Jordan notes that she is very fiscally conservative, spent little during that period, and has $119,228.07 cash on hand.

Jordan added, “I am deeply honored to have the help of so many local and statewide leaders who have placed their trust in my abilities to get the job done, including Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf, Oxnard Mayor Tom Holden, Oxnard City Council members Bryan MacDonald and Dr. Irene Pinkard, Former State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Susan Rose, Former Santa Barbara Mayor Harriet Miller, and many more.”

Jordan is an award-winning environmental leader, a successful business woman, health advocate and mother with 15 years of experience working to protect the coastline of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties – and for all of California.  As a former Chair of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, Jordan tackled regional planning concerns with an analytical and balanced approach.  After leaving her business career, Jordan founded the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) in 1999 and serves as its executive director.  CCPN is considered one of the most effective environmental advocacy organizations in the state and Jordan has received numerous awards for her precedent-setting work.

Jordan is being challenged by Das Williams.  Williams initially supported Jordan, and stated in the Santa Barbara Independent that he would not run and that his own personal ambitions would have to take a back seat for the “greater good of the community,” while praising Jordan’s environmental credentials and statewide connections.  Williams and Jordan split largely over the issue of offshore oil drilling, with Williams supporting a proposal to open the coast to new drilling, while Jordan opposed it.  Jordan is leading a statewide coalition of more than 60 groups who oppose the governor’s efforts to approve the first new offshore oil lease in state waters in 40 years.

“As I walk this district, people tell me that they want someone in Sacramento who has life experience and can be trusted to stand up to special interests and address the serious challenges facing our state, our economy and our livelihoods.  This is a responsibility I take to heart. I will not let them down,” said Jordan.

Susan Jordan for Assembly 2010

Ending cash    $119,228.07

Das Williams for Assembly 2010

Ending cash    $108,767.62

Susan Jordan for Assembly 2010

Reporting period    01/01/2009 – 06/30/2009

Contributions from this period    $124,129.00

Expenditures from this period    $11,006.82

Ending cash    $119,228.07

Das Williams for Assembly 2010

Reporting period    01/01/2009 – 06/30/2009

Contributions from this period    $122,656.08

Expenditures from this period    $13,988.46

Ending cash    $108,767.62

Republican challenger Mike Stoker has not filed any reports.

Given the heated nature of the releases even at this early stage, this will an interesting race to watch going forward.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Budget

Arnold Still Wants To Drill Baby Drill

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As Brian noted, in the full list of the Governor’s slash and burn budget, the offshore drilling proposal in Tranquillon Ridge off the Santa Barbara coast remains.  After a key environmental group backed away from the plan, which originally was structured as a compromise proposal to allow an additional rig in exchange for ending all drilling in the channel by 2022 (which the Lands Commission determined was unenforceable), many expected the plan to be scrapped.  But it remains, despite the fact that the California Lands Commission spoke out yesterday, calling on the legislature to put a stop to this power grab.

The State Lands Commission on Monday lashed out at an attempt by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to allow the first new oil drilling in California waters since 1969.

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, chairman of the three-member panel, called the governor’s effort “a naked power grab.” At a contentious hearing in Santa Monica, the commission passed a resolution urging legislators not to go along with the plan, which would revive a drilling proposal off the Santa Barbara County coast that the commission killed in January.

The Commission doesn’t out-and-out call this illegal.  But they hold jurisdiction over oil drilling, and the Governor is simply trying to go over their heads.  You can basically shut down the California Lands Commission if this goes through, because they will be rendered impotent.

And of course, while the Administration foregrounds the $2 billion dollars to be gained from allowing the leases in Tranquillon, he does not make a peep about charging an oil severance tax, to actually make the oil companies pay to take California’s natural resources out of the ground.

California, Environment

Seduced by Big Oil, California is Now Up for Sale

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(Truly an amazing reversal by Governor Hoover on this. – promoted by David Dayen)

What can $100 million buy you? Apparently California’s coastline if Big Oil has its way.

In late January, as chair of the California State Lands Commission, I joined State Controller John Chiang in a two-to-one vote to deny the first offshore oil lease off the coast of California in more than four decades. To permit more oil production off the coast of California, a state seen the world over as a leader in environmental stewardship, would have sent a terrible signal that California isn’t yet prepared to embrace a green economy. The risk of a major oil spill killing marine life, soiling the coast, and decimating marine-based industries and tourism is simply too high for a quick buck.

Sadly, as part of yesterday’s drastic state budget May Revision, California once again faces a renewed push to allow oil drilling off the coast of California. Big Oil has essentially offered to California $100 million dollars to seduce the state into granting the first new oil drilling lease in California since the Santa Barbara oil spill 41 years ago, a spill that covered hundreds of miles of ocean and over 30 miles of sandy beaches with more than three million gallons of crude oil. Learning from history means not blindly repeating the mistakes of the past.

More over the flip…

Furthermore, the $100 million loan must be repaid by forgiving future royalty payments to California. This is an incredibly reckless fiscal policy. To drill ourselves out of a recession with this plan is like drinking sea water to quench our thirst. There may be a little temporary relief, but we’ll regret it later. California should be a leader in renewable energy production, not a producer of a polluting product best left in the 20th century. We are selling the coast for short term gain, long term loss, and possibly long term devastation.

The Santa Barbara Oil Spill did have one positive outcome. Many environmental historians suggest that it gave birth to the modern environmentalist movement. We need that enthusiasm again.

John Garamendi is the Lieutenant Governor of California, chair of the California State Lands Commission, and a former Deputy Interior Secretary under President Bill Clinton.

Budget

Jesusita Fire is a Sign of the Times

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Today we learned that the Jesusita fire in the Santa Barbara area was likely caused by power tools used in brush cutting around the Jesusita hiking trail. The good folks at the Santa Barbara Independent have been an excellent source of information:

The fire cause appears related to the use of power tool equipment involved in vegetation clearance. Fire investigators are requesting public assistance with identification of the person or persons engaged in vegetation clearance on Monday, May 4th, and Tuesday, May 5th, 2009. The unidentified persons are known to have been on the trail between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on both days.(Press release via SB Independent 5/10/2009)

While nobody has suggested arson of any sort at this point, the hot dry weather combined with the fact that the region has received very little rainfall made any spark dangerous.  It is just that this one took off. As noted above, the authorities are looking for whomever was cutting brush with the power tools though.

The fact is that areas across the state are extremely vulnerable to fire this year.

“Every year seems to be getting worse,” said Halsey, who works for the California Chaparral Institute. “I don’t see the climate changing and people are still building. If this is any indication, it certainly seems like it is going to get a lot worse.”

Invasive, fire-prone weeds have taken over in many areas of Northern and Southern California, he said, creating kindling for fire. Combine that with a warming climate, drought and an ever-increasing population and you have what he called “a perfect storm” for fire.(SF Chronicle 5/9/09)

Every year the fires begin earlier and earlier, the droughts have been devastating, and increasing temperatures only add to the danger.  Of course, the fires themselves are massive contributors to global warming as they release massive amounts of C02, some have estimated that wildfires release up to 5% of America’s greenhouse gasses. And so the cycle continues.

Whether or not the state is in a budget crisis, the fires this year are going to require whatever resources they require. Quite simply they are not optional. While the feds will provide some resources, a big fire season will still be a huge drain on our state budget.  And even more importantly, it will threaten lives and the wherewithal of Californians already stretched to the brink.

Central Coast

Jesusita Fire Threatens Santa Barbara

As if on cue, Mother Nature reminds us that in a dry and fire-prone state such as ours, it is folly to plan to slash the ranks of firefighters. From the Santa Barbara Independent:

The flames are growing above Santa Barbara this afternoon, as a wildfire that seemed to start near Jesusita Trail in San Roque Canyon continues to march its way up the mountains.

Wildfire expert and Indy correspondent Ray Ford is with a fire crew about 400 yards from the fire, which has been officially named the Jesusita Fire. He said that it is burning straight uphill, with 40-foot high flames. He said that the wind is starting to blow hard, with 20 to 25 mph gusts, pushing the fire northeast and east into Mission Canyon. He’s watching two helicopters attack the fire, and says they are doing a good job of knocking it down. He has noticed a plume coming up from Mission Canyon and believes something may be burning there. But the fire does not seem to be moving back down San Roque Canyon at the moment.

Mandatory evacuations are underway in the Santa Barbara foothills, although the current path of the fire is quite unclear. This is pretty early in the year to see a major wildfire, as the “season” usually doesn’t start until June 1. But global warming and the drought are causing nearly year-round fire conditions across the state, putting an added strain on firefighting resources.

Something Arnold might want to think about before threatening to destroy Cal Fire as part of a tantrum over voters’ unwillingness to support Prop 1A.

Environment

Drill Now, Stop Later Proposal Torched

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The State Lands Commission scuttled a proposed compromise that would have brought new oil drilling to the Santa Barbara coast for the first time in California since 1969, in what is seemingly a victory for environmental and coastal protection advocates.  However, some are arguing that the proposal, which would have mandated closure of 4 additional oil platforms off the coast within 13 years, should have gone through.

But a parade of local officials, residents and environmental activists insisted the plan would have advanced efforts to protect the coast by eventually closing four of the region’s 20 platforms.

“For the first time in history, the public and the state will be able to shut down existing oil production,” argued Linda Krop, an attorney for the Environmental Defense Center and one of the people behind the proposal. “Without this project, they’ll continue indefinitely — perhaps another 40 years.” […]

Nineteen of the 20 platforms that dot the ocean off Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are in federal waters. Shuttering four of them, says Krop of the Environmental Defense Center, would make it difficult for the federal government to lease underwater tracts accessible from those platforms.

And with closure of the two processing plants, the prospect would have been more unlikely, she said.

Read the whole article.  There was a significant green alliance in favor of this drilling-for-closure exchange.  I tend to agree with the Lands Commission that the proposal for closure wasn’t completely enforceable, but then, that’s their job to write the law with some enforcement, isn’t it? (I guess their concern is that these are federal waters and the state would be limited to enforce end-dates.)  I also understand John Garamendi’s stated rationale, that approving one lease would set off a parade of oil companies coming to sully the coast, but off course those are approved on a case-by-case basis as well.

If we’re going to talk seriously about drilling off the coast in the future, there should be at least a couple bright lines – closure deals like this, and the implementation of an oil severance tax so that we’re not the only state in the country that doesn’t charge a fee to industry for taking our natural resources out of the ground.

It’s an interesting debate – legislators are split, with coastal Assemblymembers opposing but the locals in Santa Barbara in favor, and even Lois Capps thinks it’s a worthwhile deal.  Endless oil and gas concerns off the coast ought to be dealt with, it’s a good question to ask whether this is the right way.

Uncategorized

Sustainable Transportation in the Obama Era: Santa Barbara Celebrates Measure A

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The Santa Barbara based Alliance for Sustainable and Equitable Regional Transportation (ASERT) convened a panel discussion at the Santa Barbara Central Public Library on Saturday January 24th, 2009.  The event celebrated the Nov 2008 passage of Measure A, which funds county transportation projects through a dedicated sales tax, while anticipating future challenges and opportunities in light of both economic conditions and the funding priorities of the Obama administration.

As a resident of Ventura County, I found the discussion particularly relevant for two reasons:

1) Transportation issues are regional by nature and are not constrained by county lines.  

2) Measure A passed by 80%, one of the largest margins since the implementation of the 2/3rds rule in the early 1990s, presenting a case study for similar campaigns.

Since Ventura County is currently the largest county in the State of California without a dedicated portion of its sales tax to fund transportation, the campaign to get measure A passed provides particularly relevant lessons.  At a time when the state budget crisis is impacting the state monies many counties and cities rely on to fund local needs, a lack of dedicated funding for transportation issues can translate to a serious crisis.  Not only are cities and counties that lack self-funding at the back of the line for state assistance, but they often lack the ability to fund even basic maintenance, let alone the types of infrastructure projects we need to move forward on issues of congestion, environmental health and economic development.

The wide-ranging discussion offered a wealth of information on current and future developments in transportation policy and practice in both Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.  The panel included special guest former Massachusetts Governor and Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis, who in addition to being a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Northeastern University and UCLA is also the past Vice-Chair of Amtrak.  The Honorable Supervisor Salud Carbajal moderated the event and additional panelists included Michael Chiacos, Energy Program Senior Associate of the Community Environmental Council; Gregg Hart, Public Information and Government Affairs Coordinator of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments; and Peter De Hann Programming Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission.  While Congresswoman Lois Capps was unable to attend, her district representative Jonathan Saur was on hand to read a statement reaffirming her commitment to issues of sustainable transportation.

As much as the public supports alternative transportation and currently favors large scale infrastructure development, the reality is these projects are often but a sliver of the transportation funding pie.  Add in the current economic crisis, and funding for these critical projects is essentially nonexistent.   Two major funding issues stood out against the backdrop of the state budget crisis and the economic downturn: first, that money is generally only available for capital improvements (such as the purchase of buses or trains), but not their operating costs; and two, that the current economic stimulus plan funds only those projects that can be shovel ready within 120 days, which will primarily translate to basic road repair.  When it comes to transportation funding, we really need the time and the money to both cover operating expenses and pursue the alternative transportation and energy solutions the public intended these monies to fund.  

Further highlighting the extent to which alternative transportation is losing out in funding, Dukakis pointed out that in an average year the federal government spends $33 billion on highways, $16 billion on airlines, and a paltry $1.5 billion on rail.  As he put it, there is no form of transportation that is currently unsubsidized.  So despite the public demand for alternative transportation, votes don’t always translate to funding priorities.  And the time delays inherent to these large scale projects mean we often turn to quicker but less substantial solutions.

Santa Barbara County alone consumes 250 million gallons of liquid fuels per year, despite its boasting the 3rd highest per capita ownership of hybrid vehicles in the nation.  With the passage of Measure A, however, funds will be available for more programs and projects to address these issues.  Even before the passage of the measure, Santa Barbara County saw the addition of a new Lompoc-Vandenberg Air Force Base-Santa Maria bus service, “The Breeze,” which reached its projected 3-year ridership levels after only 6 months.

There is some good news on Ventura County efforts to get transportation alternatives up and running as well.  The Coastal Express has been the star of the bus system with a ridership increase of 17% per year, and a proposal to accommodate morning commuters with more convenient train schedules is currently being pursued.  But Ventura County is currently facing a potential $4 million shortfall in transportation funds: the funding gap is threatening Metrolink service to LA as officials scramble to come up with the missing money.  And who wants to be driving down the 101 with all that train traffic back on the highway?  Or worse still, riding the rails with train control upgrades pushed off because the money just isn’t there?  Clearly, the gap between transportation needs and available funds must be addressed.

Sorry you missed the panel?  You’re in luck because ASERT will be hosting its first Ventura County event on Saturday, January 31st from 8:30am-12noon at the Ventura College Cafeteria (4667 Telegraph Rd, Ventura, CA).  While it will focus more on taking action to improve public transportation, the public will have an opportunity to meet advocates and leaders in transportation, share their transportation needs and create a strategy to improve public transportation.  For more information about ASERT or to RSVP for  “Moving the Central Coast Forward”, contact Carmen Ramirez at [email protected] / (805) 658-0810 X. 213

See local news coverage of the ASERT event Seizing the Moment: Sustainable Transportation in the Obama Era

Environment

Santa Maria Wingnuts Seek to Destroy Santa Barbara’s Economy

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One of the most potent objections to the Republicans’ drilling zealotry has been to remind Americans of the devastation that resulted from the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. As Van Jones explained in his talk with David Dayen, the fight against drilling is a fight FOR jobs and the economy and Santa Barbara knows this well. When oil drenches the beaches, kids get sick, service industry jobs that the already-struggling Santa Barbara working class depends upon vanish, and the overall economy suffers. Which is why Santa Barbara County has led the fight against offshore drilling for the last 40 years.

Until now. The rapid growth of Santa Maria, in the northern part of the county, has shifted the county’s political demography. North county conservatives now control the Board of Supervisors 3-2. And even though they voted last year to reaffirm their support of the offshore drilling ban, Santa Barbara’s role as the poster child for drilling’s consequences has led them to change their minds. As the LA Times reports, the Republican majority is expected to vote to support drilling:

Nearly 40 years after a disastrous oil spill off the Santa Barbara coast galvanized the nation and gave birth to the modern environmental movement, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is poised to vote Tuesday in support of offshore drilling…

But Tuesday’s vote is as much about the tension between inland and the coast as it is about the price of a barrel of crude. Population and political power have been shifting away from the more liberal coast, and the board of supervisors has a conservative, pro-industry majority for the first time in about a decade.

The result: An expected 3-2 vote to support increased oil drilling off the same beaches that were coated in crude and covered with the corpses of birds, seals and dolphins after 3 million gallons of oil leaked from an offshore drilling site in 1969.

As you can see by the lede, the LA Times is dutifully buying into the Republican game plan – if you can show America that even Santa Barbara supports drilling, then your cause is boosted that much more strongly. The devil’s in the details, of course – the Supervisors that actually represent the coast support the ban, and the 3 who will vote against the ban are from inland areas. They’re playing their part in the grand Republican plan quite effectively.

At the same time they’re going against the economic needs of their constituents. The rapid growth of Santa Maria is driven by housing costs – it’s more affordable for workers whose jobs are on the coast to live in Santa Maria and commute down 101 to Santa Barbara. If drilling is renewed, it WILL lead to more oil spills, and Santa Maria residents will suffer. And for what? So that oil companies can sell the oil on the global market.

As David Dayen and Van Jones agreed earlier today, Democrats need to fight back on economic terms. Santa Barbara County residents need permanent alternatives to high gas prices, they need good jobs, and they need affordable housing.  Santa Barbara County residents would be signing an economic death warrant by backing new drilling, regardless of which side of the mountains they live on.

Budget

Fires Head South

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The latest on the California wildfires is that Goleta has been saved for the moment.  Firefighters are diverting their resources to protecting the much larger city of Santa Barbara.

Fire crews, backed by 10 airtankers, will now concentrate on rugged terrain near Goleta to block a potential advance toward Santa Barbara, said Rolf Larsen, another spokesman for the multi-agency effort.

“The priority is to put a lot of resources in and order where there are homes and specifically to the east … where it could move toward Santa Barbara,” Larsen said.

The area’s steep slopes and canyons are filled with dry brush that in some spots has not burned for a half a century.

Weather is aiding the effort to protect Big Sur as moist air has rolled in for a day, but already 20 homes have been lost.

The real problem is that we have so many fires and scant resources to deal with them.  We need money, not just for more firefighters and planes, but to deal with the public health threat that arises from weeks’ worth of smoke   Over time we’re going to need to find a way, with the increasing year-round fire season, to provide more equipment and staff to attack what will probably grow as a problem.  It’s yet another constraint on the budget that conservatives in the Yacht Party will dismiss as unimportant.