March 9-16, 2017
NEWS of the WEEK pau l wellm an photos
by Kelsey Brugger @kelseybrugger, Keith hamm, tyler hayden @TylerHayden1, and nicK Welsh, with Independent staff
hEALTh CARE
Paying More, geTTing Less Carbajal Drops Mic on Trumpcare, Medical Leaders Blast Repeal Bill
PACKED TO ThE GILLS: More than 400 people piled into Fleischmann Auditorium for Monday night’s health-care forum.
by Nick Welsh he timing couldn’t have been much bet- —could qualify. Before that, the cutoff was tion. Under the repeal bill, subsidies—from $12,000 a year. $2,000-$4,000 — are parsed based on age ter. Or worse. The very day Santa Barbara’s ConThe good news — at least to its Republican instead. The Republicans took pains to maingressmember Salud Carbajal had supporters—is that the CBO found the repeal tain Obamacare’s protections for those with scheduled a mic-dropping town hall forum bill would reduce federal spending by $377 existing health-care conditions. But their bill to denounce the Republican bill to repeal billion over 10 years. It would have reduced allows insurance companies to compensate the Affordable Care Act, the Congressional it by even more, but the legislation includes for the greater risk posed by older customers Budget Office (CBO) issued its intensely about $800 billion in tax cuts. Those taxes by charging them five times more than what anticipated report on the they charge younger ones. same subject. The findings Under Obamacare, the age were extremely damndifferential charge was liming. In 10 years, 24 million ited to three times. fewer Americans would Little wonder, then, have health insurance if that most of the 400the Republicans’ Ameriplus cramming into the Santa Barbara Museum of can Health Care Act — Natural History Monday now dubbed Trumpcare night to attend Carba— were enacted than if Obamacare were allowed jal’s health-care town hall to run its course. In just rant were sporting more year one, 14 million Amerthan a dusting of snow at icans would fall off the the temples. By then, the insurance rolls. By 2026, 52 CBO report had been in million would be without, general circulation several worse even than during hours, and the disparate the Great Recession when LOVE FEST: Congressmember Salud Carbajal got nothing but love from the crowd. When impact of the repeal bill on a record 48 million went Obamacare was passed seven years ago, his predecessor Lois Capps got such angry heat from middle-income earners in Tea Party opponents that she only held such meetings in churches. uncovered. their advanced middle ages was well known. Already, The fine print appeared even more devastating. The Republican plan, — primarily on households earning more Facebook had blown up with the situation according to the CBO, would slash federal than $250,000 a year—had been imposed by of a theoretical 64-year-old customer makMedicaid spending by nearly a trillion dol- the Affordable Care Act to pay for subsidies ing $26,500 a year. Under Obamacare, this lars in 10 years, shedding from its roster nine enacted to bring insurance premiums within person could have secured a $15,000 health million beneficiaries by 2020 and 14 million financial reach for the 20 million custom- plan—with subsidies—for $1,700. Under the by 2026. Medicaid, part of President Lyndon ers who signed up over the past seven years. Republican plan, it would cost $14,600. Johnson’s War on Poverty, has traditionally Under the Republican proposal, there will It was standing room only inside Fleisfunded health-care programs for the poorest still be subsidies — tax rebates — but much chmann Auditorium, with the crowd pooling of the poor— poor single women, their kids, and less than under Obamacare. And according to out into the courtyard. The enthusiasm was the elderly. Under the Affordable Care Act, the CBO, those Republican subsidies strongly palpable and the clapping explosive enough Medicaid eligibility rules were expanded to favor the younger and the more affluent cus- to inflict eardrum discomfort. If anyone in allow low-income single adults to get covered. tomers at the expense of older, low-income attendance worried about Obamacare’s escaIncome limits were likewise. Under Obam- consumers. lating premiums and long-term financial acare, someone earning as much as $16,400 Under Obamacare, subsidies were doled sustainability — or opposed the individual a year— year 138 percent the federal poverty level out based on income and geographic loca- mandates so antithetical to the Republican
T
news Briefs LAW & DISORDER Santa Barbara High School senior Connor O’Keefe (pictured) was killed early in the afternoon of 3/11 by an Amtrak passenger train near Fernald Point Lane in Montecito. The 18-year-old was walking the railroad tracks northbound; the train was heading the same direction, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kelly Hoover, adding that the engineer blew the horn and activated the braking system. The incident remains under investigation. O’Keefe played on the high school water polo team and also competed at the club level. The body of Carpinteria High School senior Filiberto Hernandez (pictured), 18, was found the morning of 3/13 at the base of the cliffs at Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve, just east of the seal rookery. The teenager was pronounced dead by rescue personnel with CarpinteriaSummerland Fire Protection District when they arrived to the beach around 10:30 a.m. He had been reported missing by his mother on Sunday. “The Coroner’s Office is conducting a death investigation to determine an official cause and manner of death,” Sheriff’s Lt. Rob Plastino said in a statement. No other information was released.
CITY Ventura Judge Mark Borrell has given Theo Kracke — owner of Paradise Retreats vacation rental management — 20 days to beef up his argument that Santa Barbara’s 180-degree change of heart concerning short-term vacation rentals “has changed the intensity and use of land” within city limits and therefore constitutes a “development” requiring permission from the California Coastal Commission. Kracke’s lawyer, Travis Logue, said the amended lawsuit will likely include a recent commission letter encouraging cities to regulate vacation rentals. Borrell also ruled against the city’s anti-SLAPP allegations that Kracke’s lawsuit constituted what City Attorney Ariel Calonne called “a direct attack on the First Amendment rights of 70 [public speakers and] the City Council.” The Santa Barbara City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting any oversized vehicles — RVs and high-profile vehicles such as tall Sprinter vans — from parking on city streets last October, but City Attorney Ariel Calonne said it will be at least another six weeks before the ordinance gets enforced. In the meantime, Calonne is attempting to perfect a streamlined permit application program allowing craftsworkers who rely on oversized vehicles, and the City Council agreed to spend up to $60,000 to expand the New Begincont’d on page 11 É
cont’d on page 10 É
independent.com
MARCH 16, 2017
THE INDEPENDENT
9