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Santa Barbara News-Press: May 15, 2023

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Big West Championships

Advocate for California cougars honored

UCSB track and field teams produce three champs, 12 other on podiums - A3

Beth Pratt, cougar P-22 to be celebrated at Wildling Museum event - B1

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MON DAY, M AY 15, 2 023

NEWS-PRESS SPECIAL REPORT

Enterprise, reserve funds provide relief for SB Airport, waterfront, downtown parking and other ventures are designed to be self-sustaining Editor’s note: This is the second in a series on finances for the City of Santa Barbara government. By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

As the city of Santa Barbara deals with financial challenges, there’s some good news. One bright spot is that the structural deficits and budget cuts are confined to the General Fund, not the city’s Enterprise Funds.

Texas border counties issue disaster declarations after Title 42’s end

“The city has multiple Enterprise Funds that operate more like a business,” Finance Director Keith DeMartini told the NewsPress. “None of the Enterprise Funds rely on any General Fund money,” he said. “They are set up to be self-sustaining and must generate enough revenue to cover their operating and capital expenses. The major enterprises include solid waste, water, wastewater, downtown parking, clean energy, airport, golf and the waterfront. “All of these funds have a similar reserve

requirement as the General Fund,” Mr. DeMartini said. “However, there are additional reserve requirements of most of these funds due to the intensive capital investment required to keep these functions running properly and maintained. “Overall, most enterprises are in good fiscal health and have adequate reserves.” That’s not to say the Enterprise Funds don’t face similar fiscal and budgetary challenges as the General Fund. “The waterfront and downtown parking, in particular, were impacted with lower

tourism and visitor activities during COVID and lost revenue,” Mr. DeMartini said. In addition, “it has become increasingly expensive to insure the assets and properties in these enterprises as well as purchase materials, supplies and services required to run these programs effectively. “And the recent storms required the waterfront, in particular, to dip into a significant amount of reserves to prevent further storm-related damages from occurring and ensure adequate clean-up activities.” Please see BUDGET on A4

Miles for Moms

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Several South Texas counties issued disaster declarations as the public health authority Title 42 came to close. The declarations were made as large groups of people, 15,000 Venezuelans and 15,000 Haitians, arrived in the Rio Grande Valley seeking entry to the U.S. An additional 23,000 are reportedly en route to Del Rio. In the Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez issued a disaster declaration stating, “I received credible information from officials with Customs and Border Protection that large groups of migrants are probing our international border in search of crossing points.” He said he decided to declare an emergency “as a first step in securing all available resources.” It follows a state disaster declaration issued by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 31, 2021, which followed the first disaster declaration filed by Kinney County on April 21, 2021. Roughly 30 counties issued disaster declarations in 2021, most of which are still in effect. Abbott amended the state disaster declaration on April 21, 2023, and also issued subsequent proclamations and executive orders over the border crisis. Judge Cortez issued the emergency citing a Mexican government estimate that roughly 10,000 people are camped directly across from the border county in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, waiting to cross. “A surge in migrant crossings is a significant public safety Please see BORDER on A4

Participants take part in the Miles for Moms 5K Walk/Run at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital on Saturday.

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KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

An arrest warrant has been issued for the second of two men charged with stealing catalytic converters in Buellton in March after he skipped out on his court case last week. Bryan Arciniega, 32, of Los Angeles, was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday to set a date for his preliminary hearing but failed to show up, Deputy District Attorney Nicholas Harmon told the News-Press. “Mr. Arciniega had been out on a bail bond,” the prosecutor said. “He failed to appear for the hearing on his case, and so the bond was forfeited and a warrant was issued. The case against him will remain open pending his arrest on the warrant. I can’t say when that will be.” The defendant was facing charges of conspiracy to commit grand theft of personal property and receiving stolen property, both felonies. He also was charged with bringing or sending drugs into the Main Jail in Santa Barbara, another felony. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. Prosecutors allege that he and Nathanael Santiago Reyes, 27, of El Monte, collected gloves, a hydraulic jack and multiple reciprocating saws with metal blades, drove to the Santa Ynez Valley, identified victim vehicles and used tools to access catalytic converters. The stolen catalytic converters had a value exceeding $950. Mr. Reyes originally pleaded not guilty as well, but later changed his mind, pleading no contest to charges of receiving stolen property and evading a pursuing police officer, both felonies. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in state prison. The two men were arrested on March 5 after deputies responded around 5 a.m. to the 500 block of Sertoma Way in Buellton for a report of thefts of catalytic converters in progress. Please see WARRANT on A4

LOTTERY

i n s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4

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Warrant issued after alleged catalytic converter thief fails to appear By NEIL HARTSTEIN

For more on the situation at the southern border, please see A3.

66833 00050

NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

MORE INSIDE

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COURTESY PHOTO

“With exercising a great deal of fiscal management, the city (of Santa Barbara) made it through each economic event and has committed to replenishing reserves when they’ve been used,” said Finance Director Keith DeMartini.

Sudoku................. B3 Weather................ A4

Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-11-16-18-39 Mega: 12

Sunday’s DAILY 4: 2-4-5-0

Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 1-2-23-40-45 Mega: 15

Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 1-3-6-10-39

Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 06-04-12 Time: 1:49.65

Saturday’s POWERBALL: 3-15-20-23-46 Meganumber: 11

Sunday’s DAILY 3: 9-5-9 / Midday 5-0-7


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