Groundwater sustainability
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Our 166th Year
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New Santa Barbara police officers sworn-in
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Interim Santa Barbara Police Chief Bernard Melekian swears in officers, from left, Carlos Garcia, Madison Hank, Michelle Royals and Sean Zosimo.
By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
New Santa Barbara police officers were sworn-in Thursday on the front steps of the Santa Barbara Police Department. Interim Chief Bernard Melekian swore-in one lateral officer and three police academy graduates, who recently completed the Peace Officer Standards and Training Academy. The officers are Carlos Garcia, Madison Hank, Michelle Royals and Sean Zosimo. They were sworn-in as an audience of families,
friends and fellow police officers watched. Also attending were Mayor Randy Rowse and council members Kristen Sneddon and Alejandra Gutierrez, who were photographed with the new officers. The officers included three academy graduates, who completed more than 40 learning modules during a 24-week training program. Some of the topics included cultural diversity, hate crimes, leadership and ethics, racial profiling, principled policing in the community, sexual harassment, terrorism
awareness, as well as dozens of criminal law studies and scenario evaluations. “These officers were extensively tested during their time at the law enforcement academy and completed all aspects of training in order to be sworn in as peace officers,” Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the department’s public information officer, said. The new officers will soon complete an 18-week-plus field training program prior to starting their patrols of Santa Barbara. email: dmason@newspress.com
Goleta City Council considers new tax By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Goleta City Council has indicated it’s open to implementing a new sales tax to increase revenue for city projects. The council, in a workshop Thursday, considered six potential revenue enhancement options put forth by city staff and consultants. “We have such a long list of unfunded or underfunded needs that our residents deserve and things that are being asked for that we need to provide for them,” Councilmember Kyle Richards said. The council considered: • Transaction Use Tax: An additional sales tax levy on top of the local sales and use tax with a projected annual revenue is $2.2-2.4 million for every 0.25% increase. • Utility User Tax: Imposed on residents and businesses within the city on the consumption of utility services such as cable, gas, electricity, telephone and more with projected annual revenue of $4.7 million. • Parcel tax: Imposed on a parcel of property within the city of a fixed amount with an estimated annual revenue of $960,000. • Transient Occupancy Tax: Levied on people staying less than 31 days in hotels, motels or other similar venues with projected annual revenue of $920,000 for each 1% increase. • Business License Tax: Imposed on all businesses that operate within the city on top of an already levied business license fee with projected annual revenue of $2.2-3.3 million. • Documentary Transfer and Real Property Transfer Tax: Imposed on all property owners who transfer interest in real estate within the city with projected annual revenue of $300,000 for each additional %0.55 increase in the tax. Mayor Paula Perotte and other council members indicated they would be open to exploring the
transaction use tax, otherwise referred to as a sales tax, noting it would apply to both residents and visitors. Other nearby cities have adopted a transaction use tax, including Carpinteria, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, said Ken Duran, a senior adviser with HdL Companies, an economic consulting firm. He said this type of tax is one of the most likely to be passed by voters. Goleta’s sales tax sits at 7.5%. There is a cap of 9.25%, Mr. Duran said. According to a staff report, the transaction use tax could generate up to $9.3 million depending on the percent of the tax. A supermajority of the city council (four of the five members) would be needed to place the tax measure on the ballot. Then it must garner at least two-thirds of voter approval for special purpose funding or a simple major for general purpose funding in order to pass. Councilmember Roger Aceves said his support of the sales tax would hinge on where the funding would go. “I think it’s very important for the public to know why we need it, where we’re spending it, and … then hold us to the promise of where we’re going to spend it,” Councilmember Aceves said. “It’s never a good time to do a tax — I don’t care what year it is — but this one here has the potential of going through.” The utility user tax has more latitude. The council could select which utilities are taxed and the rate for each. Santa Barbara has a 6% utility user tax on all utilities. A parcel tax must be for a specific purpose, such as public safety. The collection would be handled by the county, then distributed back to the city. Goleta already has a library services parcel tax. Goleta already has a transient occupancy tax of 12%, which coincides with the statewide average. Please see GOLETA on A4
Carpinteria seeks more talks over Bailard Avenue project By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
At left, an audience of families, friends and fellow officers watch the ceremony. At right, Mayor Randy Rowse, far left, and councilmembers Kristen Sneddon, second from right, and Alejandra Gutierrez, far right, stand for a group photo with newly-sworn in officers, from left, Madison Hank, Michelle Royals, Carlos Garcia and Sean Zosimo.
Carbajal wants deal on COVID relief package By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal is leading an effort among his congressional colleagues for more COVID-19 relief. The coalition of Democratic lawmakers asked for $17.5 billion for supplies and treatments within the U.S. as well as an
additional $5 billion to help abroad in a letter to House and Senate leadership Friday. Rep. Julia Brownley was among those who signed the letter requesting the COVID aid. The funding would give the administration the ability to purchase and distribute vaccines, anti-body treatments and more, the lawmakers said.
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“It is critical to our nation’s public health and the economy that these additional funds be passed soon. Without them, much of the progress we have made in fighting this pandemic and returning to normalcy will be lost,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “Uninsured individuals will be most affected as they will no longer have access to free tests
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Mayor Wade Nomura
Mayor Wade Nomura told the News-Press Friday. But he said the actual amount of affordable housing would be “a drop in the bucket.” “It also leans toward a for-profit Please see PROJECT on A2
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and treatments.” Aside from Reps. Brownley and Carbajal (D-Ventura County and Santa Barbara, respectively), the letter included: Reps. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif.; Karen Bass, D-Calif.; Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif.; Carolyn Maloney, DCalif.; Nanette Barragán, DCalif.; Adriano Espaillat, DPlease see RELIEF on A4
The city of Carpinteria wants to participate in more discussions about the proposed Bailard Avenue Housing Project. In February, the Santa Barbara County South Board of Architectural Review discussed concerns about the 169-unit apartment complex. The apartment complex is the Redtail Multifamily housing development, better known as the Bailard Avenue Housing Project. It is a proposed project containing seven large buildings. The plan calls for six buildings with marketrate apartments and one with affordable housing units. The buildings are between two and three stories, offering oneand two-bedroom units. Amenities would include a playground, dog parks, a pool, community rooms and outdoor kitchens There are also plans for 276 uncovered parking spaces and 32 bike racks. “One of the potential benefits we were hoping to see was the housing element,” Carpinteria
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Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 5-10-16-26-43 Mega: 24
Friday’s DAILY 4: 1-8-4-7
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 26-42-47-48-63 Mega: 21
Friday’s FANTASY 5: 22-24-26-27-39
Friday’s DAILY DERBY: 03-02-04 Time: 1:41.60
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 3-7-21-31-37 Meganumber: 11
Friday’s DAILY 3: 1-8-7 / Midday 0-5-6