Santa Barbara News-Press: March 15, 2022

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Dog of war

Tax confusion

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Our 166th Year

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T U E SDAY, M A RC H 15, 2 02 2

Fundraising exceeds goal Business raises three times its expectation for aid for Ukraine

Cities fail to reach agreement with Sheriff’s Office Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta and Solvang move to mediation over cost of police services By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS

“The outpouring from the community was phenomenal,” said Gary Simpson, owner and president of the Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center, about a drive that raised far more than expected for Ukrainians.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center has far surpassed its $5,000 goal for aid for Ukraine. The business raised more than three times that for Goleta-based Direct Relief’s humanitarian efforts during the Russian invasion. The total raised by roundups on purchases and various donations is $15,370, Gary Simpson, the center’s president and owner, told the News-Press Monday.

And the business is matching that, which means $30,740 will go to Direct Relief. “We are super grateful to the community who stepped up and went way above and beyond. The outpouring from the community was phenomenal,” said Mr. Simpson. The $15,370 includes $10,955 in check donations from the community and $4,414 in donations made at the center’s registers. There were more than 6,000 contributions from roundups on purchases and other donations, Mr. Simpson said. The success in donations reflects the spirit of giving throughout the community. First

Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church of Santa Barbara recently reported it raised more than $7,000 for aid to Ukranians migrating from eastern Ukraine to western Ukraine On Monday, negotiations took place via a video link between Russia and Ukraine, a day after Russia’s attacks moved closer to NATO member Poland. Ukrainian officials said 35 Ukrainians were killed and another 134 injured when Russia struck a military base west of Lviv Sunday.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO

Sheriff Bill Brown

on the community, vision and accountability. He said he would try to bridge the communications

FOLLOW US ON

gap between the community and law enforcement. Lt. Camarena has served for 23

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66833 00050

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Extensions granted in some races By DAVE MASON

years at the Sheriff’s Office. email: dmason@newspress.com

NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

The candidate filing deadline has been extended to Wednesday for the race to see who will succeed retiring Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley. And the deadline has been extended to Wednesday for the 2nd District race for the county Board of Supervisors. So far, candidates are running unopposed in both races: Laura Capps for the 2nd District seat and John Savrnoch for district attorney. Ms. Capps currently sits on the Santa Barbara Unified School District board, and Mr. Savrnoch is a deputy district attorney. And the deadline has been extended to Wednesday for the 37th District Assembly race and the 2nd District seat for the Board of Equalization, according to the Santa Barbara County Elections Division. Last Friday was the filing deadlines for all the other races, including the 5th District seat for the Board of Supervisors. Steve Lavagnino is running unopposed, according to the unofficial list posted at countyofsb.org/care/ elections. The field is getting a bit crowded for the 24th Congressional District seat. Incumbent Salud Carbajal, DSanta Barbara, is seeking reelection and is being challenged by independent candidates Michele Weislander Quaid and Jeff Frankenfield, both of Santa

Barbara, and Mike Dawson of Ventura County. Also in the race is one Republican, Brad Allen. Many candidates are also running for the 37th District Assembly. Democratic candidates are Gregg Hart, a Santa Barbara resident who currently represents the 2nd District on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors; Jonathan Abboud of Santa Barbara; Gabe Escobedo of Santa Barbara; and Bruce Wallach of Goleta. The sole Republican is Mike Stoker, a Santa Barbara resident, a former member of the Board of Supervisors and a former Environmental Protection Agency official. Joe Holland, the Santa Barbara County clerk, record and assessor, whose duties include overseeing elections, is running against Elrawd MacLearn. In the race for Santa Barbara County superintendent of schools, the incumbent, Dr. Susan Salcido, is facing a challenge from Christy Lozano, a Santa Barbara teacher. Betsy Schaffer is running unopposed for re-election as the county auditor-controller. Harry Hagen has no opposition as he runs for re-election as the county treasurer and tax collector. As usual, candidates are running unopposed in most of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court races. The exception is a race in which Santa Barbara Judge Gustavo E. “Woody” Lavayen is facing a challenge from Mark Peter Brown. email: dmason@newspress.com

LOTTERY

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

Candidates file for June 7 primary

email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown seeks fifth term Sheriff Bill Brown has made it official. He filed to run for reelection and seek a fifth term. Sheriff Brown was first elected on Nov. 7, 2006. Sheriff Brown is running against Lt. Juan Camarena, who oversees the Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Bureau and SWAT Team, in the June 7 primary. The deadline to file in the race was Friday. Sheriff Brown has been endorsed by people such as Santa Barbara Interim Police Chief Bernard Melekian. Chief Melekian praised the sheriff’s work in opening the Northern Branch Jail near Santa Maria, which the chief said reflects the sheriff’s efforts to bring compassion and humanity to the inmates in his care. In his endorsement at billbrownforsheriff.com, Chief Melekian also praised the sheriff for his integrity and professionalism. The website has more than 1,000 endorsements for the sheriff. In announcing his candidacy last August, Lt. Camarena said that if elected, he would focus

Following months of discussion, the cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta and Solvang have failed to reach an agreement during informal dispute resolution negotiations with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and will now enter mediation. The four cities contract with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement and are entering the final year of their four year contract, set to expire on June 30, 2023. The cities argue that the cost increases proposed in the last two years of the agreement are neither justified nor sustainable, and neither are the projected future costs. The cities hope that during the mediation a fair cost of police services can be negotiated. “We have the utmost respect and appreciation for the men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. It is with sincere optimism that we enter the mediation process in order to secure a fair and reasonable outcome for both the Cities and the Sheriff’s Office,” said Goleta Mayor Perotte. Several factors are at issue in negotiations.

Last year, the Sheriff’s Office implemented a revised cost methodology, which resulted in a proposed 40-51% increase for the current fiscal year for each city. The cities disputed the increase as inconsistent with the provisions of the agreement. Following dispute resolution negotiations, the amount was lowered to the range of a 19-21% increase. In addition, in January the Sheriff’s Office submitted proposed costs for next fiscal year that represented an approximate 44% increase in cost for services over two years for the cities. The cities also believe that the revised cost methodology being used by the Sheriff’s Office to calculate contract service costs is inconsistent with the terms of the contract. The cities say the cost allocation model is flawed, and that the complexity of the model makes it difficult to trust and validate how the costs charged to the cities are calculated year-toyear. The cities also say the actual Sheriff’s Patrol costs have increased significantly less than the costs charged to the four cities over the last five years. The county’s proposed charges will Please see PATROLS on A4

Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................... A3 Weather................ A4

Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 11-14-17-19-43 Mega: 13

Monday’s DAILY 4: 8-1-2-7

Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 24-28-39-44-66 Mega: 25

Monday’s FANTASY 5: 6-13-27-30-38

Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 09-11-10 Time: 1:47.66

Saturday’s POWERBALL: 19-20-37-39-61 Meganumber: 8

Monday’s DAILY 3: 0-0-0 / Midday 3-0-2


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