Our Endorsements

This political season feels tedious and interminable. Like watching Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar acceptance speech on a continuous loop. Set to elevator music. And then the elevator gets stuck.

Unfortunately, for many of the races that matter to us, we still have eight months to go till November – eight months of promises, sniping, wooing, and unrelenting asks for cash. For these races, we will endorse in the fall.

But for one ballot measure and one race that will be decided next Tuesday, March 3, it’s time to weigh in:

PROPOSITION 13:

Prop 13 will be decided on March 3 and warrants an endorsement. This educational facilities bond authorizes $15 billion for K-12 and college facilities, including Community Colleges, State Universities, and UC campuses. California’s educational institutions are so far behind in facilities maintenance needs, we cannot strongly enough state the importance of this funding, which is not about making schools new and fancy, it’s about getting our educational institutions out of the 1940s. Since the late ‘70s California’s spending on education has gone from the top 10% to the bottom 10% nationally. This is a catch-up measure and we need it. (FYI, this does not directly raise your taxes. Bond sales and debt servicing come out of the state’s general fund.)

Vote YES on Proposition 13.

LAURA CAPPS FOR 1st DISTRICT COUNTY SUPERVISOR:

The local race that will be decided next Tuesday, March 3 is between incumbent Das Williams and his challenger Laura Capps for the 1st District County Supervisor. This is the only contested race for which we are currently endorsing, as it will be decided in Tuesday’s primary.

First and foremost, we applaud Laura Capps for her bravery in deciding to run for County Supervisor knowing that she would be going up against the party establishment. We believe all candidates who file on time should be at least considered – interviewed – for their party’s endorsement. So kudos to Laura for taking on democracy’s back room. Not surprisingly, Laura’s courage in the face of political pressure is evident elsewhere in her public service.

For example, when a challenging and highly charged issue came before the School Board, related to the firing of San Marcos’s principal, Laura took seriously her responsibility to consider the disparate and at times emotional pleas coming at her from all sides; and in the end she had the courage to be the lone dissenting vote in that decision. We commend Laura for working to understand the divergent perspectives of a complicated issue, and for standing up to untold pressure and voting for what she believed was right, rather than for what was politically expedient.

This is the kind of brave leadership we deserve; a leader who has the patience and interest to take in diverse stakeholder perspectives, and create thoughtful policies based on that understanding.

Our district deserves nothing less than an inspired leader.

Laura’s strong work on the Santa Barbara School Board, her proposal for an ethics commission and campaign finance reform within our county, her work with state and national organizations to combat climate change, her leadership in the county’s fight against hunger and poverty, and her strong record advocating for women and children are just some of the reasons we enthusiastically support Laura.

We think it’s worth mentioning that Laura cut her teeth in the White House, working in the Communication’s Office and as a Presidential speechwriter, alongside some of the most storied and experienced names in American politics. Her father was a revered UCSB professor and Congressman; her mother was a school nurse who went on to become an equally beloved member of Congress. Laura, like her folks, is a credit to the Capps family name – good people who have done good and important work from which we have all benefitted. She is a chip off the old block in the best possible way. Integrity is in her DNA.

As a community we face many profound issues, including: vital environmental concerns, the need for further natural disaster abatement and rebuilding, congestion issues regarding traffic and its pervasive impact on residents and businesses, density and other quality of life issues, homelessness, poverty, not to mention our own potential upcoming cannabis issues.

Now more than ever we need a fearless and inclusive leader with unwavering integrity who will actively explore innovative solutions and bravely face the inevitable resistance that seems to always ride shotgun along with change.

And… we deserve a leader who, when she makes a mistake, as humans do, will have the humility and courage to say, I’m sorry.

We are inspired by Laura Capps the candidate and Laura Capps the person, and we would very much like to see what she will do as our 1^st District County Supervisor. We deserve it.

VOTE LAURA CAPPS FOR 1st DISTRICT COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

But no matter who or what you support, our most important responsibility is to our democratic process. So, if you haven’t already done so by mail please… DON’T FORGET TO VOTE MARCH 3.