Mayoral forum focuses on preservation

By JOSHUA MOLINA — Sept. 24, 2009

With vote-by-mail ballots arriving at people’s homes in less than two weeks, the race to become the next mayor of Santa Barbara has taken on a new sense of urgency for the five candidates looking to replace Marty Blum.

In a whirlwind week of forums, mayoral hopefuls Helene Schneider, Bob Hansen, Isaac Garrett, Dale Francisco and Steve Cushman gathered Wednesday night at the downtown Faulkner Gallery in an event presented by the Santa Barbara Conservancy and the Citizens Planning Association.

The forum focused on whether the candidates value preservation of historic places and resources. While many of the forums up until now have focused on budget deficits and building heights, the Faulkner event, much like Monday’s arts-centric forum, forced the candidates to come out of their shells and go beyond the usual campaign talking points.

“Historic preservation is absolutely vital to our economy,” Schneider said. “We are not just like any beach town in California.”

Cushman, the president of the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce, was the most relaxed of the five candidates, frequently making jokes and, at times, getting the crowd to giggle along with him.

“If we don’t change,” he said, “we are just going to be a bunch of old people sitting around and dying, and I don’t think we want that.”

The forum also offered a window into the rivalries that have developed among three of the leading candidates.

Even at a forum about historic preservation, Francisco managed to get in a dig at Schneider, and Cushman also took a shot at Francisco, commenting on his alleged ties to Texas developer Randall Van Wolfswinkel. Wolfswinkel has spent thousands of dollars on glossy, poster-size mailers and a slick interactive Web site touting Francisco and three candidates for council.

Francisco, who has portrayed himself as slow-growth activist who wants to lower maximum building heights in parts of the city from 60 to 40 feet, claims to have no formal ties to the Texas developer.

It’s a claim that at least three of the other candidates don’t believe.

When asked by the event’s moderator whether the city should consider hiring an archivist to document and preserve Santa Barbara’s historic papers, Cushman cracked, “There’s this Texas billionaire, do you know that guy?” while looking at Francisco. “I am sure he would do it.”

Francisco, who grew up in Garden Grove, spoke favorably about wanting to preserve Santa Barbara’s historic places. He said Santa Barbara should incorporate a historic preservation element in its general plan. He also said the city should have a separate outside historian who can be free from the influence of the city’s planning department.

“We should have a city historian who is free to give opinions on any project that comes before the city,” Francisco said.

Later, Francisco also said the city should save more than its buildings.

“We have a lot of different cultures in Santa Barbara and we want to preserve that,” Francisco said.

A former software engineer, Francisco mostly stuck to talking about his own campaign, but did throw at jab at Schneider. After Schneider said that one of her biggest historic preservation accomplishments since being on the council has been voting against Veronica Meadows – a luxury housing project that would have been built in Santa Barbara’s lush Las Positas Valley, Francisco dismissed her efforts.

He said he wasn’t sure of the “historic value” of that part of the Las Positas Valley, suggesting that it was once the site of a homeless encampment.

Schneider, who once worked as a human resources manager for Planned Parenthood, said that Santa Barbara should remember its history of strong female leaders, from St. Barbara herself to the iconic Pearl Chase.

The 38-year-old Schneider, who would be one of the youngest people ever elected mayor, said the city should remember and treasure Katherine Gray and Katherine McCormick, 1950s Santa Barbara activists who helped supply $2 million in research funding that led to the creation of the birth control pill.

“There are so many, many layers to our history,” Schneider said. “We become richer when we learn the full context of that history and how they complement each other.

And Bob Hansen, an activist for the homeless, also spoke about wanting to remember and honor the accomplishments of its residents.

“Santa Barbara has a great spirit,” Hansen said. “What I do like, besides the beauty, is that the people do care about each other, and I don’t want to lose that.”

Cushman, who intends to remain president of the Chamber of Commerce if elected mayor, said Santa Barbara’s greatest treasure, both past and present, is its people.

“Santa Barbara is a city of very creative people,” he said. “It’s a knowledge-based city. It’s the interplay of the old and the new that makes the magic that is Santa Barbara.”

Comment on this article

Subject:

Body:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Bravo : 9/24/2009

Steve Cushman has the right attitude, temperment, intellect and creativity to lead and represent our city.

msmagic@cox.net

---

televised : 9/24/2009

Larry Nimmer was there - this was televised and will be available on Public Access, date/time presently uncertain.

BRC

---

Cushman can't see past the cash : 9/24/2009

The ONLY thing that matters to Cushman is business growth. We need a mayor with a larger vision for our community, schools, roads, parks... there's more to running a city than helping its businesses make a profit! If you own a business, vote Cushman! Everyone else, prepare to have your needs ignored.

Not buying it

---

Judging the Forest by Just One Seedling : 9/24/2009

I was impressed that at the Art Forum, every question was "How are we going to get more dough for the arts?" At the Preservation Forum nearly every question was "How are we going to get more money for preservation?" At the seniors forum the question was "How we going to get....." You can fill it in. The City has been pulling from the reserves for three years running. THAT MEANS WE HAVE NOT LIVED WITHIN ANY KIND OF BUDGET!!!! Try that trick at home. No one, except Cushman, seems to ask "What is good for the City? And what can we afford?" Two really important questions. I am tired of blowhards who can't pay their bills.

Lolly Sanger

---

Raising Revenue : 9/24/2009

Helene Schneider and David Pritchett are the only candidates talking about how to RAISE money for the city. Bright thinkers with ideas. We need leaders with brain power right now, The city of Santa Barbara has to remain responsive to residents' needs. We need services for our low-income families and amenities for everyone. I dare say Dale Francisco has a good head on his shoulders; however, I worry he may not have the compassion for the "little people" to take care of the basics.

Phoebe G.

---

Union Lap Dogs : 9/24/2009

Steve Cushman seems to be a people's candidate. I've seen too much union and city employee pandering from Helen Schneider. Bigger government and a bigger deficit is not the answer! Although some candidates complain about him working with the Chamber of Commerce. I don't see any outrage at the fact their holding on to their council seats during this race. Francisco's already claiming he's to busy to attend forums. What a joke!

CheshireSB@yahoo.com

---

Mayor race : 9/24/2009

Anyone who thinks that Cushman only wants business development has been asleep. He has served on 90 non profit boards, brought the community together to build children's parks and ran an effort that go thousands of computers for children in school.

Grace Adams

---

Helene Schneider for Mayor : 9/24/2009

New voice, truly loves the community and ALL it's people regardless of class or race. Look at her endorsements Police and Fire etc.etc. Francisco is a strong contender though. The other candidates HAS-BEENS!!

Francis Warren

---