Photo by Paul Wellman
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Of the county’s five supervisorial districts, none are so difficult, so contradictory, and so critical to the overall direction of county government as the 3rd District, which encompasses much of the Goleta Valley, all of Isla Vista, and a sizable bite of the Santa Ynez Valley and Vandenberg Village. The 3rd District seat has long constituted the balance of power on the board. The trick is to find a candidate who can represent such a diverse district. Of the five candidates, only two seem to have the financial and political backing needed to make it through the June 3 primary: David Smyser and Doreen Farr. We endorse Doreen Farr.
The most serious challenge the new board will confront is redistricting. The 2010 census will require the district lines to be redrawn based on the new population figures. The outcome of that riotous political exercise will have profound consequences on every county election during the next 10 years. Whoever wins the 3rd District race will hold the pen that redraws that map.
Also at issue is the fate of the Gaviota Coast, one of the most drop-dead gorgeous and biologically unique ecosystems anywhere on Earth. Gaviota is continually facing the ravishing wolf of development, and so far the board has dickered, never developing a unified vision to protect the coast. It even refused to allow the long-anticipated Gaviota Study Report — the work of a widely diverse group of Gaviota stakeholders — to come before the board. We need supervisors who will be open to finding a way to save this most precious Californian natural resource.
And then there is the dunderheaded approach to the budget crisis taken by the present board and its county executive, Mike Brown. Their solution is a ridiculous 5 percent cut through all departments. This will destroy vital public services, but, cruelly, allow managers to keep most of their $100,000 salaries. In the process, the mental health system will further deteriorate to such a dysfunctional level that public safety will be threatened.
Given these daunting prospects, it might seem odd to endorse the only candidate who has never run for elected office. But Farr has unique sensibilities and connections that will prove essential in navigating the tripwire cultural divide that defines the district. Throughout her long tenure as an activist and public servant, she has always impressed us with her intelligence, knowledge, consistency, and, most of all, her hard work. Settling in the county 21 years ago, Farr entered the public fray, ultimately successfully fighting for sidewalks where none existed, despite strenuous opposition from the county. In the early ’90s, Farr was deeply involved in the campaign for Goleta cityhood. Later, she became active with the Patterson Area Neighborhoods Association (PANA), one of the many groups trying to preserve Goleta’s community character. But she remained committed to expanding the opportunity for affordable housing. In 1999, Farr was appointed to the county’s Planning Commission, where she got a crash course in the politics of countywide land-use planning. During her three years on the commission, Farr earned a reputation as a dogged pragmatist rather than an ideologue or obstructionist. But she proved effective in securing substantial open space protections from the developers who came before her. Four years ago, when Farr moved to Solvang, she wasted little time immersing herself in the slow growth and environmentalist community there.
Of the other candidates, only Victoria Pointer matches Farr’s talents. She certainly has considerable experience as an elected official, serving 16 years on the Buellton City Council. But she entered the race late and missed the many community endorsements that Farr was able to garner. Nevertheless, she is an honorable candidate and we hope she continues her public service for years to come.
Dr. David Bearman has more than paid his dues — first with the Goleta Water Board and more recently with the Goleta West Sanitary District — but his close ties to the Isla Vista community make it almost impossible for him to effectively reach out to the rural constituency of the district. Steve Pappas of Los Olivos enjoys a credible track record as a neighborhood preservationist, but he has little base outside the region.
And this brings us to David Smyser — Farr’s most serious rival — and Supervisor Brooks Firestone’s heir apparent. Smyser has experience as a county planning commissioner, member of the Solvang City Council, and Firestone’s aide de camp. However, we remain troubled by the seven checks he received from out-of-town donors who gave his campaign $5,000 each. It turned out they were all close business associates of Bacara owner Alvin Dworman. At the time, Smyser explained he was more focused on writing thank-you notes than worrying about such petty details.
The most dangerous development during the last four years has been this board’s pro-business majority’s willingness to surrender its authority to the controlling fist of Mike Brown. Complaining of long hours and late nights, they even sought to limit public participation during the supervisors’ Tuesday meetings. This disturbing trend cannot be reversed without supervisors willing to put in a full day’s work.
We’re confident that Doreen Farr is the best candidate to make these changes. We’re equally confident that if elected, she will work well with supervisors Salud Carbajal and Janet Wolf in forming a new board majority. Please vote for Doreen Farr.
Marianne Partridge is the Editor in Chief of The Santa Barbara Independent