Phantom PAC Materializes

Coalition for a Healthier Goleta – the phantom Goleta political action committee (PAC) that had sent out a series of mailers thrashing Goleta City Council candidates Margaret Connell and Ed Easton on their revenue neutrality records – surfaced again this week, this time in the form of a statement hand delivered to The Independent offices on Friday afternoon. The statement does not include further information about the organization’s membership other than the fact that it is “made up of long-time active Goleta residents” and is signed by Roy Zbinden, himself a former City Council candidate.

The address on the letter is the same as the one on the mailers sent out last week, but the address listed at the Santa Barbara County registration office is that of Zbinden’s home. A visit to the Zbinden residence on Thursday afternoon revealed little else other than that the yard is festooned with signs for Goleta City Council candidates Jean Blois and Don Gilman, as well as Greg Gandrud, the Republican candidate running for the State Assembly seat currently held by Pedro Nava. The front door was slightly ajar, but when the doorbell was rung, the door was surreptitiously closed in this reporter’s face. Following this, the sound of the deadbolt being slowly fastened could be heard.

At present, the citizens of Goleta still do not know who belongs to this concerned group, and more importantly, who is paying their bills. The statement issued by Zbinden reads as follows:

Goleta is at a critical juncture. Since our city’s inception, poor decision-making and personal agendas have driven Goleta further and further down the wrong path.

Goleta residents want things fixed – and they want leaders who can make decisions based on what is good for our city and our residents, not on any personal bias or agenda.

I have been a Goleta resident for more than thirty years. I want to see our city thrive.

The Coalition for a Healthier Goleta has come together as a group made up of long-time active Goleta residents to voice our concerns in an effort to educate Goletans about those important issues.

We will continue to point out the problems facing our community, as well as the track record of those running Goleta in the past and those who want to run it in the future.

Our future is at risk, and we cannot afford more poor decision-making.

This will be the Coalition’s only statement regarding our goals and activities. Our materials speak for our issues and views.

-Roy Zbinden, Coalition for a Healthier Goleta