Why She’s Running
I was out of town for a few days last week and was sorry to have missed the opportunity to answer the Independent’s inquiry about “why anyone would want to run for the Goleta Sanitary District Board.” From your article, “Goleta Districts Candidate Chase,” it appears that the two incumbents also wonder why I am running.
The first reason is because the same incumbents, or appointed incumbents, have been challenged and appeared on the ballot only once in over 25 years. As a result, the majority of people in our community do not know the Goleta Sanitary Board of Directors is an elected position and that the board has the power to issue debt, impose taxes, and levy assessments which show up on their property tax bills.
The second reason I am running is to facilitate greater fiscal oversight and transparency. The residential sanitary service charges have increased 76 percent over the past three years. The Goleta Sanitary District is in the process of a large and costly upgrade to the existing plant. It is imperative that there be more community participation in these decisions and, as a new boardmember, I would facilitate this.
The third reason is to continue to continue my advocacy for a coordinated, long-term approach to infrastructure development in the Goleta Valley. With drought and climate change upon us, it is also imperative that we utilize the latest energy-efficient technologies that provide the most environmentally sustainable and cost-effective solutions to meet our growing demand.
