Council Hears from 46 Applicants

For nearly four hours, members of the Santa Barbara City Council heard presentations from 46 applicants explaining why they should be appointed to fill the council vacancy created when Das Williams was elected to the Sacramento statehouse and serve out the remaining year left on Williams’s term. Included were one former mayor, two former council members, three current planning commissioners, a host of other council appointees, and many candidates who’d run for council before. Others were City Hall outsiders promising to expand the spectrum of representation needed to make Santa Barbara truly democratic. The challenge confronting the evenly split council will be finding any candidate capable of garnering four votes. Next week, the council will begin the process of winnowing through the applicants. If no candidate gets the nod, the council could remain one member shy of the seven required by the City Charter for the next year.

Here are some memorable quotes from those applying for the appointment to the Santa Barbara City Council:

“My favorite color is blue, I’m a Dodger fan, and I like long walks on the beach.” – Ed Cavazos

“Work hard, don’t be a jerk, don’t hang out with idiots, and things will be just fine.” – Ed Cavazos

“I don’t have intractable preconceived notions on nay of the issues that will come before you.” – John Torrell

“And I don’t fail.” – Charles “Crash” Huff

“If you’re going to have new density in this community, it should be done with Rent Control.” – Cruzito Cruz

“The way to stay in Santa Barbara on a limited budget is to borrow space on a couch.” – Della Rosales

“I want to make it clear I don’t want to be mayor again. The mayor gets blamed for everything.” – Sheila Lodge