Self Given Conflict of Interest Warning

An official conflict-of-interest warning was issued to Santa Barbara City Councilmember Michael Self by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission for voting in favor of a traffic study that might work to Self’s benefit by diverting traffic from the street where she lives — on Tallant Road — to other arterials. If traffic on Self’s street were significantly reduced as a result, the state board concluded Self stood to benefit materially by her vote because she lives within 500 feet of the study area. The vote, which took place December 7, 2010, was to support a study to examine opening up Calle Real just south of Las Positas and making it a two-way thoroughfare.