David Landecker Kicks Off Council Campaign

To kick off his campaign for Santa Barbara City Council, David Landecker rallied supporters at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club on Monday night. Landecker’s previous stint on the council along with his background in nonprofits, law, business, and environmental activism has secured the endorsements of local bigwigs, including Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, County Supervisor Doreen Farr, former Goleta Mayor Ed Easton, former Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, and Assemblymember Das Williams.

To introduce Landecker Monday night, Schneider told the crowd of over 100 people, “We need someone with the attorney background, environmental credentials, and basic good social justice values….who knows the city of Santa Barbara, knows what to do to make the city move forward.” Schneider said that Landecker would be an asset to the council because he could give attention to pertinent community issues such as rental housing, library services, youth programs, parks and recreation, and public safety.

Schneider later added, “He knows how to get stuff done. He is very focused. To have someone with the knowledge of how the city works right from the start will be tremendous on the council.”

In his speech, Landecker stressed the need for Santa Barbara to blend environmental activism with good business sense. “We have the history, the community, the environment worth saving and paying attention to. I start there. Not just as a ‘tree-hugger,’ but as a businessman. That is, to me, the key to this community.” Landecker also told the crowd that County Supervisor Salud Carbajal — although unable to attend — recently endorsed his candidacy.

After his speech, former Mayor Blum said, “I like the way he equated being in business in Santa Barbara with being an environmentalist. Sometimes people like to separate those two, but really they have to be together. If you’re in business in Santa Barbara, you better think about the environment, and vice versa.” Blum, who’s known Landecker for over 30 years, added, “We used to be attorneys together, well I guess, technically, we still are.”