And the Oscar goes to … Councilmember Kristen Sneddon!
When the rent stabilization ordinance (RSO) was on the consent calendar on Tuesday, “actress” Kristen Sneddon made a motion to set the rent cap at 3 percent. After a multitude of meetings with housing providers, all saying 60 percent of CPI was too restrictive, she didn’t make any such motions during previous opportunities.
Hearing from critics that this RSO is too restrictive and it’s hurting her mayoral campaign, on Tuesday she tried to make a pivot that was pure theater. Councilmembers Friedman, Jordan, and Rowse all said this proposed change could have happened months ago.
Her angle — she can tell voters that she listened and tried to compromise. It was too late to make that move without creating legal liability, something she has not shied away from in the past. There was nothing sincere about the motion. She amended and moved to adopt the ordinance in its original form. It passed.
It was all theatrics meant to benefit her bid to become the next mayor of Santa Barbara. Do we really want a mayor that manipulates governmental processes for her benefit, or do want true, responsive, transparent leadership as demonstrated by mayoral candidate Eric Friedman?
Michele Carbone is a mom and pop housing provider.
