TRAVIS ARMSTRONG: Chumash generosity on display

12/25/05

The amazing lack of understanding of tribal governments once again has reared its ugly head locally.

I keep hearing complaints about attempts to put "Chumash Casino stickers" on Sheriff's Department vehicles. The Santa Ynez band of the Chumash is a generous donor to local law enforcement. The stickers are a small part of the controversy swirling around the operation of the nonprofit Sheriff's Council.

I've never seen the stickers myself, as I try not to get too close to police vehicles. But I'm told by tribal officials and others that the tribe never asked for any stickers promoting the casino. The decal furnished by the tribe is of the tribal government seal.

There's a big difference.

The people complaining about the tribal decals basically seem to be suggesting that the county government and tribal government shouldn't be working together. Or, if these two governmental entities do work together, they shouldn't advertise it too much.

Fairness would dictate that the cities of Goleta or Carpinteria, or any other government agency that also works with or is under the protection of the Sheriff's Department, not have any visible signs of their support for the Sheriff's Department.

Anything less just continues the county's double standard when it comes to treating the Chumash government as a government.

SECOND DISTRICT: Word is that Janet Wolf -- handpicked by certain Democrats to succeed 2nd District County Supervisor Susan Rose -- is stumbling on the campaign trail. One complaint: She knows little about the challenges facing the district and county. The big question is whether she can get up to speed by mid-January when there may be a candidate debate at the Goleta Valley Community Center.

Ms. Wolf could be the Dianne Channing of this race. Mrs. Channing was plucked to run, had handlers who tried to shield her from some of the media, and had the backing of Mayor Marty Blum, Councilman Das Williams and union support. She crashed and burned at the ballot box.

The candidate to watch is Joe Guzzardi.

Mr. Guzzardi might pick up some key endorsements and just may be the neighborhood advocate that the 2nd District needs. You know that Mr. Guzzardi is gaining momentum when the local political machinery is going behind the scenes to try to derail his campaign.

SKYBOX MARTY: Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum made a big deal of returning a $250 campaign check from Southern California Edison because the city and the utility were in talks over a billing surcharge. But then, oddly, she was a guest in the Edison skybox for a Paul McCartney concert at Staples Center.

Maybe I'm amazed because the Edison matter still is pending before the mayor.

In light of this strange behavior, it probably shouldn't come as any surprise that Mrs. Blum once again has broken a campaign vow -- the one about never reading these pages.

In response to an editorial last week, she's urged us to focus on "police union contributions" for council members because the donations from the Service Employees International Union "pale in comparison."

Travis Armstrong is the editorial page editor of the News-Press.