Marty Blum will lead Santa Barbara for another four years.
full article »

S.B. COUNCIL: Newcomer joins two incumbents after divisive race
Incumbents cruise to victories

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Grant House will join incumbents Iya Falcone and Roger Horton on the Santa Barbara City Council after a contentious campaign.
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POLL POSITIONS


RAFALE MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Poll workers were kept busy Tuesday, helping voters find the right place to cast their ballots and explaining the ins and outs of provisional versus absentee versus normal voting.
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LOCAL TAKE: PROP 77


By SCOTT HADLY - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Wednesday, November 9, 2005

The director of the group behind Proposition 77, the measure to change how political districts are drawn, said Tuesday night that he will try again.
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Embarcadero District fills 3 open director seats


By THOMAS SCHULTZ - NEWS-PRESS STAFFR WRITER
Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Jim Deacon, Steven Penniman and John Bowman claimed three open director seats on the Embarcadero Municipal Improvement District on Tuesday in an election that focused on several key issues, growth being chief among them.
full article »

TURNOUT: Absentee total may eclipse number who go to county voting booths
Younger voters like mail-in

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Tuesday, November 8, 2005

For the first time, more Santa Barbara County residents may vote from home than at the polls in today's election.
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Final campaign donations reported
ELECTION NOTEBOOK

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Last-minute campaign contributions rolled in during the days just before the election.
full article »

It's all up to the voters
City leadership, state propositions to be decided

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Monday, November 7, 2005

Voters will choose who will lead Santa Barbara into the next four years and help decide the fate of several statewide propositions when they go to the polls on Tuesday.
full article »

VOICES of the VOTERS
Residents have a lot to say about Santa Barbara's future

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Sunday, November 6, 2005

Milpas Street at midafternoon is hustling and bustling with fast cars and busy shoppers.
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PUEBLO spreads word to vote for two, not three, candidates
ELECTION NOTEBOOK

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Friday, November 4, 2005

The lower Eastside is splashed with blue and orange these days.
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Political conflict eclipses debate on Prop. 75 at S.B. council meeting
Council split 3-3 on resolution

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Increasingly bitter political rivalries on the Santa Barbara City Council overshadowed a policy debate about Proposition 75 on Tuesday at a City Hall meeting laced with tension and animosity.
full article »

Exciting race comes down to final week
Council candidates work to set themselves apart

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Tuesday, November 1, 2005

The contentious and unpredictable Santa Barbara City Council election is in its final week, and the candidates are raising and spending gobs of cash in a last-minute effort to bombard residents with their message.
full article »

CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Sunday, October 23, 2005

Much has been made in the last two years about the city of Santa Barbara losing its edge as an environmental leader. In light of the moves by the city of Goleta and the Goleta Union School District to make their properties free of chemical pesticides and herbicides, the News-Press asked by candidates for mayor and City Council if they think Santa Barbara has done enought to rid all its parks ofr these chemicals.
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An environmental review of city hopefuls
Sunday, October 23, 2005

The News-Press asked the Santa Barbara mayoral and City Council candidates: Has the city done enough to rid all its parks of chemical pesiticides and herbicides?
full article »

Initiative would shift state electricity away from deregulation
Homeowners alliance opposes initiative

By FRANK NELSON - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Saturday, October 22, 2005

With memories of electricity blackouts lingering in the minds of many California voters -- and with events in Louisiana and elsewhere more recent reminders of the fragile nature of energy supplies -- Proposition 80 touches on some raw nerves.
full article »

Two initiatives, two drug discount plans
Some call prescription measures confusing

By THOMAS SCHULTZ - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Friday, October 21, 2005

Two competing ballot initiatives would bring California new prescription drug discounts -- with each offering a different path to monthly savings.
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Initiative aims to break up safe seats
Few favor current districting process, but measure called a GOP power grab

By SCOTT HADLEY - NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
Thursday, October 20, 2005

It would take Rep. Lois Capps about four hours to drive from one end of her district to the other, but only about five minutes to walk across portions of it.
full article »

Deficit initiative riles educators
School officials fear mandated balanced budget would mean cuts

By BARNEY McMANIGAL - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest attempt to tear up the state's credit card has budget hawks cheering and local education officials sounding the alarm.
full article »

Chamber opposes living wage
Business group says ordinance will have repurcussions

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 full article »

Initiative pits governor against union leaders
Measure would limit how dues are used

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Proposition 75, one of the more controversial of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's propositions on the Nov. 8 ballot, is sparking passions on both sides of the issue in Santa Barbara.
full article »

Initiative targets tenure of teachers
Missouri, Indiana have five-year periods

By MELISSA EVANS - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Monday, October 17, 2005

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says easing the process of firing teachers would raise educational standards by weeding out "lemons." Educators say it would exacerbate problems retaining quality teachers.
full article »

No common ground on abortion
Opinions can vary with faith, family relationships

By MELISSA EVANS - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, October 16, 2005

Nancy Koppelman and Cheri Baldacchino both have teenage girls under 18. The two mothers realize the pressures involved with growing up, and they know how difficult it would be for their daughters to tell them if they ever sought an abortion.
full article »

THE PROPOSITIONS
Sunday, October 16, 2005
full article »

MONEY MATTERS
Sunday, October 16, 2005

EDITOR'S NOTE: Santa Barbara's city government is taking in plenty of money these days, but the dollars coming in can't keep up with City Hall's spending. We asked the candidates for mayor and City Council to tell our readers their plans to address the rising red ink. See their responses in "MONEY TALKS: Hopefuls detail fiscal agendas."
full article »

MONEY TALKS: Hopefuls detail fiscal agendas
Sunday, October 16, 2005

The News-Press asked Santa Barbara mayoral and City Council candidates: What is your plan to address the city's fiscal challenges and rising red ink?
full article »

Blum returns Edison's campaign contribution
Council members Falcone, Horton kept contributions from Edison

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, October 13, 2005

Mayor Marty Blum has returned a $250 campaign contribution from Southern California Edison, saying that accepting the money would have been inappropriate.
full article »

Governor keeps S.B. visit quiet
Invitation-only meeting part of effort to boost four ballot initiatives

By SHELLY LEACHMAN - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Santa Barbara today for a Town Hall meeting -- except very few locals were actually invited, much less informed of the event.
full article »

Eight hopefuls take part in forum
Contenders debate city's finances, traffic and other issues

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, October 11, 2005

A standing-room-only crowd of about 100 people filled the downtown Faulkner Gallery on Monday night for the first major Santa Barbara City Council forum before the election on Nov. 8.
full article »

Fight over living wage heats up before election
Council members spar over impact of wage

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, October 11, 2005

The high-stakes battle over the living wage ordinance intensified Monday as Santa Barbara Councilman Das Williams pushed for the proposal to go to the full City Council before the Nov. 8 election.
full article »

Mayoral candidates face off
4 hopefuls spar over finances, leadership in first major forum

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, October 6, 2005

Santa Barbara mayoral hopefuls slugged it out Wednesday night in the first major forum in which the candidates framed their positions on several contentious issues facing the city.
full article »

CPA counting on fiscal background to get him elected
Candidate organized anti-panhandling campaign

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, October 4, 2005

Certified Public Accountant Terry Tyler is hoping to land a seat on the City Council by promising to crack down on downtown panhandlers and to bring an end to the city's overspending.
full article »

Candidate aims to fuse fiscal conservatism, liberal values
Living wage ordinance becomes hot-button issue in campaign

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Monday, October 3, 2005

She walked into the council chambers sharply dressed with a confident look on her face.

A relative political unknown, she quietly took notes from the back of the room.

The next week, she was back again. And the next. And the next.

That was two years ago, and Loretta Redd hasn't stopped going to the City Council meetings since.
full article »

Candidate has broad base of support
Candidate supports rail, living wage

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, October 2, 2005

When Grant House went to college, his uncle gave him a sewing machine.

His grandmother taught him how to sew patches onto his blue jeans. Before long, all his friends were taking their torn clothes to him.
full article »

Incumbent's campaign promises were fulfilled
Candidate forcusing on area's transportation needs

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, October 1, 2005

Like the old story of the tortoise and the hare, Roger Horton has slowly emerged as the quiet front-runner in the Nov. 8 City Council election.
full article »

City councilwoman says her work is not done yet
Housing, environment at top of Falcone's priorities

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Friday, September 30, 2005

With sailboats and the blue ocean as a backdrop, Iya Falcone strolls through Shoreline Park.

The park is just footsteps away from her Mesa home, and she comes here often after walking her two dogs on the beach below.

For her, the park symbolizes so much of what makes Santa Barbara beautiful: open space, no pesticides, and families flying kites or having a picnic.
full article »

In the race for cash, Horton holds lead
Incumbent has raised $48,955

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Friday, September 30, 2005

In a key indicator of how the Santa Barbara City Council election is shaping up five weeks before Election Day on Nov. 8, incumbent Roger Horton leads the pack in financial contributions with $48,955.
full article »

City council candidate proud of outsider status
Channing has fought "mansionization" trend


By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, September 29, 2005

Dianne Channing doesn’t wield power behind the scenes at City Hall. Nor does she have pull with special interest groups who make endorsements. Among the insider policy wonks, she has little name recognition.

But she doesn’t want to be part of that world, anyway.
full article »

Drama meets politics in City Council race
At least one newcomer will take seat on council

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Three spots are up for grabs in a dynamic, high-stakes Santa Barbara City Council election where some of the backstage maneuvering more closely resembles Sacramento politics than that of laid-back Santa Barbara.
full article »

Challenger makes his move to unseat the mayor
Candidate supports widening 101

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, September 27, 2005

The walls in his apartment are bare. One of his end table lamps is missing a light bulb. The only books in his living room are the few that he wrote.

Lanny Ebenstein is still settling into his Westside home, a second-story corner unit where yellow caution tape barely holds together a loose railing outside his front door.
full article »

Mayor's traits that fire up critics inspire her supporters
Incumbent keeping her focus on residents, neighborhoods, environment

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Monday, September 26, 2005

Sometimes, Marty Blum can be her worst enemy.

She says and does things that make people scratch their heads. Like the time she shot down 10 percent raises for police officers, and after the vote said staring out at them is intimidating because "they all have guns, every single one of them."

Or the times, as the mayor of the city, that she led antiwar peace marches up and down State Street.
full article »

Mayor’s race: Fiscal fitness test
Last- minute filing creates a race

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, September 25, 2005

Mayor Marty Blum faces challenger Lanny Ebenstein for the top elected post in Santa Barbara, in a matchup that almost never happened. Mr. Ebenstein, who served on the Santa Barbara School District Board of Education for eight years, hopped into the race at the last possible minute. He filed papers just before 5 p.m., on the last day to file. He took the plunge to challenge Mrs. Blum, a move few wanted to make because of the mayor’s popularity and incumbency.
full article »

Another twist in council race: Police back Redd
'It gives me a presence in the field again'

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, September 24, 2005

The Santa Barbara police union has thrown its support behind the most fiscally conservative candidate in the City Council race, a surprising political maneuver in the increasingly unpredictable campaign.
full article »

Falcone rivals get help from mayor
Blum solicits funds for pair opposing S.B. councilwoman

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Friday, September 23, 2005

In the latest political maneuver to shake up the City Council race, Santa Barbara’s mayor is soliciting money for two outside candidates in an aggressive move to unseat incumbent Iya Falcone.
full article »

POWER PLAYS
BEHIND THE SPLIT AT CITY HALL

By JOSHUA MOLINA - NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, July 31, 2005

What a difference four years makes: Alliances have shifted as the election nears and struggles over leadership have altered the city's political landscape.

In the center is one woman: Iya Falcone
full article »