Santa Barbara mayoral and District 5 City Council candidates agreed on concerns about artificial intelligence and the need to protect residents from ICE on Wednesday night at Valle Verde, but they split over whether voters should overturn the city’s new rent stabilization ordinance.
In the mayor’s race, Eric Friedman, Matt Kilrain, Wendy Sims-Moten and Kristen Sneddon are
running to replace Randy Rowse, who decided not to seek a second term. In District 5, the
candidates are Ian Baucke, Cevin Cathell and James Zurlinden. Both groups of candidates met for a League of Women Voters forum.
Artificial intelligence drew some of the evening’s most pointed remarks. Friedman, a city councilmember, said his distrust starts with the people building it.
“I don’t trust it because I don’t trust the people who are creating it,” Friedman said. “And guess what? They don’t trust it either.”
Sneddon, an instructor at Santa Barbara City College, shared her perspective on student use of AI.
“They are rejecting it,” Sneddon said. “They do not enjoy the experience of not thinking for
themselves.”
Cathell, however, saw a practical use, suggesting AI could help streamline the city’s permitting
process and simplify smaller everyday tasks.
Immigration enforcement brought a more urgent tone.
Cathell shared that she had learned 900 Santa Barbara-area neighbors had been taken by ICE and “disappeared.”
“A lot of these people, we do not know where they are,” she said.
Baucke focused on the role of local law enforcement and the California Values Act (SB 54),
which strictly limits cooperation with federal immigration agents. He said documented incidents over the past year have “blurred the line or crossed the line,” and called for “real accountability.”
Candidates were united on protecting residents from ICE. Sims-Moten commented that in the
city of Santa Barbara, “we’re always looking to protect everyone, change our policies, do
whatever we need to do so that no one has to feel unsafe.”
Several candidates tied those concerns to the city’s finances, where the discussion centered on how to close budget gaps and who should have a say in doing it. Sims-Moten called for budget study sessions so residents “can understand where their money is going.”
Baucke said the city’s budget problem is not falling revenue.
“Where we’re having an issue is our revenues are going up with the general fund, our expenses are just going up faster, and a lot of that’s outside the city’s control,” Baucke said.
He suggested making it easier for people to do business with the city, reforming the permitting process, and supporting local businesses.
Zurlinden offered a starker view, saying this year’s budget was balanced only because of
one-time savings, including a multimillion-dollar settlement with a telecommunications
company.
“The way that we’re going, we’re going to be out of reserves by ‘29,” Zurlinden said.
Reserves were also on candidates’ minds when the topic turned to El Niño. Sneddon focused on the senior community, calling for “resilience hubs” in every district where residents can refrigerate medication, get food and translation help, and charge their devices.
The sharpest divide came over the city’s rent stabilization ordinance, which is facing a
referendum petition. Cathell said she would have voted against it.
“I am pro housing and I am pro renter, and I do not think they are exclusive,” she said, adding
that limiting annual increases would “destroy the housing market here.”
Baucke urged residents not to sign the petition and to vote no if the measure reaches the ballot.
He called the ordinance “far from perfect,” but warned that overturning it would send the city
back to a debate that has dragged on for years.
Friedman wasted no time disagreeing.
“I’m going to disagree with Ian,” he said. “I think you should sign the petition and do the
referendum. And here’s why. In the long run, the rents will rise…The rent control departments
will benefit, but after that, it’s diminishing returns.”
The forum closed with a message for young voters, and Sneddon used her time to urge everyone to cast a ballot.
“Please vote, everyone. All ages who are able to. We need democracy, and what I’m standing for is the protection and the preservation of Santa Barbara, that’s the people of Santa Barbara,” Sneddon said.
