Devon Wardlow called herself a “policy nerd” who loves the community and the people who make it special.
Jason Dominguez said he knows government and wants to “secure the future of Santa Barbara for everyone’s kids and for the next generation” and wants to “bring Shakespeare to State Street.”
Genevieve Taft-Vazquez said she is “deeply invested in the community,” is not a “politician” and wants to serve the residents.
Monte Wilson said he loves “the town,” knows how to “get things done,” and that Santa Barbara has “so much potential.”
The four candidates for City Council in District 4 outlined their policy positions in a forum Monday night hosted by the Santa Barbara Independent and moderated by reporter Ryan P. Cruz. About 50 people attended the event, livestreamed by DP News, at the Unitarian Society on Santa Barbara Street.
The candidates answered a variety of questions on topics ranging from rent stabilization and State Street to fire safety and divisiveness on the City Council. They are seeking to replace Kristen Sneddon, who must step down because of term limits, and who is running for mayor against Eric Friedman and Wendy Sims-Moten.
Wardlow announced at the forum in her closing remarks to the crowd that she is endorsed by Sneddon, a new development. Wardlow told the News-Press after the event that Sneddon texted her a couple days and told her “I’d like to endorse you.”
Wardlow, a former public affairs professional in the cannabis industry, and current member of the Santa Barbara Planning Commission, said she “stood up to Mayor Randy Rowse” on ICE by stating that Santa Barbara should protect people from raids and create policies that safeguard residents. She said it’s not good enough for the city to say that ICE raids are not within the city’s jurisdiction.
Wardlow, a housing advocate on the City Council, said that on the Planning Commission she pushed the developers of the 250-room hotel on Garden Street to make a $500,000 contribution to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.
“I love this community and I am willing to stand up for what is right,” Wardlow said. In her closing comments, Wardlow said she moved to Santa Barbara on her own at age 13 and that she learned at a young age “that I have to take care of myself.”
“I will do everything to protect this community and really fight for our shared values,” Wardlow said.
Taft-Vazquez, a former executive for the Coca Cola company, said multiple times that she is “not a career politician,” and she would not use the City Council as a “stepping stone.”
“I am not part of the establishment,” Taft-Vazquez said. “I am part of the community.” She noted her lack of endorsements from organized groups because got into the contest later in the process.
“I am not here for a title, I am here to do a job,” Taft-Vazquez said. “I want a clean, vibrant downtown with housing the next generation can actually afford.”
Taft-Vazquez touted her business experience as an example of how she could bring competing interests together on the City Council.
“I got Coke and Pepsi in the room working together on pre-competitive things,” she said. “So if I can get multibillion dollar companies working together I think I can get along with anybody at City Hall.”
The candidates answered a question about the proposed 8-story apartment building proposed behind the Santa Barbara Mission.
“It is inexcusable,” Taft-Vazquez said. “My favorite place in the world, probably, and my favorite activity, is going to the Rose Garden throwing the Frisbee with my family, I don’t want to see a construction like that.”
Wilson, a retired tech executive from the software industry, said he is “deeply concerned” about evacuation in the Mission Canyon area, but did not directly answer the question about the proposed building.
“Can we possibly look at the RHNA numbers from a South Coast perspective with communities that have more land than we do like Noleta out in Goleta or west of there, in Carpinteria, where we could build more,” Wilson said. “I would hate to lose the culture or the charm or the aesthetic of Santa Barbara.”
It is unclear what Wilson meant. The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments already divides housing allocations by regions, including North and South Santa Barbara County, and each community has set allocation for units to be built by 2030. The state already separates the housing allocations based on population and other factors in collaboration with SBCAG and local staff and elected officials.
Wilson, who is endorsed by Mayor Randy Rowse, said he has managed “eight and nine figure budgets.”
“The way I look at it is ‘would you hire this person to run District 4,'” Wilson said. “Are you looking at their qualifications? Are you looking at their experience? Are you looking at their judgment .Are you looking at their skillset?”
Wardlow said that community members who want to fight back against the 8-story project should get involved with local nonprofit SAGE (Smart Action Growth and Equity).
“The city is fighting this,” Wardlow said. “This is now a legal battle and I have confidence in the city.”
Dominguez, frequently touted his background as a lawyer, and his experience previously serving on the Santa Barbara City Council.
“As a lawyer I have sued cities and I have defended cities,” Dominguez said. “As a lawyer on council I will be able to provide support for our city administrator and our city attorney.”
He said he supports housing in the right places, “downtown, above shops, in empty offices, but I do oppose mammoth developments that ignore our developments.”
“You need someone on council who understands the law, and not someone who can learn it on the job,” Dominguez said.
All four of the candidates said they opposed the currently proposed rent stabilization ordinance, either saying that rent stabilization is not an effective policy for helping the most renters, or that the proposed annual cap of 60% of CPI is too low.
They also said fire protection and wildfire protection would be a top priority if elected.
Ballots will go out Oct. 5. The election is Nov. 3.
The Independent will host a mayor’s forum with candidates Friedman, Sims-Moten and Sneddon on Wednesday. The Santa Barbara News-Press hosted a mayor’s forum on Sept. 3 and it can be viewed here.
