CITY COUNCIL RACE: A GRAB BAG OF BUREAUCRATIC HOPEFULS VOW TO KEEP SB 'SPECIAL'

It’s election season, folks, which means it’s time for Santa Barbara’s political establishment to trot out the usual parade of aspirants for public office, each promising to make our fair city even more 'special' – which, as we all know, is code for 'more expensive, more regulated, and less free.' Our friends over at Noozhawk, ever vigilant in their duty to transcribe press releases, dutifully reported on the thrilling four-way race for the District 4 City Council seat.

Apparently, one current council member, Kristen Sneddon, is off to chase the even loftier, more expensive dream of the mayor's office. This leaves her old perch open for a planning commissioner, a 'businessman' (we'll believe it when we see fewer red tape hurdles), a former council member who apparently just couldn't stay away from the public trough, and someone from a 'Neighborhood Advisory Council'—a title that screams 'expert in busywork and parking complaints.'

One can almost hear the candidates practicing their earnest pronouncements about 'affordable housing' (that never gets built), 'sustainable development' (that chokes off growth), and 'community engagement' (which means ignoring taxpayers in favor of vocal special interest groups). What they won't tell you is how many new fees they plan to levy, how many more projects they'll stall with 'environmental reviews,' or which developer's campaign donations will suddenly make their particular proposal 'climate-friendly.' The real question isn't who wins, but how much more our wallets will bleed while they 'save' our city from prosperity.