GOLETA COUNCILMAN CRIES 'FAIRNESS' AS TAXPAYERS FUND HIS RE-ELECTION WHINE

One of Goleta’s sitting City Council members, James Kyriaco, has apparently just discovered that elections involve, well, *electing* people. And sometimes, those people aren't just you! The *Santa Barbara Independent* recently published a piece (undoubtedly after extensive journalistic soul-searching) highlighting this politician's deep thoughts on 'fairness' – presumably, the fairness of not having to face a challenger in his bid for re-election. We’re left to wonder if the concept of actual competition is perhaps a bit too taxing for those accustomed to the cozy confines of local government. Is it 'fair' to taxpayers that their hard-earned dollars are funneled into a system where some incumbents seem to believe their seats are divinely appointed, rather than earned through robust debate and public accountability?

While the good councilman ponders the existential quandaries of democratic process, the rest of us are busy navigating the ever-increasing cost of living, thanks in no small part to the very folks who govern Goleta. Perhaps 'fairness' should start with asking why the city budget continues to balloon, why developers get a fast track, and why property rights are treated as suggestions rather than constitutional guarantees. But no, let's all focus on whether a sitting councilman feels adequately appreciated by the political tides.

Here’s a news flash: the only 'fairness' taxpayers truly deserve is a local government that spends responsibly, respects individual liberty, and doesn't treat re-election as a birthright. Maybe if our elected officials spent less time worrying about their feelings and more time focusing on fiscal discipline and common-sense governance, they wouldn't have to beg for 'fairness' from the media. They'd simply earn the voters' trust. But then again, that might be too much to ask from the current crop of self-proclaimed 'public servants.'