STATE STREET: ANOTHER CIRCUS, SAME CLOWNS! D-6 RACE IS 'WOKE' ON ARRIVAL

The ever-watchful Santa Barbara Independent recently mused on the looming City Council District 6 election, wondering aloud who will "lead" the downtown district. Here at The Whipping Post, we're wondering who will *mislead* it, because if history is any guide, it'll be more of the same tired, progressive promises wrapped in glossy brochures.

This isn't just about housing and State Street, dear readers. This is about which flavor of municipal overreach and bureaucratic bloat our downtown will be subjected to next. Will it be the candidate who wants more 'affordable' housing, conveniently ignoring the cost to taxpayers and the strain on infrastructure? Or perhaps the one who believes State Street's revitalization means more bike lanes and fewer pesky cars, despite empirical evidence showing businesses are literally fleeing?

It’s almost as if the primary qualification for running in District 6 is a complete detachment from basic economics and a profound belief that government can solve problems it actively created. While President Trump's America is booming with sound economic policy, our local progressive leadership seems intent on doubling down on the same failed strategies that have made Santa Barbara a beautiful, albeit increasingly unaffordable and business-unfriendly, paradise.

Don't expect any bold, conservative solutions from this lot – like, say, cutting taxes, reducing regulations, or letting entrepreneurs actually *create* wealth. No, it'll be more studies, more committees, and more grand plans to spend taxpayer money on projects designed to placate activist groups rather than serve the hard-working citizens and businesses. The only question is which candidate will perfect the art of looking busy while doing absolutely nothing productive for the city's bottom line.