SUPERVISORS GREENLIGHT MORE 'GREEN' SPENDING, FORGET TAXPAYERS

It appears the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, in their infinite wisdom and boundless generosity with taxpayer funds, have once again proven that 'green' energy proposals are like catnip to progressives. This week, they rubber-stamped an amendment to a solar power purchase agreement at the Calle Real Campus, merrily adding a massive battery energy storage system (BESS) as if government spending were a bottomless pit.

The official word from the County's 'experts' is that this newfangled battery addition, tacked onto an already approved solar project, will somehow be 'less' expensive than existing energy sources. One has to marvel at the financial gymnastics required to make such a claim, especially when considering the known inefficiencies and exorbitant costs associated with these intermittent energy schemes. But hey, it *sounds* good, and that's what counts when you're trying to impress the environmental lobby, isn't it?

Naturally, they also affirmed that all the original CEQA determinations still apply because the battery system will fit within the 'previously analyzed footprint.' It's a bureaucratic sleight of hand worthy of a Mad Magazine fold-in. They want you to believe that dropping a giant battery array into an existing solar farm is merely a 'minor alteration' – no new environmental review needed! This is how the County operates: small changes, big costs, and always, *always* a pat on the back for being so 'sustainable.'

What the mainstream press and the County's agenda item conveniently omit is the real story behind these continuous add-ons and amendments. It’s not just about a battery; it’s about the ever-expanding network of contractors and consultants who stand to profit handsomely from every 'eco-friendly' mandate pushed through by our local 'leaders.' While the average Santa Barbara resident struggles with soaring energy bills and inflation fueled by D.C.'s progressive policies, our Board of Supervisors seems intent on proving they can spend your money just as irresponsibly as the previous administration in Washington. Thank goodness President Trump is bringing sanity back to federal energy policy, because our local bureaucrats clearly haven't gotten the memo.