Most of what people read and hear about Guadalupe is negative. The Santa Maria Times and KSBY have done a good job informing the public of the budget crisis in Guadalupe. We also have to deal with the false perception that Guadalupe is not a safe city. This is based on something that happened in the 1970s. I was told that according to FBI statics, Guadalupe is the second safest city in Santa Barbara County.
I am retired and could have lived anywhere in the world. I choose to make Guadalupe my home. When asked, “Why Guadalupe?” I always reply, “Why not Guadalupe?” I have found the town to be full of friendly, generous people. I was born in Oklahoma, which attracted me to this small town with its red brick buildings in the downtown area of Guadalupe. I do not know what will happen in November, when we vote for the budget measures the City Council has deemed necessary to put on the ballot. I do know this: Guadalupe will survive. The good citizens of Guadalupe are resilient and love their hometown. I highly encourage everyone in the surrounding area to come to Guadalupe to see for yourself. I believe in this town so much, I opened a business and have been looking for partners for other endeavors.
This article appears in Jul 10-17, 2014.