• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) was among the majority of representatives who voted in favor of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act on April 23. The bill, which had already passed through the Senate, allocates hundreds of billions of dollars to relief funds for small businesses, hospitals, and health centers, according to Carbajal’s office. “This bipartisan bill will bring necessary relief to small businesses, hospitals, and front-line workers in our communities,” Carbajal said in a news release. “I’m proud that congressional Democrats fought to include small business disaster funding, robust testing, and more protection and equipment for front-line workers in this bill.” The bill adds $310 billion to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, through which small business owners can obtain forgivable loans to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. In late March, Congress passed a bill that allocated $349 billion to the program, which was depleted in a matter of weeks.
• On April 22, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) announced that it is launching an update to the county’s long-range transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy called Connected 2050. According to SBCAG, this plan will help guide future decisions regarding transportation and how it relates to housing, jobs, and land use to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Members of the public can provide their input on the plan by texting the word “CONNECT” to (833) 956-0921 or by registering for updates at connect2050.org. SBCAG will also hold public meetings where residents can weigh in on the plan in the future. “The recommendations of Connected 2050 will influence Santa Barbara County’s long-term growth and development for the next 30 years,” SBCAG Executive Director Marjie Kirn said in a statement. “We will be asking residents and businesses about safe and affordable housing, how essential goods like medicine and food are transported, and how far we travel to reach our jobs or schools.” The SBCAG board of directors is slated to adopt this plan in August 2021.
• On April 23, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that extends the deadline for when school districts have to file an annual plan that’s used for long-term planning and is tied to budget projections. The same order requires school districts to publish a written report explaining to communities how the district is responding to the COVID-19 crisis. District officials are required to detail the steps they’ve taken to continue educating students and providing school meals during the pandemic. District officials will also be required to explain how they’ve tried to meet the needs of low-income students as well as those learning English and in the foster care system.
• Santa Barbara County’s Public Works Director Scott McGolpin was nominated as the president of the National Association of County Engineers at its annual business meeting on April 22. McGolpin has served in his role as director since 2007 and has been with the department since 1988. The association is a nonprofit of more than 3,000 county road officials and similar professionals in the U.S. and Canada. “It is an honor and privilege to serve the nation’s county road professionals this year,” McGolpin said in a news release from the association. “With infrastructure sure to play a key role in our nation’s economic recovery, I look forward to engaging with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure county road infrastructure receives the attention needed to provide our nation with a safe, reliable transportation network.”
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 7, 2020.