Fifth District voters face an important decision June 2 as three candidates compete to succeed the departing Steve Lavagnino on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
First, Cory Bantilan, for the past 16 years chief of staff for Supervisor Lavagnino. Quietly competent and skilled in the operations of county government, Mr. Bantilan has set his sights on succeeding his former boss.
While he launched his campaign a few months ago and has been active in his fundraising efforts, he has remained largely a stranger to voters in the district, particularly in Santa Maria. While he has purchased a home and moved into the district in a residence located on the fringes of Santa Maria’s carriage district, he has retained his longtime residence in the 3rd District, as he told me when we met a few months ago so he could ask for my support.
I told him then, as I am writing now, that he has been essentially invisible to local 5th District voters over the last 16 years despite the fact that he was serving as Supervisor Lavagnino’s chief. While I have been deeply involved in county politics for decades, including several years as president of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association, this was our first meeting.
As I said before, while Mr. Bantilan could prove a competent supervisor for 5th District voters, I feel that they, and the county at large, would be better served if he were to redirect his efforts to beat or succeed lefty Supervisor Joan Hartmann in his native 3rd District.
Next, Ricardo Valencia, Santa Maria High School teacher and Santa Maria-Bonita School District board member. Mr. Valencia’s campaign messaging appears to center on social issues, supporting expanded workers’ rights and protections, preserving residents’ access to social services and health care, and restricting the activities of ICE in the district.
Surprising for a history teacher is his stated aim of keeping ICE from “receiving local taxpayer support.” ICE is funded by the federal government, primarily from federal income taxes, far from the domain of the county Board of Supervisors. His goals, as reported in the Santa Maria Times, are long on blue sky but fall short on concrete actions that the Board of Supervisors can actually achieve.
Most troubling of all for Mr. Valencia are the many familiar faces we see in his campaign photo—smiling faces from local activist groups like CAUSE, MICOP, and Indivisible (despite the moniker, all about dividing the community), and, front and center, the Fund for Santa Barbara, long dedicated to radicalizing North County government and subjugating it to the control of South County elites. Fifth District voters do not need a supervisor who is little more than a puppet to activist groups.
Finally, Maribel Aguilera, attorney and Santa Maria City Council member. Raised in Santa Maria from modest means. No stranger to the unforgiving conditions of field labor. Someone who took the initiative to set high goals and to achieve them through hard work. Obtaining her law degree and working tirelessly in support of vital North County businesses to bolster the economy, provide jobs, and lift up employees and families in the 5th District.
Maribel has demonstrated outstanding service on the Santa Maria City Council and has acted to support and unite the community. There is no reason to doubt she would continue her fine record of service as 5th District supervisor. No candidate better embodies the spirit of residents of the 5th District or would represent them better on the Board of Supervisors.
So the choice appears a simple one: 5th District voters do not need a ghost, nor do they need a puppet.
The people of the 5th District need Maribel Aguilera as their supervisor, and they need her now! Vote for Maribel Aguilera for 5th District supervisor on June 2!
Roy Reed writes to the Sun from Orcutt. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
Clarification, April 3, 2026 3:29 pm: The photograph referenced in this commentary ("Know before you vote: One 5th District county supervisor candidate has what it takes to lead North County") does not show members of The Fund for Santa Barbara, CAUSE, or MICOP participating in an official capacity. Any individuals pictured who are affiliated with those organizations were attending as private citizens, not as representatives of those 501(c)(3) nonprofits. According to the organizations, the nonprofits do not engage in partisan or candidate-specific activity. Upon further examination, the Sun confirmed that MICOP members are not in the photograph in question. The Sun regrets any confusion that may have resulted from this commentary.
This article appears in March 12 – March 19, 2026.
Valencia for 5th district. We don’t need a puppet of far-right chaos.
Ricardo Valencia is the obvious choice for 5th District County Board of Supervisors. Authentic, homegrown leadership, who truly understands the needs of the constituents of the 5th District. A committed educator, and community leader, who will not be beholden to the donor class. As witnessed on a national scale, that is a failed, corrupt model.
Clearly no bias here! The fact that you are insinuating that “receiving local taxpayer support” means local taxpayer funds are DIRECTLY funding ICE is either disingenuous or you lack the curiosity that a true journalist typically possesses. Either way, Roy Reed is a JOKE!