A survey of 400 Santa Maria residents showed that 60 percent of them would vote yes on a half-cent sales tax increase, as long as the extra funds—approximately $13 million a year—went toward essential city services. While 31 percent of participants answered no to the survey, which assured all hypothetical funds would stay local with […]
Santa Maria City Council
Posted inOpinion
Santa Maria City Council’s appointment process is seriously flawed
Ricardo Batalla was chosen to represent the voters of District 1 on the City Council by Mayor Alice Patino and Councilmembers Gloria Flores and Maribel Aguilera at the April 7 council meeting. I wish Mr. Batalla, father of three and director of youth development at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, the very best. He will […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria City Council appoints Ricardo Batalla to 1st District
Abraham Lincoln’s decision in 1861 to appoint three of his political opponents to his cabinet should have helped steer Santa Maria officials’ approach to filling a recent City Council vacancy, in resident Gale McNeeley’s view. “Mayor Patino, you can be the Abraham Lincoln of Santa Maria. I know you don’t look like him, but you […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria City Council seeks applicants after Carlos Escobedo resigns
With two years left on his Santa Maria City Council term, Carlos Escobedo resigned from his role as the 1st District’s representative in early March. Eleven minutes into the council’s March 3 meeting, Escobedo announced his decision from the dais during the public comment period. “Due to my upcoming move outside District 1, I will […]
Posted inOpinion
Know before you vote: One 5th District county supervisor candidate has what it takes to lead North County
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 […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria agendizes hearing to discuss forming immigration ad hoc committee
For local high school student Lorena Martinez, real-time events have shown that the Santa Maria City Council’s pace in deciding whether to form an immigration ad hoc committee is too slow. “Real families are being torn apart. Children are living with fear and uncertainty. Parents are afraid to go to work. This is happening here […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria’s immigrant resolution stirs backlash from elected officials, advocacy groups
Of all the tangents Santa Maria leaders veered into while discussing a resolution to support immigrants, nostalgia for the 1950s was one of the most disheartening, an Oxnard official stated. “People need to really think more critically about romanticizing that era,” Oxnard City Council Member Gabe Teran said in a Facebook thread. Teran was referring […]
Posted inOpinion
Santa Maria’s resolution in support of immigrant residents lacks backbone
There’s a common idiom heard among the halls of newspaper offices and other media outlets: “old news is no news.” There was certainly some of that at the Santa Maria City Council meeting on Feb. 3. The meeting was dominated by extensive public comment and discussion among City Council members on how to acknowledge Santa […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria to formalize ‘a clear message that we do stand with immigrants’
With one hand holding onto a cardboard cutout of a silhouetted body, Jeanne Sparks told the Santa Maria City Council she doesn’t want to see local officials stand idly by while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations escalate. “We can’t let them do to our community what they have done elsewhere,” Sparks said at the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Three candidates vie for Santa Barbara County’s 5th District seat
The race to fill the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ 5th District seat in 2027 is on, as 2026 marks the end of longtime Supervisor Steve Lavagnino’s time on the dais. Lavagnino’s Chief of Staff Cory Bantilan is among the three candidates who have formally commenced their campaigns so far, along with Santa Maria-Bonita […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria homelessness stats spark mixed feedback from city officials
After hearing an annual update on Santa Maria’s homelessness response efforts, 3rd District City Councilmember Gloria Soto echoed many of the concerns she raised last year. “We need to do more, and I know what’s something we keep reiterating,” Soto said at the council’s Nov. 4 meeting. “I’m deeply worried that our local governments will […]
