[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6566357,"mediaKeyId","3206743-7422d2a98b828896c228a62fb43190f3","parentId",3206743,"title","Mayor proclaims May 2025 Wildfire Preparedness Month; fire officials highlight mitigation partnerships and outreach","audioSeconds",250,"startMs",449000,"endMs",699000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3206743-7422d2a98b828896c228a62fb43190f3&start=449&end=699","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3206743-7422d2a98b828896c228a62fb43190f3/thumbnail_449000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6566357/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Mayor-proclaims-May-2025-Wildfire-Preparedness-Month-fire-officials-highlight-mitigation-partnerships-and-outreach","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566357-c1a6d9b7699c8d583a2791a5c9fc554b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436991&Signature=UhDJljTPcTiIJDJJArxFPTQaNavuQtOzZaZJeVdXaJxW2gpVvsFDT20hbPIHKWLGXIkfhK3GqTx9iKKe~G86htPVVEWppr70gCRv5adMEvlEkaVosoAFlUGWJq8NDBtdmJ13aXyWu7zmWwXuaHCL-hiTsnbIvEKcSSNeCBQEMY6Iojmths-v0t3rUYwlcXFBr2PFyQa4T0dTOLvZUn9eiDL4T~j76CNegqxcF42eglt20VSTYWgWfAMx5S2-f1Xx2wm7j0Mip6HxDLsIeFpV7GNXa8MJ9TR6RIioPS6k7EGz1pSXZMQBQWwuujdqSEzD2WOwPq~mwxvwjyW~8eeR0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Barbara, CA","date","2025-05-07T01:55:25.54Z","article","Mayor Randy Rouse read a proclamation declaring May 2025 Wildfire Preparedness Month in the City of Santa Barbara and urged residents to prepare homes, make evacuation plans and sign up for emergency alerts at readysbc.org.

Fire Department leaders used the ceremonial item to brief council on ongoing wildfire mitigation and community outreach. Fire officials highlighted partnerships with Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council and Parks & Recreation to implement vegetation-management projects, defensible-space evaluations and public education. The department said it is moving from planning to implementation on several projects and credited collaborative grants and local hand crews for progress.

Why it matters: Santa Barbara’s topography, seasonal weather and vegetation make wildfire prevention and preparedness a continuous priority. Fire staff emphasized that coordinated local actions — home hardening, neighborhood defensible space and emergency planning — reduce the risk of loss to life and property.

Details from department comments
- The city fire marshal (Ryan DeGiulio) and a wildland specialist (Mark Fontillo) spoke on daily work and partnerships; staff credited the Fire Safe Council and Park & Rec for implementation assistance.
- The department referred to past wildfire events affecting the community and noted ongoing efforts including outreach, hand crews funded by grants, and defensible-space evaluations.
- Council members noted community interest in additional localized assessment districts (Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District) and asked about the cost and process; staff estimated an initial engineering/consultant process could be on the order of $85,000–$100,000 to explore a local assessment district and said such start-up costs can be advanced and later recovered through assessments if voters approve a new assessment district.

Ending: The mayor’s proclamation directs residents to ReadySBC resources; council members expressed support for continuing outreach and exploring locally funded assessment options where residents indicate willingness to pay for additional clearance or services.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - May 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Randy Rouse proclaimed May 2025 Wildfire Preparedness Month. Fire Department leaders and partners described ongoing vegetation management, defensible-space outreach, and collaborations with the Fire Safe Council and Park & Recreation to reduce wildfire risk.","taxTitle","Santa Barbara City, Santa Barbara County, California","taxId",4209,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566362,"Council reviews Measure I budget plan; staff proposes public-safety hires and $3 million for housing over two years as public calls for more funding",10281,1698000,11979000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3206743-7422d2a98b828896c228a62fb43190f3&start=1698&end=11979","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3206743-7422d2a98b828896c228a62fb43190f3/thumbnail_1698000.jpg","/articles/6566362/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Council-reviews-Measure-I-budget-plan-staff-proposes-public-safety-hires-and-3-million-for-housing-over-two-years-as-public-calls-for-more-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566362-863678012ada6afe9ffe69bf88f29e19/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436991&Signature=RWeYBjvHma1rOvhJuPZlLrj0yrwsMQ-vI0EP4eRb2C8I2Zc0Vzo7wytB0a-RumLjtdENOa3RNg32DoeL-ae4vQ8rh1JY8BG~dEiKkdGSErn4QfdeqHXob7mK26o~UJ9nKrIKggBImkszBpp0Dd---J~kW07iX4KZcAZG8TbNwg7ylRrfKVDbN9EDqwJYbdhevKbOEfncHjYZULK3FVIqT1V6ON~~BGlNuG6vjmsICYB6r4RbdketLgmnH9PPOEcSS-Ujl0WPoDfk4yvmq7Qi3iGJpqVkuiQa~9zmK0Eb63wv8Wf90bIaFD281OOMohKqBmIrDrkRpBPu2vbt6b-ULw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Administrator staff presented the city administrator’s recommended two-year financial plan and the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget, telling the City Council that the first full year of Measure I revenue is projected at about $15.1 million for FY 2026 and $15.5 million for FY 2027.

The Measure I proposal shown to council would direct the bulk of the new sales-tax revenue to maintain existing services. Staff proposed funding 34 police positions, 19 firefighter positions, eight parks and recreation positions (including after-school support), and four librarian positions plus one library technician and expanded digital and security services. In addition, staff proposed two transfers each year of $1.5 million: one transfer to a housing/homeless services fund and one transfer to a newly created local housing trust fund intended for capital housing projects, giving council discretion over future appropriations.

City finance director Keith DeMartini and budget manager Natalia Glusack led the presentation and said the Measure I revenues free the city from having to make deeper cuts to core services. The proposal also included a reorganization that would move housing and human services and much of downtown parking into the city administrator’s office and add a deputy city administrator position to oversee those groups.

Why it matters: the plan is an early step in the FY 2026 budget process leading to formal budget deliberations in June and final adoption June 17. Measure I revenue is the principal reason staff said the city can avoid layoffs and restore staff or services previously reduced.

Details and implementations
- Measure I revenue forecast: $15.1 million in FY 2026 and about $15.5 million in FY 2027 (staff projection shown at the hearing).
- Proposed uses described by staff: restore and continue funding for existing positions in police, fire, parks & recreation and library; five homeless-service contracts with uncertain future federal funds would be supported; and two recurring transfers of $1.5 million per year into (a) a housing and homeless services fund and (b) a local housing trust fund for capital housing projects.
- Downtown parking: staff proposed a two-phase stabilization plan (phase 1: operational tune-ups, pilot pay-by-foot on the Helena lot, lowered commuter permit prices in Ortega Garage; phase 2: rebalance system and affordability measures). Downtown parking will move under the city administrator’s office as part of the reorganization.
- Citywide budget posture: staff said tax revenue growth is softening, pensions and benefit costs are rising, and the city is prioritizing delivering existing capital projects before adding new ones.

Public comment and reactions
During the public-comment period on the budget, several housing advocates and community groups urged a larger, dedicated local housing trust-fund allocation. Speakers representing CLUE and other housing advocates asked the council to allocate $5 million per year to the local housing trust fund so shovel-ready projects could compete for additional outside funding and tax-credit pipelines. League of Women Voters and labor representatives also urged stronger investment in affordable housing and timely implementation of the city’s classification and compensation study to retain staff.

Council and staff questions covered: how flexible the $1.5 million transfers are, whether federal HOME and CDBG funds are at risk, how Measure I dollars were classified between existing services and new allocations, staffing vacancy counts (police had vacancies staff said they were actively recruiting to refill), and whether parking-lot redevelopment work would require capital reserves.

Votes at a glance (consent calendar related to the budget meeting)
- The council moved and approved the balance of the consent calendar (items 4, 6, 7, 8 described on the record) by motion; item 5 (police foundation donation) was pulled for comment and later approved separately. (See Actions below for motion text and movers.)

Discussion vs. decisions
- Discussion only: the two-year financial plan and Measure I allocations were presented for council review (staff requested that council \"hear a report\" on the recommended plan); staff characterized the item as non-action (presentation) today and indicated final budget adoption is scheduled for June 17. Many line-item decisions and any appropriation changes will occur at budget deliberations.
- Direction requested of staff: multiple council members asked staff to return with additional detail (for example, reserves projections and options for how to increase housing trust-fund allocations). Staff said some items (e.g., fee studies, reserve discussions) could be scheduled with finance committee or at upcoming workshops.

Ending: staff will bring budget deliberations to council in June, including a rate-and-priorities workshop and the formal adoption hearing on June 17. Meanwhile public commenters and some council members urged staff to identify additional, recurring resources to increase the local housing trust fund beyond the staff-proposed $1.5 million per year transfer.

","City staff presented a two-year financial plan that assumes Measure I sales-tax revenue and proposes funding for police, fire, parks, libraries and two transfers totaling $3 million ($1.5M per year) for housing and homelessness; public commenters urged a larger, recurring local housing trust fund allocation.","actionData","errors"]

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Mayor proclaims May 2025 Wildfire Preparedness Month; fire officials highlight mitigation partnerships and outreach

Council reviews Measure I budget plan; staff proposes public-safety hires and $3 million for housing over two years as public calls for more funding