Congrats to Santa Barbara. They are taking millions from the $72 billion deficit ridden State—to promote racism.
“The City Council on Tuesday accepted $1.7 million in funding from the state for equity programs throughout the city. The money also will go toward installing e-bikes and bike infrastructure on the Eastside and Westside, in areas considered by the state to be economically disadvantaged.
About $1.5 million will go toward the bicycle program and another $229,000 for food programs. The money will help the city itself and local nonprofit organizations improve and expand their food distribution programs by purchasing new equipment and food storage.
About $6,500 will go toward scholarships to teach people how to swim.”
Santa Barbara has a massive homeless problem—but will spend money on swimming lessons—and $1.5 million on e-bikes!! Sounds more like a payoff to friends and donors than a serious use of tax dollars.
Santa Barbara Accepts $1.7 Million in State Funding to Expand Equity Programs
The money will go toward installing e-bikes in low-income areas, scholarships for swim lessons, and other efforts
by Joshua Molina, Noozhawk, 4/24/24 https://www.noozhawk.com/santa-barbara-to-use-1-7-million-in-state-funding-to-expand-equity-programs/
Santa Barbara City Councilman Eric Friedman opened his heart a bit from the dais Tuesday. He told a story of a fifth-grader, a classmate of one of his sons, who didn’t know how to swim.
On a school trip to Catalina Island, the child could not fully experience the snorkeling and other water activities. He had to find a deep spot from land and dip his head in the water to see underneath.
“If you don’t have the ability to swim, especially at an early age, you miss out on a lot of opportunities in school,” Friedman said. “It leads to issues that they are different from all the other kids.”
However, the City of Santa Barbara is looking to help change those types of circumstances.
The City Council on Tuesday accepted $1.7 million in funding from the state for equity programs throughout the city. The money also will go toward installing e-bikes and bike infrastructure on the Eastside and Westside, in areas considered by the state to be economically disadvantaged.
About $1.5 million will go toward the bicycle program and another $229,000 for food programs. The money will help the city itself and local nonprofit organizations improve and expand their food distribution programs by purchasing new equipment and food storage.
“Overall, these efforts will help to address food insecurity in our community and reduce food waste,” said Daniela Rosales, an environmental specialist with the City of Santa Barbara.
About $6,500 will go toward scholarships to teach people how to swim.
The vote was 7-0.
Much of Tuesday’s discussion centered on the expansion of the city’s e-bike program. The city in 2020 approved a partnership with BCycle to install docks and ebikes primarily downtown. The program later was extended to the waterfront and other parts of the city.
Now, Santa Barbara wants to place bikes in high-rental neighborhoods.
According to the city, about 40% of riders use e-bikes to replace a vehicle trip, and 16% of those make less than $50,000 annually.
Councilman Mike Jordan expressed frustration that the information to rent a bike at the kiosk or online isn’t also available in Spanish.
He said in Los Angeles it would be available in 10 languages and in San Francisco 20 languages, adding that Santa Barbara should at least have the information in Spanish.
“There’s certainly room for improvement,” said Samuel Furtner, the city’s mobility coordinator. “That being said, the low-income program has not been the priority.”
The grant money will allow the city to focus on the low-income neighborhoods, Furtner said.
Jordan said the city should require its e-bike vendor, BCycle, to improve its bilingual outreach efforts now that the program is just starting.
“The vendor has to be in the same place we say we are going,” Jordan said. “Having bilingual support to walk someone through an English access point is not access. That access point by our third-party vendor needs to reflect the same standards or ideals.
“If we are talking about equity, they need to be talking about equity, too.”
City officials said the city is aware of areas that it needs to improve and is working with its partners to improve equity programs throughout the city.
“Significant efforts are being made throughout the city organization to promote and foster equity,” said Alelia Parenteau, the city’s director of Sustainability & Resilience. “Equity recognizes that perhaps different resources need to be allocated, or differential treatment needs to be given to achieve a level playing field.”
