The city of Sanat Barbara has a deficit. That is not stopping them from expending money to plan for $2 billion worth of projects. Once the planning is finish, then the city will declare an emergency and demand the people raise their sales tax, issue more than a billion worth of taxes, create a new parcel tax. All of this grows government and forced the last of the middle class to leave.
“On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council will weigh in on the city’s five-year capital improvement plan, which lays out all major projects in the pipeline — from the new police station to airport hangar overhauls to large-scale park renovations — giving a look into the city’s long-range plan with nearly 300 projects and a combined cost of over $2 billion.
The capital improvement plan outlines the proposals for every department, with a breakdown of all 296 projects, including projected costs and details on whether funding has been identified, to allow the City Council to determine which projects should be prioritized or pushed further down the line.
They say that $1.2 billion of the cost has been identified? How, what taxes will be increased, how much is dependent on the State and Federal government for contributions. Both the State and Feds do not have the money—and Trump is stopping all scams using tax dollars. This looks like the high speed rail, spend until you run out of money then cry you spent so much already, how about more? Just another government scam.
Santa Barbara’s Plan for Nearly 300 Capital Projects Could Cost $2 Billion
City Updates Five-Year Plan for Major Projects, from Police Station to Park Renovations
By Ryan P. Cruz, Santa Barbara Independent, 3/10/25 https://www.independent.com/2025/03/10/santa-barbaras-plan-for-nearly-300-capital-projects-could-cost-2-billion/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Indy+Today%3A+Carbajal+and+Schiff+Weigh+in+Against+Sable+Offshore&utm_campaign=Indy+Today%2C+Tuesday+3%2F11&vgo_ee=IKrf8MCSVKgYfw00CjT3cryR9h4LCblry8YEaAo0ouvcmnJbrcKWhkTa%3Ax4leY90dbrXibpO95hLY5JQBM4I0tZEW
On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council will weigh in on the city’s five-year capital improvement plan, which lays out all major projects in the pipeline — from the new police station to airport hangar overhauls to large-scale park renovations — giving a look into the city’s long-range plan with nearly 300 projects and a combined cost of over $2 billion.
The capital improvement plan outlines the proposals for every department, with a breakdown of all 296 projects, including projected costs and details on whether funding has been identified, to allow the City Council to determine which projects should be prioritized or pushed further down the line.
All together, the 296 projects could cost an estimated $2 billion, over half of which has already been identified, according to interim Public Works Director Brian D’Amour, who presented an early draft of the plan during last week’s Finance Committee meeting. But while the city has accounted for over $1.2 billion toward the projects, that leaves another $800 million worth that has yet to be funded.
Most of the funding will come from the city’s general fund and Measure C sales tax revenues, accounting for over $366 million toward infrastructure and improvement projects over the next five years. Grants pay for another large chunk of the projected cost, with more than $225 million in the next five years, while debt issuance and loans contribute an additional $241 million towards these projects.
Streets and Transportation has over 60 projects included in the plan, costing an estimated $885 million, most of which will be coming from state and federal grants. These projects include the De la Vina Bridge replacement, annual pavement replacement, and major road improvements all across the city.
There are 11 Water Department projects costing a combined $342 million, including citywide water main improvements and the Vic Trace Reservoir replacement. Public safety accounts for 10 projects — the biggest being the new police station — costing a combined $260 million in the next five years.
The airport has 37 different capital projects, costing a combined $117 million, many of which are funded through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants. But there is now uncertainty over the future of FAA funding, leaving some of the future projects still unfunded at this time.
Other big name items include long-awaited Parks and Recreation projects — such as the renovations to Ortega Park, Dwight Murphy Park, and Los Baños swimming pool — and updates to City Hall and both the Central and Eastside Library branches.
The complete plan will not be finalized until the city budget is adopted in June.
