Zombie Dog Death Wish

Angry Poodle Barks at City Politics

Thursday, September 17, 2009

By Nick Welsh (Contact)

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GLOVES OFF: During the Santa Barbara City Council meeting two weeks ago, Councilmember Das Williams stood up during deliberations, walked over to the thermostat, and turned up the ambient temperature setting by three degrees. At the time, the air conditioning was cranking and chambers were decidedly chilly. A few moments later, Councilmember Dale Francisco — who sits right next to Williams on the dais — got up, walked across the room, and reset the thermostat to a lower reading, thus undoing Williams’s work. This simple dance sums up the increasingly prickly relationship between the two most ideologically, if not personally, polarized personalities on the council. Not a word — not even a glance — was exchanged. This week’s showdown between the two, however, was far more overt. About the only thing not exchanged between these two were a few elbows to the throat.

Angry Poodle

How Das and Dale came to sit next to one another remains one of life’s mysteries, though Mayor Marty Blum’s perverse sense of humor probably is at the heart of it. Williams represents the far left of the council’s political spectrum; Francisco the right. Both men are smart, articulate, and know how to move the chess pieces around to strategic effect. Where Williams is temperamentally effusive, but cool, Francisco is reserved, but hot. Both are intensely competitive; both get under the other’s skin. It’s a guy thing.

It’s also extremely political.

On the table Tuesday was one of those boilerplate, feel-good, symbolic resolutions in which the council had been asked by the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) to send an official letter opposing any further offshore oil leasing in the Santa Barbara Channel. Currently, such a leasing plan is under consideration by the Department of the Interior, though the immediate sub-agency responsible — Minerals Management Service (MMS) — is now grappling with several in-house scandals of its own. MMS leasing agents, it turns out, have not been collecting anywhere near the full amount due in federal oil and gas royalties; many of these same agents have been way too socially cozy with the oil and gas industry employees they regulate, to the point of sexual relationships. Thus far, however, no reports of spanking have been reported. (See Jerry Roberts’s column here.)

Naturally, Francisco was suspicious about the timing. Heck, I was too. The resolution was submitted for council consideration by Williams and Councilmember Helene Schneider. Williams is running against Susan Jordan for a chance at an Assembly seat in next June’s Democratic Party primary, and in that contest, a candidate’s anti-oil credentials are absolutely essential. Schneider, a progressive Democrat, is running for mayor with strong backing from the Dem machine. Francisco — just two years into his first term — also is running for mayor. He’s hoping to cobble together a coalition of Republicans, traditional slow-growthers upset with the so-called smart-growth inclinations of City Hall, and toss-the-bums-out fiscal conservatives.

In Santa Barbara, all card-carrying members of the eco-minded liberal left are supposed to stand and salute every time the anti-oil national anthem — “Remember the Spill of ’69” — is played. While the cause is righteous, the continuous up-and-down of it all grinds on one’s knees after a few decades. Francisco reasonably reckoned that Williams and Schneider had engineered the event to pimp the Pavlovian anti-oil salivary function of their political base by bringing the matter to council just three weeks before election ballots are mailed out to city voters. I harbored similar concerns; as visceral wedge issues go, Santa Barbara has nothing more reliable than oil. It turns out, however, that EDC lead attorney Linda Krop was, in fact, in Washington lobbying against the leasing proposal this week, and that the letter — which followed one submitted by the Board of Supervisors last week — was part of the same effort.

Three pro-oil representatives argued against the letter. At a time when needy programs are being cut, they argued, oil brings in good money. By drilling for oil, they insisted, the subsea pressure that gives rise to natural seeps is reduced and so is the natural pollution they cause. One speaker opined that South Coast beaches are cleaner now than they’ve been in 400,000 years thanks to oil drilling (little matter that the UCSB scientist whose research these people cite has repudiated these statements so many times he could obtain a legal injunction by now). Typically, members of the public are allowed to speak with no argument or rebuttal from the council. But Mayor Blum felt compelled to note that Santa Barbara receives not one cent in oil revenues. She also commented how odd it is that so much of Santa Barbara’s oil gets exported to places like Korea and Japan when the United States allegedly is attempting to wean itself from its addiction to foreign oil. When EDC attorney Nathan Alley took to the podium, Francisco understandably figured he could do the same, and lit into Alley like a prosecuting attorney in the heat of cross-examining a hostile witness. How can the EDC oppose federal leasing, Francisco demanded in that “yes-no” staccato of a courtroom litigator, when it supported new production from state waters (referring, of course, to the controversial PXP deal)? Blum objected Francisco was badgering the witness and admonished him to be more civil. Francisco snapped back he was only following Blum’s lead.

Francisco saved most of his ire for Williams, however, seeking to subject his council colleague to the same rat-a-tat-tat cross-examination that he’d attempted on Alley. Why did Das and Helene wait until it was almost too late to submit the letter for council consideration, he wanted to know, when Williams and Schneider had the 149-page federal report on offshore leasing proposals in their possession for no fewer than seven months? And given the less-than-cursory attention the matter had received, how could the council in good conscience say it had reviewed that report? With notable starchiness, Williams declined to be cross-examined by Francisco, suggesting he would deign to answer Francisco’s concerns if he articulated them all at once. Council staff had been reviewing the document, Williams insisted; and given recent council vacations coupled with work sessions focused exclusively on the budget, there simply had been no time to bring it up sooner.

Should you visit the City Council chambers between now and this November’s election, just wear shorts and sandals. No matter how much Dale and Das tweak the dial, that room will stay hotter than a sauna.

Comments

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I do not live in SB but I have lived there and I am familiar with its politics. In a town that is increasingly experiencing gang violence, in a town where the educational achievement gap between Latinos & Whites is so wide, in a town dependent on tourist revenues yet experiencing much of the downside of too many people, in a town that has no plan to deal with the cost of public employees pensions, it is ironic that the politicians focus on the 2 vs. 3 story buildings and bring no new views on energy. SB like LA will soon only be a "paradise" for the rich folks who can circumvent all the downside.

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BP (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 5:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why don't these knuckleheads get to work. Wasting a bunch of time over a pointless, symbolic letter that will do absolutely nothing to impact oil and gas operations along our coast all in the name of furthering their political career. These people are joke! We have actual problems in this CITY, a CITY council wasting time bickering over a letter about what goes on in FEDERAL waters is just insane.

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ilovesb09 (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Elections are nearly here. SB has a chance to decide whether they want a serious, capable, intelligent, focussed Council or more of the same old stuff. Pretty obvious who'll bring us more of the same: Helene, Das, and their cronies. Maybe, as in the nation's election of Obama, it's time for SB to smack the political pendulum way over and vote for change. Yes, we can!

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JohnLocke (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Too bad I didn't record the original live broadcast. The repeat last night didn't finish the entire meeting. Nick is Welsh kinder to Dale Francisco than I would be as Francisco is the protagonist and is increasingly showing his bad side. He's been showing up late and is displaying and all or nothing non-negotiating style. So if you're interested in knowing more about Dale Francisco, the far right winger who would be mayor, rewind to the previous election that put Francisco on the council. Dale Francisco has issues and in no way belongs in a representative body of government.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=...

I wouldn't want to editorialize too much except to say that Francisco, like many that seek political office, conjures up the worst scenarios to scare the voter into voting for them. In this video Dale Francisco has our current city staff and council destroying Santa Barbara. While chuckling through much of this video, the seemingly good natured Dale Francisco makes use of so much hyperbole and fear mongering and with so many contradictions I can only describe some as fibs. A humorous example of one fib is when Francisco demonstrates how a round-a-bout is designed so wrong that you can't even drive around it. But guess what , Francisco successfully demonstrates that you can indeed easily navigate the round-a-bout, all the while talking and chuckling. Later in the video on Anapamu Street, Francisco acknowledges he can't do anything to save small businesses due to "rising land values" but again with the hyperbole Dale Francisco fibs again by stating that the city will "kill downtown" by restricting parking and forcing shoppers onto bicycles. So after complaining about made up parking restrictions Francisco then takes you to the new and ample 6 level Granada Parking Garage so he can complain about the "current style of civic architecture" or the structure's lack of setback and landscaping. But previous to that and just around the corner, Francisco marvels at one of his favorite and "very pretty" parts of town, his "hangout" of booksellers, cafes and barber shop. But again with the convenient and contradictory fibbing, all with buildings are right up to the sidewalk and with no landscaping except a couple of very minor potted plants and some pitiful vine on some ordinary ironwork. This video and Francisco's behaviors demonstrates to me that Dale Francisco is a self promoting abusive fraud. Francisco offers little positive except to seemingly take credit from what is already established by his predecessors, city staff and the council members he criticizes. Dale Francisco should not be mayor and probably needs to be subjected to a recall. Lastly beware of any of the other candidates (Self and Hotchkiss) that Francisco is promoting to be part of his "like minded" council.

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DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I smoked a bowl and watched this on TV last night. If Francisco becomes mayor, watch out for the "tone" of council meetings. He has been treating some SB residents (and voters) as hostile witnesses under cross-examination when they speak at public comment. Yikes.

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BongHit (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

But, Don, the current Council IS destroying Santa Barbara.

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JohnLocke (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And your cautionary notes, Don, seem to indicate that anyone with a conservative financial view is not someone that we should vote for? Better to let the city follow the state into virtual bankruptcy?

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JohnLocke (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John Locke; The city council is not destroying Santa Barbara. Eight years of Bush-Cheney policies may indeed cause some cities and states to go bankrupt but again that is due to your "conservative financial view." Conservatives have bankrupted individuals, local governments and even the Country of Iceland. Our council did not cause the worldwide recession and they/we are victims of your "conservative financial view." Dale Francisco has not demonstrated any special financial prowess. Dale Francisco's financial participation in the Yes ON 8 campaign wasn't thrifty either by my standards. Couldn't Dale Francisco have just minded his own business and saved his $200.00. Conservative groups, during a recession, laid off their employees while funding the most expensive initiative ever. So much good could have come out of the $36 million spent by the Yes on h8te contributors. Not very conservative!

We've already hashed this out but if you want a refresher here's the link http://www.independent.com/news/2009/aug...

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DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, please. You continually invoke "Bush/Cheney" on practically any issue. But to your point, the Bush administration was hardly financially conservative. They were far too passive in the regulation of financial institutions, allowing the SEC to rescind the short sale rule, and FASB to require mark to market accounting. BUT mortgage lending to individuals incapable of making their payments was a Clinton program that continued under Bush, led to the creation of collateralized debt obligations and was arguably the proximate cause of the crash.

My issues are local. Bush was hardly responsible for the cozy union/politico relationships that resulted in overstaffing and high salaries and benefits for local government workers, nor was he responsible for the flight of private sector middle class jobs from Santa Barbara. These you can lay at the feet of our economically-ignorant, union-owned (for the most part) City Council. More of that we do not need. We don't need 10 people in the traffic department inventing new driver-enraging, bicyclist-endangering construction projects for othe city departments to build. We don't need 'HR administrators" making $80K when the private sector pays maybe half that and with fewer benefits. Etc. Etc. Etc.

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JohnLocke (anonymous profile)
September 18, 2009 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Back to the point boys: Francisco may well be a nutter but he has a very good point that Das/EDC and all the pro-PXP offshore oil drillers are being thinly veiled hypocrites in trying to shine up their 'anti-offshore oil' credentials like some fake enviro. credibility badge.

You are either against offshore oil drilling or you support it. You can't be both. Das, EDC, and SB Co. seem to be arguing that they support offshore oil drilling, but only when their Texas benefactor PXP is behind it. That won't fly. In fact they've confused the entire nation and played right into the hands of the Wall Street Journal and Big Oil.

And Poodle, what makes you think Ms. Krop was lobbying against offshore oil in Wash. DC? Ms. Krop has argued long and hard for the PXP project and her determination to convince the Feds of the merits of that particular offshore oil drilling project. What makes you think the DC lobbying junket wasn't to SUPPORT offshore oil drilling so long as PXP gets a sweetheart deal?? And since the details of the EDC - PXP union have never been made public, how do you even know who paid for the trip?

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4Oceans (anonymous profile)
September 18, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If Dale win the mayor race and Das doesnt win the Assembly seat in June , Das will have to call Dale Mr. Mayor everytime he addresses Dale.Too bad they don't serve popcorn and soda at the city council meeting, maybe they should charge admission the city can use the revenue.