Stage Set for Three Santa Barbara City Council Races

The candidates for three Santa Barbara City Council seats are locked in, and after a few last-minute dropouts, the stage is set for a three-way battle in the Eastside district and head-to-head races for both the Mesa/Shoreline and Westside districts.

Over the next few weeks until Election Day on November 5, the Independent will dive into each race, getting to know the candidates, recounting the work of the current council, and exploring the issues that are most important to voters in each district — including the future of State Street, the balance between housing and hotels, and the controversial topic of rent stabilization. But first, let’s meet the candidates in each race.

Eastside (District 1)

In what has quickly become the most intriguing race in the city, the battle to represent District 1 pits current councilmember and Eastside local Alejandra Gutierrez against up-and-coming political firecracker Wendy Santamaria and perennial council candidate Cruzito Cruz.

Gutierrez, who won the Eastside seat by a slim margin of eight votes in the first district election in 2019, is a neighborhood kid and former Franklin Center director turned politician with a built-in support base of loyal Latino voters. In her first term on the council, she was forced to learn the political ropes quickly and earned a reputation for passionately speaking up for constituents on the Eastside who often felt left out of citywide decisions. But her willingness to vote against the grain also earned criticism, most notably when she became known as the swing vote on rent control after voting against the issue in 2021.

Since announcing her plan to run for reelection earlier this year, Gutierrez has been in full campaign mode, bringing in $16,629 in contributions and spending $8,000, according to campaign statements, coming into August with more than $13,000 in cash. The source of these donations reflect her landlord-leaning stance, representing dozens of property owners and real estate developers, including those from Meridian Group, Radius Group, Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, and Westerly Real Estate.

Gutierrez shouldn’t have much to worry about with Cruz, another Eastside local who has run (unsuccessfully) for Santa Barbara City Council six times — in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2019. In the last go-round when Gutierrez won back in 2019, Cruz earned a hundred votes in total.

Santamaria, on the other hand, is a newcomer to politics who has built her own name in the community over the past few years as a fervent supporter of tenants’ and workers’ rights. After moving to Santa Barbara from the Inland Empire to attend UCSB, she became entrenched in local social issues, speaking up at public gatherings and council meetings as an organizer with Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and UC’s worker union AFSCME 3299. 

Santamaria raised just less than $8,000 this year, and after spending a few thousand on her campaign, she came into August with a cash balance of $5,251. Her campaign donations include contributions from Santa Barbara Young Democrats President Christian Alonso, Isla Vista Community Services General Manager Jonathan Abboud, Santa Barbara County Action Network Co-President Dick Flacks, and the Democratic Socialists of America, along with representatives of community organizations such as the Santa Barbara Tenants Union, Legal Aid Foundation, and Strong Towns Santa Barbara.

Mesa/Shoreline (District 2)

Councilmember Mike Jordan, a registered Democrat who won the District 2 seat in a crowded field in 2019, is a much bigger political animal in 2024 and stands in firm position to regain his seat against his opponent, small business consultant Terra Taylor.

In the five years since he was first elected, Jordan has gained the respect of Santa Barbara’s business and political leaders, maintaining a middle-of-the-road and thoughtful approach to hot-button issues such as State Street and the housing crisis. But while he has been responsive to city residents on certain issues, his tendency to take the moderate approach — particularly on tenants’ issues — has led to him losing support of some voters and the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, which will not be endorsing him in the 2024 race.

Coming into 2024, Jordan had a war chest of more than $59,000, and after six months of contributions and spending he was left with a cash balance of more than $73,000 — far more than any other council candidate. Jordan’s donors represent the city’s business owners, restaurateurs, vintners, and hoteliers (Brass Bear, Rose Café, El Encanto Hotel, and Hotel Santa Barbara), along with representatives of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club and Botanic Garden. He has gained the financial support of former mayors Helene Schieder and Marty Blum; current Planning Commissioners Lesley Wiscomb, Donald DeLuccio, and Devon Wardlow; and Assemblymember Gregg Hart.

With plenty of political and financial support for Jordan, it will likely be an uphill battle for Taylor, whose campaign fund is currently at $14 in cash, following a $100 donation from her own business, Smart Start S.B., and $86 in campaign expenses.

Westside (District 3)

Incumbent councilmember and Westside local Oscar Gutierrez took over as the District 3 representative following a special election in 2018, and in the six years since, he has become known as one of the most familiar faces around the city, and one of the most accessible politicians in recent history.

His ability to be at nearly every ribbon-cutting, community celebration, and public gathering has helped keep his loyal following, and at City Hall, he has proved to be in tune with the city’s needs, often choosing his position on issues based on input from residents. 

This year, he brought in more than $6,400 in campaign contributions, coming into August with more than $8,500. His financial contributions come from local leaders such as Goleta Councilmember James Kyriaco, Senator Monique Limón, former mayor Cathy Murillo, and business owner David Borgatello of MarBorg.

Gutierrez’s opponent, incidentally, is his former martial arts sensei, Tony Becerra of Koei-Kan Karate. Becerra, whose karate dojo is a Westside neighborhood staple, and who announced his own bid for the District 3 seat just a few weeks ago. An Independent Local Hero, Becerra has coached hundreds of local kids (including his opponent) and held positions with the Junior Chamber of Commerce and Page Youth Center. Though he has yet to declare any campaign contributions, Becerra, a registered Republican who did not state his party preference in his filing papers (City Council is a nonpartisan office and no party affiliation appears on the ballot), is considered a contrast to Gutierrez’s often progressive policies.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriff’s Association contributed to District 1 candidate Wendy Santamaria’s campaign finances, according to documents filed with the City of Santa Barbara. The contribution was misattributed due to a filing error by state officials; the donation in question was made by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), another committee that shares the same acronym as the county Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA).