As an endocrinologist who has practiced in Santa Barbara for 15 years, I witness daily how drastically health-care access varies across our community — from the wealthy enclaves of Montecito to the working families of Santa Maria.
Let me be clear: Santa Barbara County is experiencing a health-care crisis that affects us all. While our county is known for its affluence, we have the second-highest poverty rate in California, at 22 percent, and are tied with Orange County for the second-highest child poverty rate, at 24 percent.
Nearly half of our county’s population is Hispanic, who bear the heaviest burden of health disparities, as do low-income families and those with less education. Families often struggle to access basic medical care in North County, where health-care resources are scarcer than in South County.
These aren’t just statistics — they’re our neighbors, the families of children who attend school with our kids, and the essential workers who keep our community running.
That’s why I’m urging you to vote yes on Proposition 35.
This measure provides dedicated and ongoing funding to improve access to quality, affordable, and timely health care without raising taxes on individuals. At a time when inflation is squeezing family budgets, making groceries, gas, and basic necessities more expensive, Proposition 35 offers a lifeline to our most vulnerable neighbors.
Consider this: To survive in Santa Barbara County, a family of four needs more than $90,000 annually just for basics like housing, food, and health care. Yet 38 percent of our county’s households live below this threshold. When families must choose between paying rent and seeing a doctor, our community suffers. Their health challenges today become our public health challenges tomorrow.
The state government has only exacerbated this crisis by diverting roughly $30 billion in health care funding to non-health-care purposes over the last 15 years. Proposition 35 ensures that 99 percent of funds go directly to patient care, with strict accountability measures to ensure funds are spent on patient care. It’s a fiscally responsible solution to a morally urgent problem.
Our local Medi-Cal plan, CenCal Health, serves roughly 240,000 members across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. This network of approximately 5,000 physicians, hospitals, and providers is vital to our community’s health. Proposition 35 will strengthen this safety net by investing in health-care provider recruitment, workforce training, and practice support, ensuring that it’s available when you or your neighbor need care.
The beauty of Proposition 35 is that it ultimately benefits everyone. When all our residents have access to preventive care, our emergency rooms are less crowded. When chronic conditions are managed properly, our community is healthier. When children receive regular check-ups, they perform better in school. And when our elderly neighbors can age with dignity, we honor the community they helped build.
Health equity strengthens our entire community. But to make it a reality, we need to make meaningful and ongoing investments in the health of our residents. The benefits of Proposition 35 will extend across our state and throughout our health-care system. There’s a reason it’s backed by a health-care workers, physicians, community clinics, nurses, and first responders to name a few. But Prop 35 will be especially impactful for the more than 15 million Californians who rely on Medi-Cal — many of whom are our most vulnerable, including children, those with disabilities, and low-income families.
As your neighbor and physician, I’ve seen our health-care system at its best and worst. I’ve witnessed the miracle of modern medicine and the tragedy of delayed care. Proposition 35 allows us to build a health care system worthy of our community’s values—one that serves all our neighbors, regardless of their zip code or income.
On Election Day, please vote yes on Proposition 35. Because in a community as blessed as ours, no one should suffer needlessly from lack of health care access. It’s not just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing for Santa Barbara’s future.
Jennifer Hone, MD, is an endocrinologist based in Santa Barbara.