Representing the 3rd

With an election coming in just over a month, many voters may wonder why their vote on 3rd District representative to the Board of Supervisors matters. Here’s why:

Santa Barbara County government provides services that the cities don’t. Most cities in the county contract out police and fire needs to the county, two critical public safety services. That includes the District Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes crimes, the Probation Department, and the County jails.

Beyond that, county government covers everything that involves public health, from pandemic response, to health care for children, seniors, the disabled, and more. The county’s Behavioral Wellness Department addresses mental health and drug addiction, a growing issue. The county administers elections and tax collection. The Air Pollution Control District (APCD) monitors air quality and regulations emissions.

The Board of Supervisors is the elected body overseeing all of that and making land use decisions about everything outside the cities, including the Gaviota Coast, Goleta Beach, and our precious open space. The county also has jurisdiction over agriculture, an important economic driver.

The 3rd District covers a wide area from Goleta to Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley. Who we choose to represent us affects all of these key services. We are so fortunate to have Joan Hartmann as our representative; she has consistently proven herself to be honest, creative, hard-working, and responsive to all of the 3rd District. A vote for her in the March 5 election is a vote to ensure that county services meet our needs.