Help City Decide What to Fix

The City of Santa Barbara is asking its residents to guide its decision making on funding priorities for upgrading and modernizing structures, parks, streets, and more. At the city’s Community Conversation webpage, a 20-minute video — in English and Spanish — explains the challenges that face a city distinguished for its century-old structures and lacking the $16 million it used to get annually in redevelopment money. The survey, also offered bilingually, asks citizens to rate their priorities among about a dozen options that range from benches and bathrooms at parks to upgraded police and fire stations. A committee composed of Mayor Helene Schneider and councilmembers Bendy White and Randy Rowse will make recommendations to the full council based on the community results, which they would like to receive before November 16.