Aceves Jumps to Third in Goleta Race
Here are the almost final results for the Goleta Council race. Roger Aceves, who was actually in third place among polling place voters on Election Day, erased the 71 vote deficit and passed Cynthia Brock by 21 votes to likely gain the third spot on council.
There are 5,000 absentee and 3,000 provisionals in the county still left to count. If Aceves' election day and late absentee trend holds, we will likely see another new council member in Goleta. The country voted for change and I guess we got it in Goleta as well.
MICHAEL T. BENNETT 4460 18.82%
ERIC ONNEN 4410 18.61%
ROGER S. ACEVES 3938 16.62%
CYNTHIA BROCK 3917 16.53%
MARGARET CONNELL 3825 16.14%
JACK HAWXHURST 3108 13.12%
Word has it on the street that The Team (read Connell, Brock and sometimes Hawxhurst) didn't have a get-out-the-vote program or even bother to ID supporters throughout the race....clearly the die-hard early absentees supported them, but they could have used a bit more shoe leather to get the job done. Is Goleta as no-growth as they think? Probably not -- but Wallis will need to now forge alliances with Aceves and one of the three others to get anything done on that end.
There are 5,000 absentee and 3,000 provisionals in the county still left to count. If Aceves' election day and late absentee trend holds, we will likely see another new council member in Goleta. The country voted for change and I guess we got it in Goleta as well.
MICHAEL T. BENNETT 4460 18.82%
ERIC ONNEN 4410 18.61%
ROGER S. ACEVES 3938 16.62%
CYNTHIA BROCK 3917 16.53%
MARGARET CONNELL 3825 16.14%
JACK HAWXHURST 3108 13.12%
Word has it on the street that The Team (read Connell, Brock and sometimes Hawxhurst) didn't have a get-out-the-vote program or even bother to ID supporters throughout the race....clearly the die-hard early absentees supported them, but they could have used a bit more shoe leather to get the job done. Is Goleta as no-growth as they think? Probably not -- but Wallis will need to now forge alliances with Aceves and one of the three others to get anything done on that end.
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 11/10/2006 09:17:00 PM
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15 Comments:
Goleta is returning to its roots... the team that got Cityhood was unusually proactive. But the Chamber-istas are more organized.
I don't think it is doomsday. But I kept remembering Bill Wallace's view that IV was necessary to restrain growth in Goleta... and without IV Goleta has become a kite without a tail.
Wow! That IS great news! Now we can finally see Goleta begin to operate in the 21st century and start addressing the needs of its citizens instead of a few self-interested NIMBY groups. Can't wait to see the General Plan withdrawn first, followed by a community planning process involving the COMMUNITY instead of 5 or 10 people.
Let's fire up the bulldozers and build some housing people!
Good for Roger, good for Goleta and good for the chamber of commerce for doing what it did, especially getting rid of the intellectual fart known as Jack Hawxhurst. Goleta is not a real city and it will grow and prosper as such.
Heyyy folks, and heyy Sara---don't you think your post was a little overkill with attacks on the incumbents? Almost makes one wonder if you aren't a bit biased on this one??
As for the no growth/slow growth conundrum--- the tables were turned in Goleta, many voters confused by the Chamber ads accusing the incumbents of wanting density---while developers poured money into Bennet/Onnen.
Yet we're all a bit confused---- Bud Laurent and his "Coastal Housing" folks wanted the incumbents out, favoring the chamber and development---just like he favors development of ag land in the 2nd Dist and density in the City of SB-----
maybe the unholy alliance made by erstwhile "Progressives" with the housing advocates several years ago is coming full circle--as many of us thought it would----and killing lots of dreams. and who are the winners in the long run? The big developers and sprawl lovers, the ones who seduced the "progressives" in the first place. So much for alliances. City of SB voters---let this be a lesson to you
Here is what will happen in Goleta:
The General Plan will be reworked so no one really understands it. More Orange County Developer money will be laundered to pay for that. Then, a 3-2 majority of city Council members will approve the plan and a series of huge projects to build residential projects that severely degrade Goleta traffic. People will not figure it out until the projects are approved and substantially completed in three years.
The Council election in 2010 will see a total turnover, but only after Goleta voters figured out how they got duped in 2006. "Keep LA away" will not sound so bad then at all.
The pendulum swings... Brock, Connell and, especially, Hawxhurst, were so rigid that tremors where not allowed--it had to be an earthquake. A lesson to other political extremists on the South Coast.
It's all a mess: Have you even been paying attention to what past posts have said about Onnen, Bennett, and the Chamber? The attacks on what I consider to be "moderate" and "reasonable" candidates have been far worse than what was stated (as fact) here. Just accept the fact that it IS time for change. There have been plenty races that people have "poured" money into, and if the voters didn't want the new guys, they would have voted against them regardless! Amazing what a little voter education can do to show how inept Connell, Brock and HawXhurst truly are. Hey Connell-- I am STILL waiting for that Old Town Revitalization you have been talking about!
Goleta Girl- Get your facts straight and research the REAL contributors to the new city-council. I looked over their 460s (as opposed to pure rumors which is obviously what you were after---I'm sorry, do you even know what a 460 is?) The candidates took contributions from GOLETA's supporters, the same people who voted for them, the same people who want change, and the same people who think it's time to move this city in a positive direction. Just as people opposed the Costco off Hollister, I love when I see the people who protested it shopping there. The same goes for this council; those who have nagged and complained will be happy when they see Old Town REALLY revitalized, a NEW General Plan that has community involvement, and an increase in parks and recreation facilities. Oh, let's not forget getting public safety back on track.
So here's to our new council! May they grow, prosper and help Goleta advance to be better than it ever was before...
Hey, if dense growth is what Goleta wants and judging by the election returns, that is what they want, let them have it - and save Gaviota and save Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, too.
Let Goleta (the Built-on Land ) be our bedroom community. They chose and we applaud, although with more than a little sadness.
Roger Aceves is not a nice person. I hope that the final provisional ballots knock him out.
You must not know him very well....
You know, Sara, I have to agree with Its All a Mess. My fairly complaints about Bennett and Onnen don't make it, but these nasty denunciations of the incumbents do.
Care to respond?
Fire away! I see both sides here -- and there have been a couple that have not been published for over the top name calling from both sides or trying to identify others in comments -- which is not accepted here. Post your comment -- the truth is most of the comments have been anti-incumbent. Go ahead and complain about Bennett and Onnen....or anyone else. I don't really care other than there are times when I tire of the name calling.
Gotta point out Santa Barbara Review's trashy comment about Goleta...
`Completing the work of making Goleta a trashy in-fill for the rest of the County is nearly complete.'
That work was started by Santa Barbarans, of course... Goleta was kept exploited (with wonderful actions like the City of Santa Barbara's annexation of the Airport by water in 1962) by those down smack dab in the center of the City of Santa Barbara, in the County Admin buildings.
The City of Goleta is the necessary first step, some 50 years overdue, in transforming Goleta into its own spot, not a mere exploitation by downtowners. That the initiators of the City were not particularly competent at governing is not so supprising... Lenin did not survive long either, nor did Sam Adams or Patrick Henry contribute much to the early US.
In reality, the change in this election will take Goleta forward. The business community must be involved in any serious city... anyone in the City of Santa Barbara (like sbreview) who gloats should remember the incredible influence of the downtown business community, evidenced by the monumental edifices near State Street that provide parking for vehicles that are melting our icecaps and disrupting our environement, that is, cars powerd by internal combustion engines.
Er, I meant to say "fairly mild complaints" about Bennett and Onnen..."
So ... anybody who cares about Goleta and what it'll look like in 20 years has to be concerned about the Chamber of Commerce's little coup in the election. The good folks there are in the business of making money -- or at least making it easier for business people to do so.
How do you do that in Goleta? You build, build, build. Bishop Ranch? Stucco-ville. Naples? Bring your check book.
My guess is that the new super-majority on the council will talk about the city's "new direction" and need to "look to the future," which will mean, "Subdivide and conquer."
In the 11/17 count, Aceves pulled to 32 votes ahead of Brock (4148 Aceves, 4116 Brock), as compared to the 11/10 Aceves lead of 21 votes (3938 Aceves, 3917 Brock).
I've always been surprised at how seldom the updated counts actually reverse a lead, unless the difference is less than 5 votes or so (in local races).
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