LETTERS (Continued from page 31)
you take any amount of responsibility for the tragedy that befell your district that awful morning. Leadership is about taking responsibility, not just credit. Das – please stop hoisting the “hero trophy” when it is simply not your trophy to hoist. Stop diverting credit from the first responders to yourself. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the actual first responders – THEY are the true heroes. Stacey Wright Santa Barbara
Renting in SB
Laura Capps is concerned about the high cost of renter’s “security deposits” and so suggests that they buy insurance for this. Rents are high in SB and so coming up with an additional deposit can be tough if rents starting above $2000 are common. A low security deposit can range from $2000-$4000. Capps calls such coverage “Renters Insurance,” which most think of as coverage for a renter’s belongings, and she says covering the deposit can cost as low as $3 a month. I investigated this idea online and only found one company offering deposit insurance for anything close to that and it covered at $5 per $1000 per month, another offered a flat fee for
$250 for each $1000. All money paid to the insurance company is non-refundable. And, this deposit coverage was usually bundled with other renter’s insurance costing another $15+ per month. It is also dependent on an owner accepting the insurance policy in place of the security deposit and many do not because it involves filing claims and sometimes lawyers if there is additional damage. Capps should know that insurance companies are not selling insurance unless there is a profit. The tenant ends up spending more each month for housing on an insurance policy. A much better solution is to negotiate with the owner to be allowed to space out some of the security deposit over the first six monthly rent payments. If the deposit is $2000 maybe pay $500 with the first month’s rent and then another $300 with the next five rent payments. Most landlords will do this for a deserving new tenant, the only problem is the Management Company can get in the way by not bringing this idea to the owner. Why? Because it takes more work. The best way to make housing affordable is for the owner to have a heart and to make sure the management company, that works for him/her, does as well. Too many times the property manager insulates the owner from issues
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that they should know about and too many times the owner seems not to care or does not want to be bothered. The housing issue in SB is difficult and can greatly be helped if property owners become part of the solution and have more empathy, at least more than an insurance company. J.W. Burk Santa Barbara
Jason Dominguez for State Assembly
Santa Barbara and Ventura County voters, remember Jason Dominguez for State Assembly. As a City Councilman, Dominguez proved to be an independent thinker that asked the tough questions. He also fought against overdevelopment. The son of a teacher, Dominguez earned degrees from Stanford, UC
Berkeley and Heidelberg University. Always committed to our youth and schools, he has taught at both the high school and college levels. He is currently a law professor. Dominguez has worked as a criminal prosecutor, taking on tough cases and serious crimes. He has a strong record of fighting for the environment. In fact, Dominguez has a master’s degree in environmental law. As a Republican who has known Dominguez since 2015, he is a Democrat that I support. He puts people over politics. Independents and his fellow Democrats should support him, too. Let’s bring common-sense solutions to Sacramento. Vote Jason Dominguez for State Assembly. Pete Dal Bello Santa Barbara •MJ
Laughing Matters
In Sickness and in Health
A
world-renowned doctor, Dr. Richard Able, was addressing a large audience at Harvard University. “The material we put into our stomachs should have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. “Red meat is full of steroids and dye. “Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. “High trans-fat diets can be disastrous and none of us realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. “However, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and most of us have, or will eat it. “Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?” After about fifteen seconds of quiet, a 70-year-old man in the front row raised his hand, and softly said, “Wedding Cake.” Send us your best joke, we’ll decide if it’s funny. We can only print what we can print, so don’t blame us. Please send “jokes” to letters@montecitojournal.net
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40 MONTECITO JOURNAL
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20 – 27 February 2020
