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T U E S DA Y, J U N E 14 , 2 0 2 2
Board of Bill would offer tax credits to incentivize ‘car-free life’ Supervisors to
discuss budget By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing today to discuss the 2022-2023 budget. The hearing is among the items at the board’s weekly meeting, which starts at 9 this morning. People can attend the meeting in-person in the board hearing room on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The meeting will also be televised on local cable channel 20 and live-streamed at countyofsb.org/ceo/csbtv/ livestream.sbc and youtube.com/ user/CSBTV20. Today’s meeting will start with the county executive officer’s report, followed by a closed session at noon to discuss whether to start civil litigation in one case. The closed session also includes a conference with labor negotiators. The public budget hearing will start after the closed session ends. Any items not
The public budget hearing will start after the closed session ends. Any items not discussed during today’s hearings may be discussed during another budget hearing on Wednesday. discussed during today’s hearings may be discussed during another budget hearing on Wednesday, according to the board’s office. For more information, go to countyofsb.org. email: dmason@newspress.com
Americans expect more inflation, not confident in economy DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Bicyclists ride down State Street in Santa Barbara. Lawmakers in California are seeking to reduce the number of people driving cars in a proposed legislation that would give tax credits if the number of registered cars in a household is less than the number of people of driving age.
By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – California lawmakers could soon offer tax credits to households with fewer cars than people of driving age under a new proposal. Senate Bill 457, introduced by Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, would allow for a tax credit of $2,500 for each household member of at least 16 years of age that exceeds the number of registered vehicles, capped at $7,500. The bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, if
signed into law. California lawmakers aim to address the impacts of climate change in the Golden State with such bills. Lawmakers have pointed to transportation’s impact on the climate, which accounted for 41% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to data from the California Air Resources Board. California already offers incentives for residents to switch from gas cars to electric vehicles, but Portantino’s bill would incentivize moving away from vehicle dependence altogether.
Instead, the bill would incentivize people to choose more sustainable transportation options – like mass transit – to slash greenhouse gas emissions. “What we’re really trying to do here is incentivize car-free life,” Sen. Portantino told The Center Square. “This is tied to incentivizing the use of mass transit and creating a way for people to have a monetary reason to give up their car, just like they have a monetary reason to go from gas to electric.” The bill specifies that a qualified vehicle includes a
“device by which a person or property may be propelled, moved or drawn upon a highway,” excluding devices “moved exclusively by human power” or on stationary tracks. The bill also notes that an electric bicycle does not qualify as a vehicle. A fiscal analysis from the Franchise Tax Board estimates the bill would result in General Fund losses of $0.7 billion in fiscal year 2022, followed by losses of $1.2 billion in the coming fiscal years. Please see BILL on A4
Santa Barbara City Council to discuss waste rates By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR
The Santa Barbara City Council will hold a public hearing on proposed solid waste rate increases as part of its meeting today. Council members will meet at 2 p.m. upstairs at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St. People can attend the meeting in person or watch it live at santabarbaraca.gov/cap. Council members today are scheduled to determine whether there is a “majority written protest” on the solid waste rate hikes. If there isn’t, the council is expected to direct the city staff to prepare a rate schedule for solid waste rates. Earlier in today’s meeting, the council is expected to hold a consent public hearing, as part of its consent calendar, to hear comments
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about proposed water and wastewater capacity charges. Today’s consent calendar also includes a memorandum of understanding between the city of Santa Barbara and Service Employees’ International Union, Local 620, Santa Barbara City Employees’ Association (General Unit). And the consent calendar includes the De la Vina bridge replacement project. City staff is recommending the council approve a budget amendment to appropriate grant money and city funds for the project. The staff is also recommending the council OKs $2,876,000 in condemnation compensation amounts, which would go to the state treasury or directly to the affected property owners in the 2700 block of De la Vina Street.
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email: dmason@newspress.com
THE CENTER SQUARE
(The Center Square) – Americans expect inflation to get worse and are not confident in the U.S. economy, according to a new survey. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data released its “Survey of Consumer Expectations” Monday, which found Americans expect more inflation over the next year. “The one-year ahead median inflation expectations increased from 6.3% to 6.6% in May, tying the highest reading of the series since the inception of the survey in June 2013,” the group said. “In contrast, the median three-year-ahead inflation expectations remained unchanged at 3.9%.” The Federal Reserve study surveyed “approximately 1,300 household heads” for up to 12 months. That survey comes after the University of Michigan released its consumer confidence data Friday, which found consumer sentiment took a dive. “Consumer sentiment declined by 14% from May, continuing a downward trend over the last year and reaching its lowest recorded value, comparable to
the trough reached in the middle of the 1980 recession,” said Joanne Hsu, who directed the survey. “All components of the sentiment index fell this month, with the steepest decline in the year-ahead outlook in business conditions, down 24% from May.” The survey found Americans are very concerned about inflation and gas prices. “Forty-six percent of consumers attributed their negative views to inflation, up from 38% in May; this share has only been exceeded once since 1981, during the Great Recession,” Ms. Hsu said. “Overall, gas prices weighed heavily on consumers, which was no surprise given the 65 cent increase in national gas prices from last month (AAA). Half of all consumers spontaneously mentioned gas during their interviews, compared with 30% in May and only 13% a year ago.” The survey found Americans don’t expect an improvement in the short term on gas prices, which hit another record high at $5.01 nationwide Monday. “Consumers expect gas prices to continue to rise a median of 25 cents over the next year, more than double the May reading and the second highest since 2015,” Ms. Hsu said.
The Federal Reserve study surveyed “approximately 1,300 household heads” for up to 12 months.
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in s i de Classified.............. B4 Life..................... B1-2 Obituaries............. A4
Also on the consent calendar are amendments to the animal control code and zoning requirements for emergency service antennas. And the consent calendar includes execution of contracts for the purchase of energy “necessary or convenient” for the operation of Santa Barbara Clean Energy. Another item on the consent calendar concerns pedestrian safety improvements at Bath and Sola streets, Canon Perdido and Nopal streets, and Salinas Street and Old Coast Highway. To participate in the virtual meeting during public comment, visit santabarbaracagov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ BHXU9bk1SWq0ntGHplRq0Q.
By CASEY HARPER
Sudoku................. B3 Sports ................... XX Weather................ A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-11-13-25-26 Mega: 2
Monday’s DAILY 4: 0-6-0-9
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 3-12-14-18-32 Mega: 4
Monday’s FANTASY 5: 6-22-28-31-39
Monday’s DAILY DERBY: 06-12-11 Time: 1:41.14
Monday’s POWERBALL: 2-27-42-44-51 Meganumber: 25
Monday’s DAILY 3: 5-2-2 / Midday 3-2-6