Jerry Roberts
By Jerry Roberts of Newsmakers
Santa Barbara City Council member Mike Jordan disclosed on Wednesday that he is supporting commercial developer Barrett Reed’s challenge to colleague and District 4 incumbent Kristen Sneddon in her bid for re-election.
Jordan’s public statement of support for Reed, who serves on the Planning Commission, is the first flare that signals what is likely to become the year’s most high-profile political conflict in the city, after the mayor’s race.
“I am in support of Barrett,” Jordan said in a one-on-one Newsmakers interview. “I find Barrett very intelligent and conversant in ways that resonate with me, on forward-looking, future generation presence in the city of Santa Barbara.
“Way better than me, he can balance that, and talk about that, in a manner that talks about what my children will be able to do, and how they will live in Santa Barbara, and at the same time balance that with protection of the cultural or historical or the small town community type of thing,” he added.
More than seven months before the Nov. 2 election, Jordan’s public support for Reed suggests that Sneddon faces a significant, and no doubt well-financed, test of her effort to win a second term representing the Riviera, East San Roque and other District 4 neighborhoods.
More than any other member of council, Sneddon’s political sensibilities and approach to development reflect traditional concerns for neighborhood compatibility and scale, historical and aesthetic concerns, as well as limits on water and other resources. Reed is a partner in the Miramar Group, the developer of The Waterline in the Funk Zone, as well as several major projects downtown.
As a political matter, Jordan in the interview was far more elusive in discussing the mayor’s race than the council contest. He confirmed what Mayor Cathy Murillo told us a few weeks ago — “she’s working on me” — but also acknowledged that he has discussed it with challenger Deborah Schwartz, with whom he previously served on Planning Commission.
Jordan said he has not yet heard from two other announced mayoral candidates – entrepreneur James Joyce III and former Councilmember Randy Rowse, claiming that in any case the matter at this point is of interest only to a small “group of insiders” — a clear dis of the vast Newsmakers audience.
Also in the conversation, Mike:
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Defended the controversial financial “flip” of one of the city’s three retail cannabis licenses, saying the transaction, which netted original licensee Golden State Greens a profit estimated in the millions of dollars, was entirely legal and vetted properly by the city. Golden State sold the license without ever opening a business, however, and Jordan expressed displeasure with the “speculative” nature of the deal, adding that he would be open to amending existing law to require a firm that won a license to hold it for an established number of years.
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Described as “way too long” the nine-block stretch of State Street that the council closed to cars at the beginning of the pandemic in order to provide a boost to restaurants and other businesses. Noting that the council recently approved a process to develop a long-term plan for State Street, he said current conditions represent “a work in progress,” defending City Hall against complaints it took a “duct tape approach” resulting in what now looks like “a yard sale.”
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Criticized the newly-adopted, pro-union Project Labor Agreement, governing public projects of $5 million and above, for lacking an effective process to track and measure the number of construction workers who live in the city employed on taxpayer-financed developments. Jordan was the only member of council who voted against the PLA, saying it did not do enough to protect locals.
Watch our conversation with Mike Jordan via YouTube below or by clicking through on this link. The podcast version is here.
As opposed to the rest of the city council that is ruining Santa Barbara? The nearly complete lack of real world business experience is ruining our city through misguided “feel good” measures and mis-management. They talk about more housing, affordable housing, but keep voting for more codes and regulations that discourage builders from building more housing (just one example). Yet everyone with real world business and management experience is from the private sector and therefore “greedy”, which somehow disqualifies them from trying to make Santa Barbara a better place? A city is a living, breathing thing, it is not static, and trying to force it into this nostalgic ideal from decades ago is doing the city and a disservice. You need to let the city change and develop to best meet the needs of the citizens today and into the future.
She is one of the only decent council members. Moderate and logical in her views. Don’t be fooled, these guys are pro development and pro cannabis cultivation wherever it floats your boat. Sneddon is the wrong person to go after.
People need to stop judging our political leaders on how “nice” or “decent” they are and start judging them on their abilities, actions and results. Sneddon is just using the city council as a stepping stone to a political career and stepping on the backs of everyone who votes for her just because she’s “decent”. Sometimes you need a shark who’ll come in kicking ass and taking names, which I think is exactly what is needed to combat Paul Casey and the toxic culture he oversees (which is exactly what multiple six figure studies said was our problem, do we need a third before we’ll listen and actually do something?)
Looks like a possible turn away from the current city council to people that have actually run a business — Rowse, Jordan, Reed. I can dream.
4th District resident here. I have called Ms. Sneddon a few time about concerns I had with the Parks and Recreation Department. She did not have the courtesy to call back. I will be voting for Reed.
Glad Mike is what seems like the only reasonably sensed member of council that avoids the clout that comes with city politics. He represents a modest middle class Santa Barbara life and has climbed the stairs of municipal policy for the last 20 years. The planning commission has always been the junior varsity city council. Moving forward, Santa Barbara is going to be developed and redesigned regardless and I would much rather have a member with zoning, planning, and development experience than a political candidate playing hop skotch.
Jordan incredible chutzpah in taking this position. He represents his district and should not be meddling in the politics of other communities except when it comes to voting. He clearly yearns for the gold old days when the good old boys controlled the city from their seats at the Downtown Organization and their social clubs. Sneddon is a clear headed and direct person. I do not live in her district but I would be proud if I did. I do live in Jordan’s district and I am embarrassed with his conduct. He, and his supporters, are in the pocket of developers like St. George who want to ravish our town to their own profits. They call it “planning” however.
Well, this is not a good start. I say this as someone evaluating my local voting trend:
“Jordan said he has not yet heard from two other announced mayoral candidates – …
**claiming that in any case the matter at this point is of interest only to a small “group of insiders” — a clear dis of the vast Newsmakers audience “**
It’s obviously of interest to me, and to those posting here, and to those who read about the interview! Did Jordan think the interview would not go beyond Roberts’ broadcasting?!
Surprise, surprise!!! It’s all about Mike! Sorry I supported his candidacy a year ago. ……Jerry Roberts is the best reporter we have, getting people to reveal themselves and what interests and drives them.
I too am sorry I supported this councilmember as a candidate. Like too many city councilmembers, he hangs back, lets staff run the show, and only engages when he’s really not into something, like the PLA. Reed will be a buddy brah for Jordan, and Sneddon being female and asking questions doesn’t jive with Jordan’s preferred style. I was hopeful that once in the seat, he’d be a good leader, but haven’t seen that.
It’s all about greed. Not good enough having a developer on the Planning Commission. If Jordan really wants to ruin Santa Barbara he needs to get his buddy developer on City Council. We need to throw these greedy bums out and get real city leaders who care about protecting our community.
His other buddy is planning commissioner and planner Jay Higgins; SB needs to keep an eye on the combination of Higgins-(developer)Reed-Jordan. I’ve noticed that Mike’s a bit condescending with women on the PC or council; Jerry Roberts is, also, except for a few favored.
Personally I think both Jordan and Sneddon have been good council members. The fact that they have different points of view doesn’t make them bad people. Both councilpersons behave professionally and represent their districts well.
Wow, looking forward to that all-white-male council eh? Yes, keep dreaming…
Jordan is a real looser. Sneddon is one of the best council members! She does her homework, asks hard questions and really respects colaboration.It will probably help her that he is not endorsing her. Let him play polotics with the thugs, Not inpressed by Newsmakers . This City is going to hell with all these special interest groups pulling strings with the council like puppets. Not Sneddon, she stands her ground and respected.