Jerry Roberts
By Jerry Roberts of Newsmakers
Randy Rowse’s decision to run for Mayor of Santa Barbara instantly reshapes the race, installing a widely-known candidate whose non-partisan, pragmatic political approach holds appeal for moderate voters, business proprietors and tax-weary homeowners.
Late Tuesday, Josh Molina scooped the world with the news that Rowse, a longtime downtown restaurateur who served nine years on City Council before being termed out, pulled papers this week to run for Mayor.
“I don’t have any party affiliation,” Rowse told Josh. “I think that has really gotten in the way of some policy-making.”
In a contest for a five-year term, liberal incumbent Mayor Cathy Murillo already is being challenged by two other Democrats — Planning Commissioner Deborah Schwartz and James Joyce III, a former state legislative aide and founder of the anti-racist Coffee with a Black Guy project.
Now Rowse suddenly occupies considerable space in the center and center-right of the political spectrum, squeezing Schwartz and Joyce between himself and Murillo; as a practical matter, it could prove difficult for the other two challengers, either to get to the right of Rowse, or to the left of the current mayor, who has proposed a tax increase for expanded homeless services and is a favorite of the Service Employees International Union, which represents many city workers, as well as building trades unions that benefit from her sponsorship of a new Project Labor Agreement policy.
Murillo was elected four years ago when she finished first in a five-candidate field, taking office with 27.96 percent of the vote.
Why he’s running.
Rowse, in a statement emailed to Newsmakers last night, took note of the urgency of the economic conditions facing the city as a result of the pandemic.
“This moment in time we will need balance and finesse to emerge from ‘survival mode’ to vitality and prosperity,” he said.
.”I believe that I have the unique perspective of a lengthy and involved downtown private sector experience as well as time served in public service,” Rowse added, noting that he was “a downtown business owner and operator for four decades, and a city tenant at the waterfront for seven years as Shoreline Cafe.
“During that time I was involved with the Downtown Organization, The Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Parking Committee. The last nine years I was also a member of City Council,” he said.
The vanishing non-partisan.
Although the California Constitution officially requires that local governments like the City Council be non-partisan, the Democratic Party organization in Santa Barbara over the last decade became increasingly aggressive — and successful — in electing partisan favorites to city, county and school district offices, spurred in the city by the advent of district elections.
By the time Rowse left Council because of term limits in January 2020, he had become increasingly frustrated with the chokehold local party leaders held on the council — all seven members now are Democrats and all but one won office with the party’s endorsement — often expressing his belief that elected members should “check their politics at the door” because, he argued, most city problems require practical, commonsense solutions more than ideology and partisan policies.
That perspective was captured in comments he gave Josh last year, for a farewell piece about his nine years on council:
At a time when the collective makeup of the City Council is getting younger, less experienced and increasingly more partisan, Rowse represented the old-school moderate who tried to cast votes based on his internal voice, not those who might help him politically down the road.
While he often has been accused of being a conservative, Rowse has never registered as a Republican, and said he was a Democrat for most of his life until what he described as labor groups and the Democratic Party becoming one entity.
‘Now that the party and the employee unions have become one, basically, all over California, but intensely here in town, it’s a tough influence, the strangest quid pro I think I have ever seen,’ Rowse said. ‘I could take $10,000 from you as a head of a union and then be elected and turn around and negotiate your salary two weeks later. I’ve never understood why that works out.'”
Personable and funny, if episodically grouchy, Rowse was the longtime owner of the Paradise Cafe, across the street from City Hall. He sold the restaurant last year.
YES, OUTLAW PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS!!!! The teachers and police union are actively working against the public’s interest…we would be much better off with them out of the picture!
Restaurant’s aren’t worth what you think they are Pit.
In regards to public employee’s…yes!!!! It’s literally state sanctioned pay to play. The unions in many spots end up “negotiating” with the people THEY chose and who answer to them. It’s pretty spectacularly stupid/corrupt…yet we somehow accept (hell even celebrate) it. So yes…outlaw it!!!!
Public employee unions are in a time of major transition now. The Supreme Court found it was illegal to force public employees to join the union so membership is no longer required. However, the union still has a monopoly on negotiating public employee salaries and benefits. Seems odd that you could get a job, decide not to join the union, and still have to rely on the union to negotiate on your behalf. I suspect it will take some additional court rulings to get that all sorted out.
ABCD = anybody but Cathy or Deborah
It sounds like Rowse has a lot of great ideas that could really help address the problems our city is facing. Therefore, I predict there is no way he will get elected. A change of course to the “right” is definitely not what Santa Barbara wants. Instead, the voters will go full Thelma and Louise and double down on the current hard left policies that are running the city into the ground. We are up to well over 2000 “homeless” now. With another 5 year term continuing the same policy approach, I think Cathy will be able to achieve 5000.
Pitmix already has a Cathy Murrillo placard on his lawn…hooray status quo!!!!
My family and I won’t be voting for the guy who said single-use plastic bags are A-okay and in no way harm local marine life. (Said to me face-to-face.) Anyone else remember that he was appointed to fill a seat in Santa Barbara City Council (not voted in) and swore he had no intention of remaining on the Council once his term was up? Now here we are . . .
MiniBeast – Echo’s of Lois Capps there…one term. Can’t speak to what he told you personally, but Cathy Murrillo just told everyone the homeless problem isn’t that bad…
And if you are worried about trash/debris/plastic/etc getting into the ocean…take a gander past a homeless encampment. All that trash (that doesn’t burn in the next fire) ends up somewhere…
It’s like having a seat on both sides of the negotiating table. Where is the taxpayer’s seat??
Pit it’s called retirement. If someone is able to retire with money to be comfortable, that’s the idle rich? The restaurant business is difficult he worked hard. He is an excellent candidate for mayor. Retired business owner & previous council member or a half assed journalist who has been completely ineffective in her position as mayor, I am a life long Democrat and even I realize the city council needs a shake up with some moderate voices.
Wait, Santa Barbara has a mayor? You wouldn’t know it, since Murillo has been MIA for some time.
Just what we need… another rich old white male running things. Sleepy Randy.
GC – can you honestly say that your happy with Cathy Murrillo?
Dukemunson: Who do think provided the plastic bags to the homeless? Some federal program to plasticize the homeless? This is the point: business greed and insensitivity to the earth’s issues are the corporate model. The homeless take what is offered. They are not the deciders of environmental justice. It is people like you and I who have options. My option is to protect the earth for the future. Not grumble about the pitiful homeless folks who live with plastic bags.
RHS – I am with you about plastic bags! That being said, Santa Barbara has quite a few serious issues… and as such minibeasts dismissal of Randy because of plastic bags seemed wildly simplistic. Let’s get rid of plastic bags… but let’s aggressively attack the myriad of other issues facing us… which, our current mayor seems ill equipped/absent from actually addressing. So yeah… let’s vote for change/help for the environment… but as we’ve seen with our current mayor… she did/accomplished nothing… unless of course you want to count her impressive union donations…
Can anyone explain to me the fascination with who the Police or Fire endorses for any major political position?
What special insight into the machinations of running a community do they possess that eludes the rest of society to the point where we make our decision on who some cop likes.
Seriously, you write traffic tickets, you chase punks, you yell at skateboarders and you break up fights – not that what you do is not of supreme importance which it is – but where in their daily jobs do they obtain this magical wisdom to advise and influence as to which person would be best to be quite literally the CEO of a city?
When my company was recruiting a new CEO, I don’t recall the recruiters asking the janitor or the copy clerk who they thought was best.
Most janitors would probably make better CEOs than most companies end up with.
A B C > ANYBODY BUT CATHY.
LOL! Let’s be like BERKELEY…..!!! Not.
Randy Rowse has eight years on the council and is a successful businessman; a rare combination that any elected official here has. Randy was a reasonable voice on our city council, which has gone too far to the left and has spent far too much time on issues that are not in their portfolio. Locals are much more concerned about the sad condition of parts of our city, including downtown State Street, than they are about the council discussing the rise of ocean levels in the distant future. It is a concern, but this is not what we are paying the council to do. They must spend more of their time on the present and near term future of our city. I agree with the other comments about our election system for mayor. Cost or no cost, when we have a herd running for one office, Santa Barbara needs a run-off election! A small percentage of the total votes can and do elect mayors here. Mayor Murillo was elected by about 27% of the votes. 73% of our voters voted for someone else.
Among those that have announced their intention to run for mayor, Randy Rowse is the most qualified of the four to serve as mayor for the next four years, years that will be tumultuous while we are fighting off the effects that the Covid Pandemic has brought to our city and to our business community. It will be a long haul!
Mr. Joyce has no local governmental experience of any kind . Ms. Schwartz has some personal baggage that will surface during the campaign. Mayor Murillo has not grasped enough of her leadership role during the pandemic.
Yes! Finally a decent candidate — Randy is heads and shoulders above the rest.
Randy Rowse is the best candidate to surface so far. It’s hard to criticize Mayor Murillo because there are so few actions to criticize. I honestly don’t know what she’s done the whole time other than sit through Council meetings and bicker with Jason Dominguez. Joyce, Schwartz, and Cathy will split the votes of the local political monopoly so Rowse might have a chance. I’m a liberal but businesses are really hurting and Rowse is relatively moderate with experience as a downtown business owner.
He will get my vote. Anyone who has had to earn a paycheck from a non-gov’t funded entity or employs others has to have a better sense of reality than the current cast of characters.
Sold his business, right? So now is one of the idle rich in our town?
Ranked choice voting!
What is Mr. Rowse’s solution to the unions having influence over local elections? I noticed he identified the problem but gave no solution, like a typical politician. Does he want to outlaw public employee unions like Reagan proposed? Can any politician in SB get elected without the backing of the Police and Fire unions?
So, vote for anyone who mouths the right words, “ban plastic bags,” and overlooks more important environmental issues? Plastic bags are not the biggest environmental issue. A small percentage of cars make the majority of exhaust–but smogging cannot be enforced on them. The desal plant, a political darling, uses a lot of energy while selling our cheaper state water is contemplated. Fireplace burning chokes cities, sometimes ours, in global warming causing smoke and pollutants. None of the bag banners have expressed any interest in these more important issues.
In defense of Kathy, she’s probably really good at playing Fortnite by now.
Finally an opportunity to move Santa Barbara in a good direction! Keep a stiff upper-lip Randy!
Finally, a candidate that has signed the back of the check for years instead of always signing the front! Let’s hope he’s in favor of eliminating SB as sanctuary city
MiniBeast: Are you saying that Randy told you truthfully how he felt about single-use plastic bags….to your face….in person? Well, in my book that verifies that he is an honest enough person to be up front with the voting public. I’m totally against the single-use bags, but I’m more for having a pol who is truthful and honest. Per your comment, Mr. Rouse has my vote for Mayor of Santa Barbara. An honest pol….finally!
Seaninsb nails it!
Our Mayor who has never appeared anywhere needs to go! Have you ever seen her hold a press conference? Maybe once. Shame on her, for allowing our City to be one of the most disgusting, embarrassing Cities in the Country.
SBTRVLR and all you others – If you think SB is one of the “most disgusting, embarrassing [c]ities in the [c]ountry,” you clearly haven’t ever traveled outside of downtown Santa Barbara. My god folks, it’s gross downtown sometimes, but it’s not that bad. With the new promenade, last time I was there, it was actually a little cleaner than years past. Cathy is pretty MIA and really seems ineffective, I agree, but saying Santa Barbara is the one of the dirtiest places in our country? Come on now…. y’all can’t really believe that, can y’all?
I have traveled to every State in the country and yes, Santa Barbara is really that bad. Every city has bad parts, like Los Angeles, has many bad areas (Skid Row area, Alvarado area,etc), Iowa has some really bad parts, but Santa Barbara downtown was the jewel of this city, and when the drug users are shooting up in front of your kids & taking a crap in the bushes next to Urban Outfitters it is pretty bad. Yes the promenade is looking good upper State St. (by Arigato’s), but go further down, it is disgusting & reeks of urine. Over 50 businesses have left State Street & this was before the pandemic. And didn’t mean anything by saying y’all.. just out of habit, I’m an Asian-African American cowboy!
SBTRVLR – lower State has always had it’s dirty side, ever since I was a kid. The Library and the area around it has always had that “smell” and same with lower State, yet every year thousands (if not millions) of people spend thousands (if not more) to travel here and spend here. It’s freakin’ Santa Barbara! Yeah, it’s got some nasty parts, but I just can’t agree with it being one of the dirtiest places in our country.
SBTRVLR – That’s…taking it too far. SB has tangibly gotten worse during Cathy’s time as mayor. Some of that is her fault, and some isn’t. And it truly is a bummer as we obviously all love (and presumably most of us live in) Santa Barbara. That being said…it’s still Santa Barbara! And while I haven’t traveled to every state in the country (I think I’m somewhere around 37 or 38) your assessment is a wild exaggeration. I’m with you that Santa Barbara has gotten worse and has more disgusting places than it used to…but dear god dive a little deeper in your travels (or open your eyes) as we still live in an amazing spot. We’re trending downward…but it’s still a little slice of heaven and maybe with some new direction and leadership we can fix that!
I am 100% with you on this. I will not and can not vote for a candidate who doesn’t take seriously our environment, which is precious and in peril.
Thank god, Kathy Murillo is an absolute failure! She doesn’t deserve to be in public office when she cannot and will not serve with action.
Be gone you failed public servant.
– Homeless people run rampant, fires happen weekly
– Talks about fixing homeless, but no action taken ever
– State street is dead, 2006 all over again.
– She failed when covid started
– Raise taxes for failure to find alternative income?
– Stop wasting money painting the street green
– Automate all parking structures
– Vax the homeless and remove the encampments
– Create affordable commercial rental spaces for small business owners
– SB has lost its mom & pop downtown feel.
– Even the big box stores are leaving in droves
– 30 restaurants in SB have closed since covid
– 20 retail stores in SB have closed since covid
– 10 national chain stores have left since covid
– People in our community have less money due to covid, even the government is Jumping in to help people out and she wants to tax them more? How is that the solution?
SB is in a horrible state, what reality is she living in? Not ours. She is disconnected from reality. It’s time to find someone who is connected and not in Lala land. Your time is up, get off the stage with your act, it’s no longer working for SB!
Big – We’ve had single party rule in SB and California for a long time…how long can you truly blame for that…at a certain point we need to step back and see what all the money we are throwing at the problem (and it is a LOT OF money) is actually accomplishing…
I don’t doubt he said that. At one time not long ago, that’s what science told us to do to save the planet. Save the trees and all. We almost all know differently now and avoid there use.