CityofGoleta
Source: City of Goleta
The City of Goleta wants to extend its heartfelt appreciation to the hundreds of community members who turned out to celebrate the City’s 20th Birthday event this past Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Rancho La Patera and Stow House. We are so pleased the weather held up for us and that so many people took time out of their Saturday to mark this milestone birthday. This event was a testament to the supportive and vibrant people that make up the Good Land.
We also want to extend a huge thank you to the Goleta Valley Historical Society for partnering with us to put on such a memorable event at the perfect place. The Stow House setting was not only beautiful but provided so many areas to allow community members an opportunity to spread out and enjoy the day doing many different things.
To see highlights of how the day went, view event photos here captured by photographer Jay Farbman and City staff. Highlights included:
- The debut of our 20 Year Reflections video. You won’t want to miss the 20-minute story of how the City came to be told through the eyes of 15 former Mayors, Councilmembers, GoletaNow founders and the first City Manager. We hope you enjoy the video, available at https://youtu.be/Lnt9whOnqBc, and please share widely.
- Live music courtesy of the Salt Martians and The Nombres
- A community toast with lemon buntini’s and apple cider.
- Singing Happy Birthday to Goleta together followed by a 20-year clap!
- Special tributes from Mayor Paula Perotte, first Mayor Margaret Connell, Congressman Salud Carbajal, Senator Monique Limón, Supervisors Joan Hartmann and Gregg Hart, Sheriff Bill Brown and Goodland Coalition members.
- Special performances including Dos Pueblos Theatre Academy entertainers, the 2021 Junior Spirit of Fiesta and a 2022 Teen Star Finalist from Goleta.
- Free train rides next door at the Goleta Depot thanks to Community West Bank.
- Free tractor rides and a Ranch Yard featuring Stow House animals, popular attractions all day.
- Information tables staffed by City Staff and other community partners, also bustling throughout the day.
- Great food from AR Catering and Elubia’s Kitchen. Beverages served in a souvenir cup.
- 20 Year Swag was a hit. We still have merchandise left which will be for sale at our upcoming Community State of the City event on April 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge.
- Signature frame signed by hundreds of community members to be on display in Council Chambers soon.
- Prizes from Elubia’s Kitchen, Fairview Gardens, Ice in Paradise, Woodstock’s and Zodo’s. Thank you to our local community sponsors!
An event like this doesn’t happen without staff and volunteers, and we thank each and every one including volunteers from Boys Team Charity and Boy Scout Troop 105.
Cheers to 20 Years! Thanks for making it a great memory.
This celebration should be spelled with a $. The whole purpose of Goleta is to grab tax revenues that went to the general tax base of the larger county service. Goleta calculated that their area was generating more revenue than it would lose in service so they simply grabbed it. This is pillage, not pride.
The County was financing a majority of its operations on the backs of Goleta valley property owners. We paid WAY more in taxes than in services received. The county basically blackmailed the new city into accepting a draconian Revenue Neutrality Agreement (RNA) in order to incorporate. The amount paid to the county dropped after 10 years, but Goleta still “shares” 50% of its property tax and 30% of its sales tax to the county in perpetuity, severely limiting Goleta from funding simple things, like road repair. I wonder how many other cities within the county have anything similar? SB city? Santa Maria?
And yet “Goleta” residents have to put up with the impacts of these sale tax generators every day, in perpetuity. Why shouldn’t the city benefit fully (get paid) for these impacts? And use that money for mitigating those impacts? Santa Barbara certainly didn’t want the big boxes and auto dealers.
My bigger beef is with the 50/50 split of Property taxes. Do you know how much the County’s share of property taxes are for all the other cities within the county? That’s the bigger question. Just looking for a little more equity across the board. It’s frustrating to see that after 20 years Goleta still doesn’t have enough income to even maintain its roads and push forward with other capital projects to improve the quality of life for its residents.