Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
Gregg Hart has officially left the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors for the State Assembly as Laura Capps takes the open Supervisors seat.
Hart was sworn in as the Assemblymember for District 37, representing Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County, on Monday at the State Capitol in Sacramento.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my community as a member of the State Assembly,” said Hart. “I look forward to working collaboratively to address challenges facing the Central Coast and all of California. Together, we can increase educational opportunities, protect our environment, and keep our economy thriving.”
Hart has four decades of experience in public service and policy, most recently helping to lead Santa Barbara County’s COVID-19 response and recovery as a Santa Barbara County Supervisor.
Previously, Hart served as a Santa Barbara City Councilmember, California Coastal Commissioner, sustainable transportation leader, and Legislative Assistant to former Assemblymember Jack O’Connell. Outside of government, Hart operated a family-owned child care center for many years.
“From Carpinteria to Nipomo, and the Gaviota Coast to Cuyama, the Central Coast is home to a diverse population, rich natural resources, and a robust economy,” said Hart. “I will work every day to improve the quality of life for working families in our communities.”
Photo: Gregg Hart / courtesy
Former Santa Barbara Unified School Board member Laura Capps was elected to Hart’s Supervisor seat on June 2, 2022 to serve a four-year term starting January 10, 2023.
Although, due to Hart’s early resignation for the Assembly, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Capps to fill the seat now. Pursuant to California Government Code section 25060, whenever a vacancy occurs in a board of supervisors, the Governor shall fill the vacancy. This allows the County Board of Supervisors meetings and votes to continue without delay with all five members throughout December.
“Thanks to Governor Newsom we are not skipping a beat between Supervisor Hart’s effective service to the county and the beginning of mine,” said Supervisor Capps,“I’m honored to have the opportunity to make progress on the urgent challenges our county faces, predominantly housing, poverty, drought, climate change, economic recovery, and mental and public health.”
Capps comes to the Board of Supervisors after leaving her seat at the Santa Barbara Unified School District, a position she had been in since 2016. Capps has deep roots in Santa Barbara County, specifically the district she is now serving. The Supervisor was born at Cottage Hospital and spent her early years in Goleta before her family moved to Santa Barbara.
“I have worked in and around all levels of government for my entire career. I understand deeply that my role is to help make people’s lives better, as best I can. Thankfully, I have a stellar team already in place. From day one, our work will center on the children of our county and their future,” said Capps.
Supervior Capps was sworn in just before her first board meeting the morning of Tuesday, December 6. When Capps officially starts her elected term, a swearing-in ceremony will take place on Jan. 10, 2023.
Lewis Black semi-seriously mused congress should be filled similar to juries. Basic qualifications like taking a standard course on government should qualify you. Pay would be modest, nothing to the level that would make it financially lucrative. If selected, you would have the honor of serving you constituents for the allotted term then onto someone else. It would completely strip money from politics, elections, etc.