Primetime
By John Palminteri
Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo and Councilmember Meagan Harmon walked door to door Wednesday in Santa Barbara to talk to business owners about financial relief during the coronavirus Covid-19 crisis.
Thousands of paychecks, rent payments, mortgages and business futures are at risk citywide and city leaders are sharing the current status and solutions as they know it to the minute.
A citywide order for bars, theaters and restaurants to closed except for to-go food has been followed, from what they have seen. No complaints about violators have come in.
The city has the forms from the Small Business Administration available at City Hall and online.
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At least our Mayor is formulating a plan. After the fires and mudslides a couple years ago, Mayor Murillo did an excellent job quelling our fears and anxiety, and provided a certain comfort.
The city has caused more pain and suffering for downtown business than this virus ever will.
What in the actual hell are they thinking?? STAY. HOME. Do not go door-to-door canvassing to talk about financial relief that DOESN’T EXIST YET. This is basic common sense! They just became THE link between god knows how many people, standing 2 feet apart and handling (potentially contaminated) papers that could have been emailed. I am truly shocked that they thought this was an appropriate action to take. Murillo and Harmon, I’m really disappointed in your choices.
They needed some photo ops for the next election. If you think Murillo cares about her duties as mayor you’re wrong, as evidenced by her trying to run for higher office while still in office (which personally I think should be banned).
Utter folly.
Our city is dependent upon the tourist trade. If the city does not act fast and lay off 50% of its workers in the next month. We are broke. As in bankrupt. The tourist business is all but non-existent for the rest of the year if not longer. Tax revenues are going to fall through the floor. Santa Barbara is staffed to support a population twice our actual size. Way beyond our needs especially during such a dire economic time. Immediate action is required. Tough choices and strong direction. Neither of which will come from a weak politician such as Murillo. If there isnt a significant move by the city of SB to reduce headcount and expenses in the next few weeks our city will be insolvent. The figures do not lie but politicians and public employee unions do… Who is going to save the city from bankruptcy? Not Murillo, that’s painfully evident. This is not a joke.
What do either Murrillo or Harmon know about business? What are the concrete suggestions they offered to the businesses they interrupted? Definitely a photo opp only. I would not want to be in business in this city right now. The Coronavirus is the icing on the cake on decaying downtown area.. City of SB has been anti business for so long that I don’t know if they know how to help a business in trouble. When is the City going to reduce staff that is non – essential?
This is what you get when you vote for INCOMPETENCE and INEXPERIENCE!!
What Cool-Aid are you drinking??????????? She is the WORST MAYOR EVER!!!!!!!!!! Obviously, your memory falls short because she dragged her feet in dealing with the Montecito Mudslides and Fires! I truly hope that she is just a ONE-TIME MAYOR because Santa Barbara will be SCREWED if she gets elected for a second term!!!