Santa Barbara candidates debate school board and supervisor roles

Local political candidates in Santa Barbara County recently participated in forums to outline their platforms for upcoming November elections.

For the Santa Barbara Unified School Board, candidates debated issues including a $10 million budget deficit, outdated facilities, and student test scores. In Trustee Area 4, incumbent Rose Munoz is seeking a third term against challenger Valerie Amparan. In Trustee Area 1, Jacqueline Inda Karlsen and Mark Philibosian are competing to replace Gabe Escobedo.

In the race for the Santa Barbara County Fifth District Supervisor seat, Maribel Aguilera and Ricardo Valencia presented differing approaches to North County governance. Aguilera, a Santa Maria City Council member, proposed streamlining the permitting process for housing and appointing a small-business ombudsman to reduce red tape. Valencia, a high school teacher, emphasized inter-agency collaboration to increase affordable housing access and advocated for expanded investments in public transit and green-energy vehicles.