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A VOICE FOR CITIZENS, A FORCE FOR CHANGE
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The February-March Channel Voter is Online.

Find out what happening in the League, including community forum and discussion units and information about state and national issues. Here are some highlights: 
Community Forum: "Can We Talk...and Listen to One Another?"
Wednesday Feb. 15 - noon to 2 pm
Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Library

One lesson of the 2016 election is that too many of us simply don't talk to, or listen, to those with whom we do not readily agree. But the centerpiece of the League of Women Voters' work remains the expansion of public participation in governmental affairs for a healthy democracy, and respect for the voices of all Americans. We believe that a robust public dialogue is critical to a healthy democracy. Something has gone wrong and our League has made a commitment to addressing the problem.

The Feb. 15 forum will address the question "Can We Talk...and Listen to One Another"? The forum will feature County Supervisor Janet Wolf and Lanny Ebenstein, President of the California Center for Public Policy, who represent opposite sides of our community's political spectrum, and will include a presentation by representatives of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo, about their nationally acclaimed study and report on best practices in promoting "Civil Discourse" on public policy issues.

We hope to expose some new ideas about how each of us can promote and participate in more meaningful public dialog about how we are to be governed. Please join us to listen and be a part of what promises to be a lively and informative discussion.
New Location for Community Forums

Our Community Forums--which had been at the Louise Lowry Davis Center--will be held in the Faulkner Gallery just inside of the Santa Barbara Central Library entrance on 40 East Anapamu St. Forums are free and open to the public. You are encouraged to invite your friends. Bring your own brown bag lunch and beverages will be provided.

The entrance to the nearest parking garage is on Anacapa, adjacent to the SB Public Library. Handicapped access is at the Anapamu entrance (park in the Granada Garage across from the Library on Anapamu St.).
February Discussion Units:
Our Favorite Clip and Come

Members have always enjoyed bringing a newspaper or magazine article related to our League positions to share with our discussion groups. Since the media are full of such materials right now, we thought you would enjoy devoting this meeting to talking about them. The schedule for February is on the Calendar page of the Channel Voter on our website, and anyone can attend any unit that is at a convenient time.
New & Prospective Members:
Join Us for Coffee and Conversation

All new and prospective members are invited to join us for Coffee and Conversation on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 am at the League office, 328 Carrillo Street.
 
Learn more about the League and how you can get the most out of your membership. This informal gathering will be an opportunity for you to ask your questions, vent your frustrations and fight the winter blahs. Everyone is welcome, whether you are a new member, prospective member, returning member or a well-seasoned one with questions that you would love to discuss. Bring a friend!

For more information, contact Membership Director Bev King. 
Changes of Meeting Places
For Sustainable Communities Committee

In January, our committee held our first meeting in Maravilla Senior Residence, and it was one of the largest and best meetings ever, because Lauren Hanson from the Goleta Water District took one full hour to answer some of the hardest questions about water supply that our members asked.

On Friday, Feb. 10 we will meet at Encina Royale, possibly for the last time. At that meeting we will discuss other possible new locations, and everyone may bring ideas. They have instituted new regulations at Encina Royale that may make meeting there impossible.

With the recent rains we may be able to move from water to another source of concern for sustainability. That is the City of Santa Barbara's Average Unit Density (AUD) program, which has introduced 800 more apartment units, or more, into the development pipeline. As originally planned, these units were to be more affordable because they were small. As a few have been built and occupied, the developers have explained that they will have to be "market rate" priced. That turns out to be $2,500 or $3,000 a month rent. League is very concerned that older, more affordable rental units will be torn down to build these new expensive units, evicting people who cannot pay the new rents.

The Committee thanks Lauren Hanson for the several times that she has come to answer the League's questions, and for the clarity with which she shares the water district's plans. We hope that the extreme drought stress on all the water districts may be somewhat helped by this year's rains. Our Water Committee will continue to follow water policy closely.
Connie Hannah, Chair, Sustainable Communities
LWVSB Thank You!
 
So many of you:
 
  • Signed up to volunteer for the Point In Time Count and at Care & Referral Centers
  • Spread the word to your colleagues, friends and neighbors
  • Organized "Sock & Supply Drives"
  • Donated to the efforts
The Central Coast Collaborative on Homelessness (C3H) is still compiling the data, but by all accounts, the 2017 Santa Barbara County Point in Time Count was a big success. In this next month, C3H will be analyzing the data and preparing the reports to the community. We will let you know more soon. 

We could not have done the 2017 Point in Time Count without your support!


With Gratitude,

The Common Ground
Santa Barbara County Team  
For much more about what we're doing, be sure to read the full Channel Voter on our website. And be sure not to miss our Feb. 15 Community Forum.

Sincerely,

Lindsey Baker, Co-President
League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara 


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