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Investing in Isla Vista's Future
Renew Measure O, protect dependable funding for our parks, and build stronger partnerships to invest in Isla Vista's future.
Isla Vista's parks are among our community's most important public assets. They provide open space, recreation, and gathering places in a densely populated neighborhood where every acre matters. Keeping those spaces safe, welcoming, and well maintained takes more than ambitious plans. It takes stable funding, careful budgeting, and a willingness to work across institutional boundaries.
I support renewing Measure O to preserve the stable funding IVRPD needs to maintain our parks and provide essential services. But renewal alone should not define the limits of our ambitions. I also support exploring a new, additional revenue measure that would give Isla Vista voters the opportunity to invest in substantial improvements to park safety, infrastructure, accessibility, and community facilities. Any such proposal should be developed with public input, identify specific projects and costs, and establish clear standards for accountability. Our goal should be not merely to maintain the parks we have today, but to build the park system Isla Vista deserves tomorrow.
Responsible investment also means looking beyond a single revenue source. IVRPD should actively pursue state and regional grants, partnerships, and other outside support for capital improvements, accessibility, sustainability, and community programming. But grants are often restricted or temporary; they should supplement reliable funding for essential operations, not replace it. I would prioritize maintaining existing parks and evaluating new projects based on community need, long-term costs, and the benefits they deliver. Isla Vista is served by multiple institutions whose decisions overlap. IVRPD should work more closely with IVCSD, UCSB, and Santa Barbara County to coordinate improvements, avoid duplicating efforts, and pursue projects that none of them could accomplish as effectively alone. Cooperation should make our local government more capable—not less independent. Residents deserve to know where their money is going, what progress is being made, and how public investments are improving everyday life in Isla Vista.
What I would do
Stable funding, accountable investment, stronger partnerships.
- Support renewal of Measure O and clearly communicate how its revenue sustains and improves Isla Vista's parks.
- Prioritize maintenance, accessibility, and improvements with clear community benefits and sustainable long-term costs.
- Pursue grants and outside funding to supplement dependable local revenue.
- Strengthen coordination with IVCSD, UCSB, and Santa Barbara County while protecting IVRPD's independence.
- Publish accessible budget information, project priorities, and progress updates so residents can hold the District accountable.
- Explore a new, voter-approved revenue measure alongside Measure O renewal to fund major park improvements, with clearly defined priorities and transparent oversight.
Get involved
Disagree with something here? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Good ideas get better through conversation. Whether you agree, disagree, or have a different suggestion, I welcome your questions and perspectives on Isla Vista's future.