Lack laments that Santa Barbara
Measure B, the controversial height limit proposal on the city’s November ballot, will no doubt change the way buildings are erected in Santa Barbara, but contractor David Lack thinks there’s something more pressing at hand: making green builders feel welcome. “If someone like me bends over backward to meet the city requirements and goes to Read More →
Green Coast gets ready for its close-up
Six months ago I wrote a column suggesting that we reinvent the tri-county economy as a “Green Coast” for energy research and innovation. Now there are signs this idea is becoming a reality. On Sept. 30, a broad-based coalition of business, government, major universities and nonprofit groups applied to the California Department of Housing and Read More →
Karl Willig takes the helm at Mission Linen
Karl Willig is the definition of a businessman. The 65-year-old has spent decades doing what he loves most — building companies — and now he’s coming out of retirement to take the helm of a Santa Barbara institution that’s been around longer than he has: Mission Linen Supply. The Idaho native has headed several national Read More →
Direct selling on the rise
Marilyn Lewis has seen a few recessions in her lifetime, but the Thousand Oaks resident has always had a back-up plan. Like almost 15 million other women in the U.S., Lewis is a direct seller — she sells cosmetics to other women from her home. Although it may conjure up images of ’50s Tupperware parties, Read More →
The three-step tax fix for California
Here’s a simple, three-step fix to California’s budget. First, cap the flat tax on individual income at 7.5 percent. Use a 10-year history to estimate what the average level of revenue will be with taxes at that level. That plus the state sales tax and other levies should really be California’s baseline for spending. It Read More →
Shout-out for a university leader
On a happier note, we’re pleased to add our own congratulations to Howie Wennes, president emeritus of California Lutheran University and recipient of the institution’s Christus Award, for bridging the gap between CLU and the communities it serves. Wennes came to the university just four years ago after a distinguished career in the Lutheran Church. Read More →
