Santa Barbara Supervisor Criticized for Disconnect Between Rhetoric and Reality

Opinion piece reveals disconnect between ideological dogma and practical governance, say critics

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A recent opinion piece by Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann and Sigrid Wright, CEO of the Community Environmental Council, has been criticized for revealing a profound disconnect between ideological rhetoric and operational and economic realities. The article's praise of China as a 'clean energy' leader and suggestion that national defense could survive without petroleum-based jet fuels are cited as examples of this disconnect, as is the county's current fiscal crisis stemming from a 'spend, spend, spend' stewardship approach.

Why it matters

This gap between rhetoric and reality in Santa Barbara politics is seen as mirroring broader issues of prioritizing power over solvency and ideological dogma over fact-based discourse, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill and the average citizen unable to afford living in the county.

The details

The opinion piece criticizes Hartmann and Wright's praise of China as a 'clean energy' leader, noting that China remains the world's largest consumer of coal despite its manufacturing dominance. It also calls their suggestion that national defense could survive without petroleum-based jet fuels a 'dangerous logistical fallacy', stating there is currently no scalable alternative that meets the energy density required. The article further points to the county's fiscal crisis, with the departing county executive leaving office just as a decade of 'spend, spend, spend' stewardship culminates in a staggering budget shortfall.

  • The opinion piece was published on February 13, 2026.
  • It references an earlier opinion piece published on February 8, 2026.

The players

Joan Hartmann

A Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

Sigrid Wright

The CEO of the Community Environmental Council.

Santa Barbara County Executive

The departing county executive who is leaving office as a decade of 'spend, spend, spend' stewardship culminates in a staggering budget shortfall.

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What they’re saying

“Attempting to bridge the gap between ideological dogma and practical governance is often folly, but the current state of Santa Barbara County demands a return to fact-based discourse.”

— Elena Danielson, Author (independent.com)

“Being from the Soviet Union, I know all too well about how the 'system' works. What occurs in Santa Barbara politics recently is not far from the way it was when I was a child in Russia. It cannot be permitted to happen in the most wonderful country in the world.”

— Elena Danielson, Author (independent.com)

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for Santa Barbara County leaders to bridge the gap between ideological rhetoric and practical, fact-based governance in order to address the county's fiscal and livability challenges in a sustainable manner that serves the best interests of taxpayers and residents.