First published in the Santa Barbara Independent on September 22.
Incumbent James Kyriaco can honestly say he has moved the needle to expand child care opportunities in Goleta. Long before other politicians “discovered” that the lack of affordable quality childcare posed a palpable danger to mothers, children, families, and workplaces across America, James Kyriaco had been beating that drum ever since he was first elected four years ago . It was an effective political move, but so what?
It is a desperately needed service and one that only he seems laser-focused on.
Perhaps one of the wonkiest of elected officials on the South Coast, Kyriaco went über-granular, pushing obscure zoning ordinances that rewarded developers by including childcare facilities in their projects. He pushed legislation to relieve day care providers of some of the onerous development costs and mitigation fees that can price them — or their families — out of the market.
When elected officials actually try to do what they say they’re going to do, and then deliver the goods, you endorse them. How could we not?