Santa Barbara and Goleta Local, Santa Barbara Unified School Board Member, Former White House Aide Launches Campaign
Contact: Beatrice@lauracapps.com
Santa Barbara, CA.
Today, Santa Barbara Unified School Board Member, environmentalist, poverty advocate, and former White House and U.S. Senate aide Laura Capps formally announced her campaign for Santa Barbara County Supervisor. This follows the recent decision by Supervisor Gregg Hart to seek the California Assembly rather than running for re-election. The election for this open seat is June 7, 2022. Capps was born, raised and has lived in the area for three decades.
Throughout her tenure in public service, Capps has been a leader who turns innovative ideas into reality, such as transitioning several hundred classrooms from relying on fossil fuels to renewable energy. Since 2013, she has helped lead a coalition of partners to ensure children throughout Santa Barbara County have food during summer, a time when child hunger spikes. Previously she has served in the White House, the U.S. Senate and has led national nonprofit organizations focused on poverty, climate and ocean conservation.
In her 5th year on the Santa Barbara Unified School Board, Capps currently represents all voters who live in the second supervisorial district. She won her most recent election garnering 57,000 votes throughout the 2nd district and beyond. She enters the race with strong backing from a diverse group of community leaders, elected officials, former county supervisors, educators, and others. She will be rolling out dozens of endorsements in the weeks to come, gathering more grassroots support via her campaign website: www.cappsforsb.com
"In today's divisive climate, one of the top skills of a successful leader is the ability to listen. Laura Capps is that leader. Throughout her public service career she has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead with compassion, listening with both her ears and heart to make thoughtful decisions on behalf of the people she serves. That's just one of the reasons why I support her candidacy for County Supervisor,” says James Joyce III, founder of Coffee with a Black Guy and former Santa Barbara mayoral candidate.
“Laura Capps is an excellent choice for 2nd District Supervisor. She is highly qualified and strongly committed to our community, particularly our local children and youth,” says James Kyriaco, Goleta City Councilmember and an early Capps endorser.
In officially announcing her campaign, Capps released the following statement:
“My candidacy for County Supervisor centers on our children and their future. As Supervisor, I will build on my decades of experience to tackle the urgent and interconnected issues of today: poverty, housing, homelessness, drought and climate change, mental health, economic development, transportation, healthcare and public safety, while creating innovative solutions for the issues of tomorrow.
For too many of our children, particularly children of color, Santa Barbara County is a challenging place to grow up -- especially now as the pandemic endures. Our county has one of the highest poverty rates in the state of California. Financial and food insecurity has a tight grip on the lives of many. Children struggle to thrive. Adults bear the havoc of soaring housing prices, often resorting to long, climate-damaging commutes. Our unsheltered neighbors suffer without the resources they need.
I am fortunate I was raised in Goleta and Santa Barbara and am a product of our local public schools. My parents and teachers taught me from a young age what it means to be involved, to lend a hand, and make a difference in the lives of your neighbors. My career in public service spans three decades – in the White House, United States Senate, and national and local nonprofit organizations – reflecting a strong commitment to better the lives of others.
I am running for County Supervisor with the experience and commitment to serve the entire county and bring bold solutions to address our urgent needs. The children of this county are my North Star. When we do right by them, we do right by us all.”
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