Letter: Santa Barbara deserves better than tear-down politics

The candidates for City Council District 4 during a debate produced by TV Santa Barbara. (News-Press File photo) I’ve lived in Santa Barbara since 1975 and have worked on campaigns ranging from Walter Capps and Bill Wallace to Bob Lagomarsino. Coming from New York, what I always admired here was that our local races were respectful. Candidates told us what they would bring to the table, not what was wrong with the other person. This year’s Santa Barbara City Council District 4 race presents both approaches. Devon Wardlow has stayed focused on what voters actually care about: housing, fire preparedness/neighborhood safety, a downtown that works, and a council that can get things done. She hasn’t taken the bait. Genevieve Taft-Vazquez has gone the other way. I saw it firsthand when I attended one of her campaign events, where much of the focus was on tearing Devon down. Her supporters have followed suit, including letters on this site attacking Devon’s work history with clear