Santa Barbara County Supervisor

3rd District

Four-year term

Victoria Pointer

Age: 53

Political party: Democrat

Years in 3rd District: 20

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Elected office: Buellton City Council since 1992

Work: County Education Office, special

education support specialist

Family: married; three children

Web site: www.victoriapointer.com

By Chuck Schultz/Senior Staff Writer

Victoria Pointer's fascination with politics bloomed after she and her husband moved to Buellton from Santa Barbara in 1988 to raise a family, drawn by cheaper housing.

Buellton's cityhood drive was in its infancy then, and Pointer got heavily involved in promoting it. She was elected to first the City Council during the November 1991 incorporation election, and has remained in that post since taking office three months later.

“I've always had an interest in politics,” said the councilwoman of 16 years, but “didn't have any desire to aspire for higher political office.”

Until a few months ago, that is, when she pondered the pool of announced candidates running for 3rd District supervisor of Santa Barbara County.

“I would say that we had a far-right conservative and a far-left liberal running,” she added, referring to David Smyser and Doreen Farr, respectively, two candidates widely considered the front-runners of five competitors. “I felt I had something very different to offer.”

Pointer, 53, considers herself the moderate alternative in that race for a pivotal seat on the five-member Board of Supervisors, whose votes often split along north-south lines.

With the sprawling and politically diverse 3rd District straddling both sides of the Santa Ynez Mountains - stretching from Isla Vista to Los Alamos - its representative usually carries the swing vote on many important land-use and policy decisions.

“You have to be able to bridge the gap,” she said, between the divergent interests of the North County and the South Coast. She vowed to do that by being “a good listener and willing to compromise,” and added: “I don't tend to vote party lines.”

Taking independent stances will be easier for her than some other candidates, she contended, because her campaign hasn't received large donations of money from individuals or groups. “I'm not carrying baggage and not beholden to special interests.”

The five candidates, also including Dr. David Bearman and Steve Pappas, are vying in the June 3 election to replace Supervisor Brooks Firestone. He did not seek re-election and will step down when his term ends in early January.

“I'm as far away from Mr. Firestone's position on almost every issue” possible, Pointer remarked during a recent candidates forum in Goleta.

Preserving the Gaviota coast from development “is a no-brainer,” she said, echoing what seemed to be the viewpoint of every candidate except perhaps Smyser.

While each has said they oppose any future expansion of gaming at the controversial Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, Pointer sees a need to improve communications between the county and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

She criticized Firestone, for example, for recently voting against allowing the tribe to outline for the board findings of an economic study - paid for by the tribe - on how the casino affects surrounding communities.

If elected, she would address the county's current budget crisis and estimated $16 million deficit for fiscal year 2008-2009 by starting at the top, Pointer said.

“I think we really need to be looking at how our management is structured,” she said.

“I think we're very top-heavy in that regard.”

She suggested some administrators may be paid too well. When pressed for specifics, she said: “I think our CEO (County Executive Officer Mike Brown) is paid very generously.”

Brown's salary is about $220,000 annually.

Besides cutting management, new sources of revenue such as taxing each barrel of oil pumped within Santa Barbara County should be considered by the board, Pointer said.

She's skeptical, though, of Smyser's proposal to swell county coffers by increasing tourism.

“At what cost do you bring more tourism to a community?” she rhetorically asked. “I don't want to see that impacting residents here.”

Buellton's financial health during her five terms on its City Council demonstrates her ability to cope with the financial challenges facing the county, Pointer contended.

“Buellton is the envy of every city in this county in terms of finances,” she said.

Like the other candidates, Pointer doubts the 3rd District race will be decided in June. Unless one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the votes cast, it will go to a November runoff election between the top two finishers.

“I think there are too many candidates dividing the votes” for someone to win outright in June, Pointer predicted. “I feel my level of experience is what really sets me apart from the other candidates.”

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Pointer has been married for 31 years. She and her husband, Michael, have three grown children, all of whom attended Jonata School and Santa Ynez Valley High School.

She was a founding member of Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, and served as that charitable group's president for four years.

Chuck Schultz can be reached at 925-2691, Ext. 2241, or cschultz@lompocrecord.com.

May 20, 2008