Santa Barbara
Since the earliest days of the region as a Mecca for wealthy families, philanthropy has been part of the social scene. Some efforts, notably Direct Relief International, have grown from informal ideas into world-class social organizations. But lately, philanthropic efforts often seem to be single-cause focused, reflecting the special interests of donors. From the Santa Read More →
Area elections show voters back business
Reading the minds of voters is always difficult. But in elections in Santa Barbara and Ventura there are stirrings of an electoral backlash against the extreme regulation of business in the Highway 101 corridor. By substantial margins, voters turned back height-limit measures in both Santa Barbara and Ventura. In Ventura they also turned back an Read More →
Small business sees brighter future
Nothing lasts forever. That goes for recessions as well as good times. The City Business Journals Network, an organization based in Charlotte, N.C. — of which the Business Times is an affiliated member — reports that small- and medium-sized businesses are more optimistic about the economy than at any time in the past year. In Read More →
One Carpinteria vendor
Bill Connell operates the ultimate small business, and now, he and his little hot dog stand in Carpinteria have had a taste of the ultimate victory. For 16 years, Connell sparred with the State Board of Equalization over the interpretation of an 1872 statute exempting from paying various taxes street peddlers who are also disabled Read More →
Navy
When Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus came to Santa Barbara to speak before the regional chapter of the Navy League, not many people had heard of the “Green Fleet.” And, indeed, there is a fair amount of public relations value involved — just as Theodore Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” which sailed the Pacific at Read More →
Orfalea celebrates individual success
At a time when business leadership seems sorely lacking across the region, the state and the nation, it’s great to see someone emerge from the pack with enthusiasm, optimism and a few great ideas. That person happens to be Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea. Though long departed from the company he founded in Isla Vista and Read More →
Constitutional convention would come with its risks
When it comes to cleaning up the fiscal mess that goes by the name “California,” there’s no shortage of proposed solutions. Two very different approaches were the subject of the Ventura County Economic Development Association’s 2009 Outlook Conference. Solution one is a series of targeted, single-purpose ballot initiatives aimed at ending the annual budget gridlock Read More →
