Jay Freeman, Vice President and co-founder of the Isla Vista Downtown Business Association, has lived in Goleta and Isla Vista since 1999. He consistently fought to ensure that all citizens were included in discussions about self-governance, from local families and long-term residents to business owners.
Jay graduated from UCSB with a degree in Computer Science, and then stayed involved as part-time faculty. In addition to courses in Computing, he co-runs a class in the Art Department called IV Open Lab, which brings artists into the community to work with local businesses and county government on projects to add to our neighborhood’s beauty.
Jay is well-known for developing Cydia, the alternative to Apple’s App Store used by tens of millions of people around the world on “jailbroken” iPhones. He works to protect online freedoms, and served as a witness before the Library of Congress on copyright law.
Jay has attended hundreds of local political meetings over the last two years, and is the only candidate who regularly attends meetings of the Board of Supervisors. He has not only been connecting with residents and boards, but is speaking out on issues. He wants to be a county supervisor so that he can do even more to help our community.
Jay is actively supporting the transition from septic tanks to a new sewer system in the Santa Ynez Valley, a “special problems area” where our ground water is being damaged. This will also allow for treatment of collected wastewater for use in landscaping, toilets, and cooling systems, as drought mitigation.
Jay started, helped finance, and then sat on the oversight committee for a fiscal study to evaluate the different government options in Isla Vista, looking at a City, a Community Services District, and a scenario where the County provided services.
I will oppose the expansion of oil drilling and the use of trucks that would dangerously transport oil on our roads.
I will support the primary and continuing education of our people, to ensure any of us have jobs as more and more labor of all forms is replaced by machines and computers.
I will modernize our planning departments in order to reduce delays and to make sure our community plans are up to date.
I will support our community groups and special districts: we need to empower these local groups while providing them timely access to the county’s expertise.
I will push to move our electrical grids into the new world of Community Choice Aggregation, with the goal of making our county a more self-sustaining area.
I will vote to establish municipal advisory councils to increase understanding of local issues at the county level without requiring residents to drive for an hour to sit in a meeting all day to speak for only three minutes.
I will help our County reach out to people via social media channels, something I am currently testing with the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District by collecting public comments via Facebook.
I will find strong regulations for short-term apartment rentals (Airbnb) that address the valid concerns without banning them.
I will begin talks to institute instant run-off voting, to allow people to vote with their hearts for outlier candidates rather than having to settle for the lesser of two evils.
I will work to enact a “dig once” policy, which will help bring modern Internet connectivity to all areas of our county.
I will lean on the County Sheriff’s Office to provide more proactive and responsible community policing and civilian oversight wherever the need has been identified.
I will protect our groundwater by helping people move from septic tanks to sewage systems via the fastest and cheapest paths.
I will address our housing problems: we need to build housing for the people who are working here; and for those who commute, we need better regional public transportation. I will preserve our open spaces by encouraging developers to build up, not out.
I will work with the University to foster modern businesses in our area and to keep the youthful energy it brings from moving away to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
I will tackle the hard problems. Bring me your concerns, and I will research and find solutions. I want to rebuild your faith in local government. I will work hard to improve your life and the lives of those around you.
I will push the Board to follow through even when the going gets tough: we need to stop “kicking the can down the road”. We need to stop ignoring problems until a crisis arises.