Eric Friedman: Santa Barbara’s future belongs to all of us

Santa Barbara City Councilman Eric Friedman is running for Santa Barbara Mayor. (News-Press file photo) I grew up in Santa Barbara, raised by two English teachers who taught me that every story matters. So, when I think about what a city should be, I think about our public library. It is one of the few places in town that truly belongs to everyone. It doesn t matter what you earn, where you re from, or whether you rent or own, because everyone walks through the same door and gets the same welcome. That is the kind of city I want Santa Barbara to be, and it is how I will run City Hall. That belief has guided my twenty-five years in local public service, including eight on the Santa Barbara City Council. As a past Board Member and President of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation, I was part of the public-private partnership that raised nearly $10M to create the Children’s Library and Library Plaza. Today, these two cherished public spaces are gathering places for everyone.