Goleta is your town.
The City Council needs to listen to and serve you. I will!
Please email to gordon4goleta@gmail.com

I want to serve my district by pushing back against state housing mandates, get back to basics like fixing and maintaining our roads and the electrical grid, stopping boutique projects and bringing back events like 4th-of-July fireworks to Girsh Park. 

 

To keep it simple, I grew up in a town very similar to Goleta; Alexandria, Virginia. And although Alexandria was a beautiful small town on the Potomac River, with a rich and storied history, Alexandria’s leadership set it on a path to fast growth.  I am sure the intentions were good, but in the end it lost most of the charm, character and soul that made it a desirable place to live. It is now a much, much larger high density stack and pack populated town, plagued with significant traffic congestion, no parking, high crime rates and a lower quality of life than the small tight knit community I grew up in.

 

I see the same thing happening here in Goleta and I want to make a change before we end up like Alexandria. From the millions of dollars in unfunded capital improvement projects, to the high density stack and pack housing developments, to the removal of community events we all loved and shared like fireworks on the 4th-of-July or the Easter egg roll in Girsh Park, Goleta has lost its way, and we need to get it back on track. Paved with good intentions for affordable workforce housing, Goleta is currently under a housing and road strain. If we don't change course we will end up with unhappy residents, road rage,  unsafe travel, water shortages, power outages, and less of a sense of something special as a community.

 

I am not a professional politician, I still run my own small business right here in Goleta,
and I need your vote this November!

 

I promise I will listen, be available, and give voice to the longtime residents of this town to
get us back on track.

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My Background

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My background as a long time resident, small business owner, devoted husband, and father have all given me the tools I need. Being a long time resident, I know what Goleta has been, where it comes from and where it should go moving forward. In construction trades, I know how developers and politicians work together sometimes to the detriment of the town they are trying to "improve." My business experience has taught me the value of ROI when deciding any expense; as well as the value of budgeting. Being married has taught me how to compromise and the value of seeing things from different perspectives. Being a father has taught me how to say “no” without being stubborn or mean, just firm but always fair.

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I’m not looking to make Goleta into something it is not and never has been. In my small town, my neighbors and current residents come first, second, and third.

 

I was born and raised in beautiful Virginia, educated in architecture, structural engineering, construction management, and commercial photography. I fell in love with Santa Barbara and Goleta in the early 1980’s when I attended Brooks Institute of Photography. Previously;  I traveled the world, have hustled and worn many hats, got tired of traveling, and decided to settle down. But where? With my skills, education, and experience I could live anywhere in the world, I chose the Central Coast. I have lived here and in Santa Barbara since the early 1990’s. It is here, in Goleta, where I met my wife, Valerie. She was born and grew up here in Goleta. Not a day goes by we are not thankful and appreciative of all this area has to offer.

 

We were married 16 years ago, have a wonderful daughter starting high school, a small tract home on Pacific Oaks behind Girsh Park, 3 cats, 2 dogs, and an extended family here that I love and would do anything for. Goleta is truly my home.

 

Valerie and I own our own businesses here in Goleta. She is a talented graphic designer and I have started and run several successful businesses here. I currently own and manage The Product Photography Studio, a dedicated commercial product photography studio; as well as Santa Barbara Giclée, an art reproduction business that supports local artists and artisans.  All are run out of our offices on Aero Camino off Hollister. 

 

Thank you for your time, and I hope to earn your vote!te this November!