Responding to a tidal wave of emails and rumor awash in Santa Barbara over allegations of corruption made in a Los Angeles magazine article published on March 12, the city’s administrator, attorney, and police chief issued a statement and a fact sheet the Independent reproduces here, in full.
Santa Barbara City Administrator, City Attorney, and Police Chief Issue Joint Statement in Response to LA Magazine Article
SANTA BARBARA, CA – March 18, 2021 – City Administrator Paul Casey, City Attorney Ariel Calonne, and Police Chief Bernard Melekian issued the following statements and fact sheet in response to seriously misleading and false assertions published in Los Angeles Magazine.
Since the City began developing commercial cannabis regulations in 2016, the Santa Barbara City Council, City Administrator Paul Casey and City Attorney Ariel Calonne have been committed to ensuring an open and fair process for selecting the best cannabis businesses.