The Five-Spot: Trump is Eager to Say Goodbye to EVs, Education, Equal Rights and the Environment

Trump's Washington could harm Santa Barbara's future as he poses threats to the economy, climate, our classrooms, and rights.

(Editor’s note: Newsmakers intern Shelby Appice, who will graduate from UCSB in June with a major in Communication and minor in Professional Writing, is tracking the local effects of the Trump Administration in her “Five Spot” column).

By Shelby Appice

Five ways that Santa Barbara is plagued by Trump policies, right now:

1. Judge Blocks Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Education Department
   Last week, a federal judge halted President Trump’s executive order to shut down the U.S. Department of Education, a relieving decision for the country and Santa Barbara’s public schools, students, and educators. The administration’s attempt to eliminate the department would have disrupted oversight of federal student loans, gutted disability education funding and decimated resources for school districts across the country.

   In Santa Barbara County, where federal funding supports everything from special education to low-income student programs and FAFSA-based aid, the decision safeguards, at least temporarily, essential services for local families. Santa Barbara Unified School District, as well as colleges like UCSB and SBCC, rely heavily on the Education Department’s infrastructure to access federal funds, manage student loan disbursement and maintain compliance with civil rights protections in schools.

   The Trump administration had already laid off nearly 2,000 employees in March and announced plans to outsource oversight of $1.6 trillion in student loans and eliminate support for "special needs" programs. The court’s preliminary injunction not only blocks these moves of Trump and Linda McMahon, the U.S. Education Secretary, but also orders the reinstatement of staff and restoration of the department’s full functions. The administration has vowed to challenge the decision, but federal support for education remains protected for now.

   Without this judicial pushback and ruling, many Santa Barbara-area students — especially those who are low-income, disabled or relying on federal student aid — could have been impacted immediately.

2. Toxic Algae Blooms Harm Marine Life
   Dead dolphins and sea lions are washing up along the Central Coast in record numbers as victims of domoic acid poisoning from toxic algae blooms fueled by climate change.

   Once rare, these blooms are now common events in Santa Barbara — with 2025 marking the fourth consecutive year of mass deaths among marine animals — causing seizures, disorientation and death among marine mammals. Experts blame warming oceans, nutrient runoff and weakened environmental protections as the cause.

   Despite this, the Trump administration has proposed slashing NOAA funding in its new budget proposal, and has also introduced the most anti-environmental bill in U.S. history to Congress. The legislation includes gutting clean energy investments, weakening pollution controls and handing public lands to fossil fuel interests.

   Federal monitoring is essential to understand and prevent these blooms; instead Trump continues to deny climate science and dismantle protections. Meanwhile, beachgoers are witnessing marine life sick, stressed and convulsing in the surf or lying still on the shore.

3. Police Reform Rollbacks
   The George Floyd mural on the EOS Lounge in downtown Santa Barbara was removed in January after repeated vandalism, just months before the five-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder. Building owners say they plan to replace it with a new mural, but the wall remains blank.

   This week, President Trump’s administration began moving to dismantle key police reform efforts nationwide. Signaling a rollback of accountability measures, Trump’s DOJ ended federal consent decrees this month in cities that agreed to change in training and hiring practices like Minneapolis and Louisville, where Floyd and Breonna Taylor, respectively, were killed.

   James Joyce III, founder of Coffee with a Black Guy, made a comment shortly after the mural’s removal explaining how the erasure reflects a broader “systemic erasure of Black contributions in America.”

4. “Low-Income” in Santa Barbara
   While Santa Barbara and Central Coast families struggle with record housing costs and soaring prices, the Trump administration has quietly dismantled the federal office within the Health and Human Services Department responsible for calculating and updating the poverty threshold — the key number that determines who qualifies for critical programs like Medicaid, food and legal assistance, and heating aid.

   In Santa Barbara County, a household earning under $98,850-$100,000 is now considered “low-income.” That is over triple the federal poverty line for a family of four, which sits at $32,150.

   42 percent of Santa Barbara County households — over 50,000 families — are already classified as “in poverty,” despite the fact that 92 percent of them have at least one full-time worker, according to CommUnify. With no tracking or update to federal poverty guidelines, neighbors could lose access to food, healthcare and housing assistance.

   Meanwhile, Trump and congressional Republicans are pushing $2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and housing support, while claiming inflation is their top concern.

   Hannah-Beth Jackson, former state senator, told Noozhawk, “Poverty is a policy.” And in this case, inaction from the top could force local governments and nonprofits to carry even more of the burden.

5. California Electric Vehicle Mandate Ending

   Santa Barbara, which has embraced the electric vehicle (EV) transition to tackle coastal air pollution and reduce carbon emissions, could see that progress slow. In a blow to California’s climate agenda, the U.S. Senate voted last week to overturn the state’s rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The rule, approved under a federal Clean Air Act waiver, was central to the state's push for cleaner air and zero-emission transportation.

   The mandate is key for long-term plans regarding local EV infrastructure, funding and clean transportation initiatives. Without it, the city and state could lose momentum on combating the climate crisis and face tougher air quality compliance in the years ahead.

   Santa Barbara has leaned heavily into the EV transition: the city’s Climate Action Plan targets zero-emission transportation as a key strategy, and regional utilities and nonprofits have invested in public charging infrastructure. The blocked mandate could weaken those incentives and disrupt long-term planning

   This is a first-of-its-kind rollback which guts a core part of the state’s climate strategy; Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have vowed to sue, with other Democrats calling the Congressional action illegal.

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Five-Spot: In Other News…

1. State Street Loop Shuttle Rolls Out
   Starting Thursday, May 29, a brand-new free electric shuttle called the State Street Loop will begin offering hop-on/hop-off rides along State Street, from Cabrillo Boulevard up to Victoria Street.

   The pilot program — a partnership between the City of Santa Barbara, SWEEP SB, and the Friends of State Street — aims to improve accessibility and support local businesses by offering an efficient, relaxed and eco-friendly transit option for locals and visitors.

   The fleet includes two 5-seater golf carts and one ADA-compliant vehicle, running Thursday to Sunday, from 12–7:00 p.m. in continuous 15–20 minute loops. Painted stars on the street mark for shuttle stops, and no ticket or app is needed to use.

   This new loop complements the MTD’s Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle, which runs weekends through Labor Day with a fare of just $0.25-$1.00 (or free with an Amtrak ticket).

2. Coffee With a Cop
   The Santa Barbara Police Department will hold “Coffee With a Cop” at the Eastside Library, 1102 E. Montecito Street, from 10-11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29. All ages are welcome to join for coffee and converse with officers from SBPD to learn more about them and what is going on locally.

   By providing a space to have open dialogue in an informal setting, Coffee With a Cop is aimed at advancing the practice of community policing and building understanding between citizens and officers. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says there is “no agenda, no guest speaker and no power point presentation”; the “casual atmosphere” of this event allows for dialogue and for the public to get to know local law enforcement better and ask questions.

3. Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara Awards $1.25M to Local Nonprofits
   The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has awarded a record-breaking $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits tackling some of the community’s most urgent needs — from homelessness, reliable transportation for youth and mental health care to education and senior nutrition.

   The funding came from 1,426 women members who pooled their donations to make a greater impact. At a celebration held at the Lobero Theatre, more than 500 supporters gathered to learn how the grants will support key services.

   Since its founding, the Women’s Fund has awarded over $12.8 million to local organizations — benefiting more than 100,000 women, children, and families across Santa Barbara County.

   Among this year’s recipients include: CASA of SB County, Children’s Resource & Referral, Domestic Violence Solutions, Good Samaritan Shelter, New Beginnings Counseling Center, PATH Santa Barbara, SEE International

4. Resilience in Action: Santa Barbara’s Natural Disaster Response Legacy
   As Santa Barbara marks 100 years since the 1925 earthquake, the Santa Barbara Public Library is hosting a free special program on Sunday, June 1, from 2–3:30 p.m. at the Faulkner Gallery at Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu Street. All are welcome as local historian Betsy Green and former public librarian Jen Lemberger will reflect on how our city, neighbors and leaders’ resilience, resourcefulness and unity has helped the community overcome natural disasters.

   The event will recount the immediate aftermath of the destructive quake and how it sparked a dramatic redesign of downtown, shaping the Santa Barbara we know today. It will also explore the unsung role of public libraries in disaster response, from 1925 to the Thomas Fire, Montecito Debris Flow, and COVID-19.

5. Summer Outdoor Film Series Returns
   UCSB Arts & Lectures, in partnership with the County Office of Arts and Culture, is bringing back its free outdoor summer film series at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden. This series has become a Santa Barbara summer tradition with this year marking its 16th “season.”

   This year’s theme: “Dog Days of Summer.”

   Every Friday at 8:30 p.m. from July 11 to August 29 (except Fiesta Friday, August 1), enjoy a lineup of canine classics, including “101 Dalmatians,” “Best in Show,” “Isle of Dogs,” “Marley & Me,” and “The Sandlot.”

   All are welcome and able to bring blankets, low-back chairs and snacks; set-up starts at noon on screening days for those looking to claim prime picnic spots.