There were tears and a standing ovation Tuesday as a termed-out Dale Francisco bid farewell to his colleagues and the public after serving eight years on the Santa Barbara City Council. “I tremendously enjoyed this experience,” said Francisco, choking up. “It is absolutely one of the greatest honors of my life to represent the people of this city.”
As the council’s most outspoken conservative, Francisco earned a reputation over his two terms as a thinking man’s politician, equally measured and articulate as he was passionate about topics like public safety and fiscal stability. “You will be sorely missed, sir,” said Councilmember Frank Hotchkiss. “You’ve always been a gentleman,” said Councilmember Cathy Murillo.
Francisco said he was glad to leave the city in better shape than he found it, with reduced crime, an increased police budget, and a healthier reserve of savings for the next inevitable recession. A retired software executive, he was elected in 2008 amid public pushback over roundabouts and other city-proposed “traffic-calming devices.” Mayor Helene Schneider joked that Santa Barbara should name a roundabout in Francisco’s honor.