The mayor only has one vote on the Santa Barbara City Council, so why does everybody want to be Hizhonor or Herhonor?
In fact, some newer cities are content to rotate the job every year, making it no big deal.
But in Santa Barbara, we elect da mayor for four whole years, which IS a big deal in a small town. True, he or she does wield the gavel, preside at ribbon cuttings, and pick up prestige points to use when running for higher office (lotta good it did for Mayor Helene Schneider when she ran for Congress last year and lost).