Santa Barbara mayoral, District 5 candidates battle over rents, artificial intelligence, money

Santa Barbara mayoral and District 5 City Council candidates agreed on concerns about artificialintelligence and the need to protect residents from ICE on Wednesday night at Valle Verde, butthey split over whether voters should overturn the city’s new rent stabilization ordinance.In the mayor’s race, Eric Friedman, Matt Kilrain, Wendy Sims-Moten and Kristen Sneddon arerunning to replace Randy Rowse, who decided not to seek a second term. In District 5, thecandidates are Ian Baucke, Cevin Cathell and James Zurlinden. The candidates met for a League of Women Voters forum. Artificial intelligence drew some of the evening’s most pointed remarks. Friedman, a city councilmember, said his distrust starts with the people building it.“I don’t trust it because I don’t trust the people who are creating it,” Friedman said. “And guesswhat? They don’t trust it either.”Sneddon shared her perspective on AI as an instructor at Santa Barbara City College.“They are rejecting it,” Sneddon said. “They do n