Stores from Eight Fascinating Years as Mayor of Santa Barbara

Marty Blum shares with the readers her experiences as mayor of a world-renowned city, Santa Barbara, California. Beginning with her election to the city's highest office, she describes the day-to-day life of the mayor, the services for the residents, and votes she regrets as well as those that turned out well. Marty also writes about her encounters with famous people, her work with other mayors, and her meetings with the US Conference of Mayors. Her travels included most of Santa Barbara's sister cities, lunch with a prince in France, meeting three US presidents, and attending an international mayors’ meeting in Cuba. Madame Mayor is a joy to read. Marty writes with such enthusiasm for politics that she may even inspire you to run for elected office!

Marty Blum served as Mayor of Santa Barbara from 2002 to 2010. Before that she was a council member and planning commissioner. Marty inherited her interest in politics as a young girl, listening to her father’s political stories about his grandfather as mayor of Canton, Illinois. Her abilities as an observer of life around her make this a great read. Marty enjoys living in Santa Barbara with her husband Joe, who is a retired physician with the Veterans Administration, and their golden retrievers. They have three grown children and five grandchildren.