If approved, a November ballot measure would allow Santa Monica residents to vote for the city council member from their district, instead of casting ballots for all seven. In addition, it would require the mayor to be elected by the people, instead of council members. This week’s Q-Line asked: “Do you feel adequately represented by your city council. Why or why not?” Here are your responses: ■“The mayor and city council operate on a good old boy system. You pat my back and I’ll pat yours. I’m in favor of Veritas and plan to vote for it in November. Council people who live north of Montana cannot fairly represent people on the eastside. Each district needs to have its own representative. I do not intend to vote for any current council members running in November. I do not think any person should serve any longer than two terms. Some of the members have been in office so long that they’ve become stagnant. They really don’t have the best interest of Santa Monica in mind. They’ve got their own agendas. This has got to stop.” ■ “Residents will have a stronger voice and better representation with individual district legislators. A specific representative will be forced to be more responsive to the needs and opinions of those voters in his or her district.” ■ “I am very well represented by my city council. I think they give thoughtful consideration and explain their views every time they vote and I like that a lot.” ■ “Santa Monicans who are not allied with [Santa Monica Renters’ Rights] are not represented by any SMRR supported city council person. In fact, SMRR council members have a history of using information against those who communicate views that are in contrast to their own. This is why non SMRR Santa Monicans can’t talk to a SMRR councilperson. Mayor Feinstein acknowledged this at last week’s Veritas debate when he stated, under Veritas, ‘If you didn’t vote for the elected council person in your district, you won’t be able to talk to them. Under the current system you have a better chance of having someone to talk to.’ What a sorry statement that was. Thanks for telling it like it is.” ■ “I do not think that the city council adequately represents the city. I do believe that the best thing that would happen to this city is to have each area vote for the particular councilperson that would represent them in that area. Of course, the other council people would have an influence but at least you would have someone to talk to. It is also a better idea to have the mayor elected at large. Right now the Santa Monica
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 17, 2002. Read the original PDF.