Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce established a political action committee to endorse City Council candidates, which has never been done before. The chamber will raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and tirelessly campaign for their candidates. How it proceeds from here will be critical for the future of Santa Monica, political observers say.
Through local voters, the chamber hopes to overthrow a city government that has been dominated by a more liberal-thinking group called the Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights for the majority of the past 26 years. It’s widely known that the chamber and City Hall have for years had an adversarial relationship. The business community laments that policies set by the current administration create an unfriendly environment for residents and visitors.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 14, 2004. Read the original PDF.