> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Council Candidate Says Finger-Pointing Is Santa Monica's Biggest Problem
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/102902-story-20021029-13/
- Published: 2002-10-29T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:49:48.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Promenade, #archive-import, Homeless

Favorite movie: Gandhi Favorite thing about living here: I like the peace table on the Promenade Have you ever been arrested? Yes. For peace and environmental non-violent protests.

Have you ever declared bankruptcy or had financial insolvency issues? No, not really.

Endorsed by: Celebrity activists such as Martin Sheen, Edward Asner, Michelle Phillips, Alexandra Paul, Ron Kovic, and Casey Kasem. Also, numerous peace, environmental and other local and national activist group leaders. 1\. What is the single biggest issue facing Santa Monica? What do you intend to do about it, if elected? Be specific.

The single biggest problem is the continuing spread of “finger pointing sickness.” Which means that good people are pointing fingers and blaming other good people for all of our problems, including the homeless, parking and traffic, etc., etc. The solution? More all-inclusive task forces and increasing a focus on mediative “win-win” solutions. 2\. Where is the city spending money that, in your opinion, should be used for something else?

Too much money for consultants when we can get expert feedback from our own commissions and general population of informed residents, workers and business owners. Also, wasted money on “non-solutions” such as the tens of thousands spent to move the fences around the dinosaur gardens. Supposedly to “fix” the problem of homeless and transients gathering there when the money could be used by social service agencies to help them more. 3\. The city has hired an urban design consultant for $54,000 to tell us how the downtown area could be designed better. Do you think the downtown commercial zone needs to be redesigned and how much would you allocate toward such an endeavor?

The downtown area is designed fine, looks fine and is clean, thank you very much. It’s not the design that’s the problem; it is not creating enough new and on-going artistic or cultural events and activities. $54,000? I would have been the consultant for half that amount! Perhaps redesigning the Promenade so some of the upscale shops can disappear and some of the mom and pop businesses can reappear would be really nice. 4\. The city is facing a $9.5 million budget shortfall this year and future budgets look just as bleak. What are the top three items in the city’s budget that you would cut to ease the taxpayer’s pain?

Cutting city advertising in the newspapers? Only kid-ding! Wasting police and court costs on minor offenders such as street performers, artists and free-speech “violators” would be a real money saver. I would appeal to the business community to contribute more so the budget could be cut less. 5\. The Santa Monica Police Department has some of the highest paid officers in the region. Do think the salaries of Santa Monica’s finest are justified? Why or why not?

Sure they are, but why not help our hard working hotel workers get a decent “living wage” also? I know I would-n’t have the courage to be a police officer. They should be getting more money. I know also that I wouldn’t have the stamina to do the tedious job that the maids and other hotel workers do. They should be getting more also. 6\. The Pico neighborhood hasn’t had any formal representation on the city council in the history of Santa Monica. Do think the blighted neighborhood’s drug dealing and gang activity is reflective of that? How would you represent this neighborhood?

I think much more attention should be given to the Pico neighborhood. (Citywide attention, not Prop. HH — VER- ITAS, neighborhood-weakening attention) What’s really needed is a strengthening of neighborhood groups and improved community networking with SMC College, religious leaders, youth groups, etc. The blight, drugs and gang activity are reflective more of a general “money first, people second” atmosphere. A qualified “people first” candidate from the Pico neighborhood would be fine, but qualified “people first” candidates filling all seven council seats from wherever they happen to live in Santa Monica is the real goal.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 29, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102902.pdf?ref=smdp.com)