Bob Holbrook AGE: 64, lifelong SM resident OCCUPATION: Santa Monica Mayor, Community Pharmacist MARITAL STATUS/CHILDREN: Married to Jean Ann for almost 40 years; three children: Robert, Cynthia, and Craig — all SM residents. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? North of Montana. HOW LONG? 37 years. Born and raised in Ocean Park. I lived there until I got married, and then lived in the Wilshire-Montana area until we bought our first home. YOUR RIDE? 1917 Model T Ford touring car and a 2005 Ford Thunderbird OWN OR RENT? Own YOUR PASSION? USC Football WHAT ARE YOU READING? “Bike Trails of Santa Monica” by Seymour Butts We recently discovered a leaky sewer drain that will be repaired. It is a very large pipe and will be a costly repair. This repair should help to improve the water. In addition, I am asking our residents to vote for Proposition V on Nov. 7. This proposition will provide additional revenue to allow the city to clean up the stormwater drains that carry runoff across the beach into our bay.
The enormous Moreton Bay Fig tree at the Miramar Hotel is a hidden treasure. I doubt if most Santa Monicans have seen it!
A new idea would be to make sure city homeless programs are not enabling homeless people who can work, but will not work, to live on our streets. Services should be focused on those homeless people who are willing to help themselves, or unable to help themselves. We must also strictly enforce the law.
The answer to both parts of the question is yes. Service providers do help many homeless people. But there is also no doubt that more and more homeless persons are attracted to Santa Monica because of the services we offer. That is why homeless services must be equalized across the region. Some of the social services provided do enable people to stay homeless in Santa Monica. The expectation of any contact with a homeless individual in our city should be to move him or her off the streets and into housing.
U2 I putter around in my small backyard garden or work on my Model T Ford.
Additional enforcement may prove beneficial, but it will not prevent gangs. We need to seek new strategies that remove the conditions that make gangs a choice for some kids. Clearly, parent education and support, academic mentoring and jobs for youths are programs we need to improve and expand.
I would focus on American history — Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr.
Many businesses complain that the city’s permit process is too complicated and much too long. We have made improvements in our planning department and we are also looking at ways to give staff more discretion in order to speed up the building permit process. High rents also are a problem for small businesses. The city is completing a new parking structure in the Civic Center. It has affordable retail space available on the ground floor. I hope this will help some small business to get established.
Too many homeless persons on our streets.
Meatloaf, corn on the cob and a good Cobb salad.
Yes, we need more parking spaces. There are not enough parking spaces for residents, let alone visitors to our city. Having adequate parking reduces traffic by enabling drivers to stop circling our streets looking for parking.
I would like a Baby Blue Bus service that circulates between Montana Avenue, downtown and Main Street. It would be used by people who are shopping or doing errands. It would be convenient and low cost, an easier choice than driving and parking your own car.
Santa Monica’s parking and street cleaning fines are way too high.
I am just an ordinary person.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 31, 2006. Read the original PDF.