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# Council candidates answer Daily Press questions on homelessness and gang violence
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/103106-story-20061031-7/
- Published: 2006-10-31T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:56:13.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

Homelessness is far and away our city’s most pressing issue, according to daily press readers. What new ideas do you bring to the table? Do service providers help the down-and-out or merely attract more homeless and enable them?

The social service industry is fostering dependency and profits from attracting more homeless.They are a business and endorse candidates who will continue providing grants.We should redirect that money to provide jobs for the homeless and solicit their input to alleviate the problem.The council should divert mentally ill homeless to other locations (outside the city) for treatment and housing.

BEATLES OR STONES?

Both. Also Beethoven, Puccini, Charlie Parker, Bobs Dylan and Marley.

HOW DO YOU SPEND A DAY OFF IN SANTA MONICA?

Body surfing/biking/kayaking.

Residents and elected officials often clash over the issue of gang violence — some advocate more enforcement, others call for more intervention and prevention strategies. Where would you focus resources?

Enforcement, intervention and prevention, in that order. Provide jobs, but do not tolerate criminal behavior. The problems of crime and youth violence in Santa Monica are increasing due to the lack of jobs to keep people off the streets. There should be no special dispensation given to gang members and vagrants who violate the law. The SMPD should prosecute vagrants.

Any recipients for low income housing should be screened by the public and selected by a fair criteria including residency and income, with special consideration to anyone who has been evicted, or works here and can’t afford to own.

IF YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH WITH ANY THREE PEOPLE IN HISTORY, WHO WOULD THEY BE? (SPOUSE AND CHILDREN EXCLUDED) Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld to stop the war. Jesus and Mohammed and Moses to heal the religious schisms. Gates, Turner and Einstein to finance socially responsible science to preserve (rather than destroy) the planet.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 31, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/103106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)