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# A tale of two cities makes Santa Monica look like heaven
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-tale-of-two-cities-makes-santa-monica-look-like-heaven/
- Published: 2004-07-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:43:35.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

*By DOSE OF REALITY BY MATTHEW GLASSER*

The candidate filling period in Santa Monica for those interested in running for the City Council, rent control board, local school board, or community college board began on Monday. Let the fun begin. As usual, most, if not all of the incumbents will run for re-election. And a handful of poor souls will run under-funded and under-resourced campaigns in an attempt to defeat the incumbents.

As usual, the local elections are bound to bring out the “best” in people. That’s sarcasm in case you can’t tell. For the next few months, be prepared to listen to accusations, complaints, and rantings about the sorry state of life in Santa Monica.

The challengers to the incumbents will argue that the current crop of politicos have let voters down and have failed to respond to the problems plaguing the city. The current elected officials will highlight their achievements and talk about the progress they are making in solving those same problems. And the usual collection of community groups and gadflies will add their two cents to the debate by blaming everyone but themselves.

Before the games begin, I’d like to add my two cents. You are going to hear a lot of people complaining about life in Santa Monica. And you may be tempted to believe that the city is headed for the seventh level of hell. But don’t move just yet. It’s important to have some perspective when listening to the naysayers and complainers. Sure, Santa Monica has it problems, but you’ve got to compare it to life outside the coastal enclave. Only then can you really understand how good you’ve got it.

Less than 25 miles from Santa Monica is another city of the same population. This city will hold its city council elections a few months after the new/old Santa Monica City Council takes office. And like the election in Santa Monica, this community will debate how life in their city can and should be improved.

The city is Compton and a side-by-side comparison with Santa Monica provides a little perspective about life here. Try to remember these comparisons when you hear candidates complaining about the city’s shortcomings. ■In Santa Monica, parents worry that their children will run into the homeless at the park.

In Compton, parents worry that their children will run into bullets at the park. ■ In Santa Monica, the closest thing to political corruption is the Green Party allegation that Councilmember Mike Feinstein used party funds for his own personal use.

In Compton, the mayor, city manager, and a councilmember were sentenced to jail or probation for misappropriating city funds and double billing taxpayers. ■ In Santa Monica, residents can visit the weekly farmers’ market and purchase fresh produce.

In Compton, residents have a difficult time finding a supermarket to buy produce of any kind. ■ In Santa Monica, the graduation rate from high school is 91 percent.

In Compton, the graduation rate from high school is 48 percent. ■ In Santa Monica, students scored 62 percent on the reading and 68 percent on the 2003 CAT/6 standardized test.

In Compton, students scored 20 percent on the reading and 29 percent on the 2003 CAT/6 standardized test. ■ In Santa Monica, the average income per capita is more than $46,000.

In Compton, the average income per capita is less than $11,000\. ■ In Santa Monica, one or two people are murdered each year.

In Compton, more than 57 people are murdered each year. ■ In Santa Monica, residents are forced to listen to really bad entertainers on the Third Street Promenade.

In Compton, residents wish they had a shopping district like the Third Street Promenade.

These are but a few comparisons between the two cities. I don’t mean to pick on Compton. I certainly feel for those having to endure the life-and-death problems of that city. I hope that their children can someday feel as safe as those living in Santa Monica.

My point is to simply remind Santa Monicans that life in this city is pretty darn good. When you hear candidates for office bad mouthing life in Santa Monica — and you will — remember that the problems of traffic, homelessness, and expensive housing are more desirable than the problems of gangs, nightly murders, and severe political corruption.

A little perspective can go along way. Let’s keep that in mind during this next election cycle. And when you hear a candidate complain that Santa Monica is facing Armageddon, have them take a 30-minute drive to a city named Compton. (Matthew Glasser can be reached by e-mail at mediamatthew@yahoo.com)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 13, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)