Chamber will make endorsements in two weeks
By Daily Press staff
SIXTH STREET — The local chamber of commerce has thrown its support behind both a $135 million bond measure and a tax increase on hotel rooms, both of which will be decided on by voters this November.
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently endorsed the multi-million dollar bond introduced by Santa Monica College a few months ago. If approved by 55 percent of city voters, the bond will provide for the construction and upgrades to several buildings at SMC, new open space in Santa Monica and Malibu, and the development of other properties owned by the city.
The bond, which originally asked for $175 million, would be the second SMC measure approved in 2 1/2 years. The college is currently collecting money from Measure U, which will generate $160 million in funding for facilities.
The current bond proposal would cost the average Santa Monica homeowner $77 in the first year. The average renter would take a $13 hit the first year.
“This bond measure will provide much needed infrastructure for Santa Monica College,” said Chamber board chairman Nat Trives. “The college is an important resource for Santa Monica, and improving facilities such as Madison campus and the playing fields improves the quality of life for residents and students.”
The chamber also voted to support the proposed 2 percent tax hike on the city’s transient occupancy tax, also known as the “bed tax.”
At 12 percent, Santa Monica’s hotel bed tax — the tax assessed to hotel visitors on a nightly basis — is expected to generate $18.5 million for City Hall this year. The measure, which was unanimously placed on the ballot earlier this month by the City Council, would increase the tax rate to 14 percent, and increase nightly rates at local hotels by an average of about $4. It’s expected to raise as much as $3.5 million annually for the city.
With the new dollars, City Hall would be able to more easily balance the budget for the current year, as well as 2005-06. It also would help fund the city’s public schools. With an additional $3.5 million, City Hall could more readily cover its stated ambition of giving an additional $6 million to the schools each year for the next five years.
“We think this revenue increase will benefit all of Santa Monica and we are hopeful that the council will use these funds to meet its obligations to educational programs with the school district,” said Kathy Dodson, the chamber’s president and CEO, “and continue to fund the Convention and Visitors Bureau, an organization that is critical to the continued growth of our community.”
The chamber plans to announce their endorsements for the City Council, school board and SMC board the week of Sept. 13. Chamber officials will meet with the candidate next week for interviews.
“We are looking forward to talking to all candidates across the political spectrum, and once we endorse them we are going to encourage our membership to work hard to see that they are elected,” Trives said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 2, 2004. Read the original PDF.