There’s a reason why the city of Santa Monica’s recently approved 2004/2005 budget of $377 million is many times the budgets of similarly sized cities. It boils down to two words: Political favors.
About half of the city budget is set aside for retirement and other city employee benefits. Santa Monica has one of the most generous employee benefits package available anywhere. Then, there’s the millions of dollars spent on social services. Most other cities spend a fraction of what we spend on social services, including affordable housing.
Ever since Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights came into power 25 years ago, City Hall spending has doubled and doubled and doubled again. Much of city spending is specifically designed to keep SMRR politicians in power.
SMRR relies on labor unions as its main source of campaign manpower and financial support. And, SMRR politicians reciprocate with political favors that cost us lots of moolah — such as living wage laws and affordable housing projects for Santa Monica’s low income hotel workers.
In the case of the police, fire and municipal employees unions, their election year endorsements are rewarded with very generous wage and benefits packages. While one can argue that happy, well compensated city employees provide better services, what do outside labor unions contribute?
A couple of years ago, SMRR City Council persons rewarded the big, international Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union for their support by passing a “Living Wage” ordinance that mandated a $12.25 hourly minimum wage, (without health benefits) increasing to $13 the second year, for those predominantly employed by the private sector hotel and dining businesses along the coast.
Voters repealed this “Living Wage” two years ago, yet the economic geniuses behind that failed measure are back, again. Now, they want the city of Santa Monica and its subcontractors to pay their employees a minimum of $11.50 an hour — union contractees excluded. And, once again, the driving force behind this is Vivian Rothstein, the local organizer for HERE.
Rothstein ignores the fact that the city is a business, not a charity. It’s irresponsible for City Hall to pay more for goods and services than it needs to. Somehow I don’t think Rothstein would pony up any more for something than she has to, however that’s exactly what she and her socialist cronies expect the city to do. All because she’s decided the city doesn’t pay enough for labor.
Unfortunately Rothstein’s proposal has the SMRRs on City Council salivating to support this self-indulgent crap. And, as with all their leftist proposals, most of the cost comes at out of our pockets, not theirs.
SMRR Mayor Richard Bloom, and Councilmen Michael Feinstein and Ken Genser are facing re-election this fall. Support from HERE and other labor organizations is vital if they’re to be re-elected. They’ll vote for this in a heartbeat even though this boondoggle will cost taxpayers (you and me, again) over $300,000, annually.
Speaking of giveaways, did anyone notice the City Council approved $485,120 on Tuesday for more improvements to Samoshel, the city’s “temporary” homeless shelter? Even though Councilman Bob Holbrook wisely pulled the item from the consent calendar for discussion, four SMRR members — Genser, Feinstein, Bloom, Kevin McKeown and Pam O’Connor fell all over themselves to vote for it. Feinstein was absent for the vote.
This is in addition to $245,000 appropriated in November 2001 for Samoshel upgrades; $10 million just handed to another homeless services provider for expansion of its shelter; millions more in annual funding for 22 programs and the tens of millions more in yearly hidden costs for police and paramedic services. So, what’s the political connection here?
How about hundreds of voting transients who maintain their legal address at OPCC’s Seventh Street drop-in center? Or, is it a “pay back” for the financial donations and campaign workers from the service providers and their supporters? “Homelessness” is a cottage industry here in “Skid Row by the Bay” and, like it or not, some are profiting handsomely. As they say, “If it doesn’t make sense, it must make dollars” for someone.
In either case, all this altruism is money down the drain to the detriment of most of us who live, work and vote in Santa Monica. But, it sure helps keep ‘em in power for another four years so they can keep coming back and continue screwing us. (Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer).
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 25, 2004. Read the original PDF.