By T.K. FACTLESS Daily Planet Slave
(Ed. Note: This is an on-going series tracking spending by the Santa Monica City Council during its biweekly consent agenda — which wastes huge sums of taxpayer money with little scrutiny. However, some items have been previously discussed behind closed doors well after midnight when the majority of residents are most interested in watching local TV.)
Tonight the city council is expected to spend $6 million on Mercedes police cars and Bentley fire engines, and allocate another $4 million to help fix the Hubbell Space Telescope.
Santa Monica officials say despite being plagued by massive budget deficits, the luxury emergency response vehicles are needed to enhance the city’s public image nationwide and attract more overseas tourism.
768,“People say we’re Beverly Hills on the beach,” said Mayor Rob Righteous, after getting a parking ticket. “Well, it’s time to start acting like it.”
Helping NASA fix its telescope was a “whim,” officials said.
City analysts believe the city’s $12 million deficit, could swell to more than $25 million in three years if spending isn’t slashed now.
Critics contend the council continues to spend frivolously. In the last month council members have spent more than $100 million on pet projects and political causes. So far the council has voted to clean up the Pacific Ocean, purify the air, enact a true living wage and build universal affordable housing.
Next month, the council plans to tackle health coverage for all and find a way to end homelessness in America by proving free food, jobs and homes for everybody.
Police Chief Furry Cheeks, Sr. said armed with the new squad cars, he feels confident officers will finally be able to end the violence, prostitution and drug trade in Santa Monica’s most notoriously dangerous neighborhoods North of Montana Avenue.
“Putting officers in a fine automobile will make us fit in with the neighborhood’s surroundings,” Cheeks Sr. said. “Everybody noticed our cheap Crown Vics cruising the blocks, but with the Mercedes, we think we’ll fit right in and be able to use the element of surprise.”
The $70,000 cars will feature tinted windows, an 8-disc CD changer, satellite navigation systems, cruise control, keyless entry, and the Lo-Jack theft deterrent system.
City fire department officials said they had no idea why their engines are being replaced with $700,000 Bentley versions, which feature premium leather and garment lockers to carry spare uniforms.
“City employees must always look their best,” said Righteous. “How can we change our image as some back water ‘burg if our fire fighters look tattered and sooty after tackling a structure fire?”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 1, 2003. Read the original PDF.