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# Council just can’t kick the habit
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-just-cant-kick-the-habit-editor/
- Published: 2007-02-27T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:09:23.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By James L. Eaton Santa Monica*

The Santa Monica City Council will meet to “clarify” the Taxpayer Protection Amendment (the anti-kickback law passed in 2000) at Tuesday’s council meeting. For more than six years, they have consistently attempted to dismantle this law, most recently with Proposition W, and it is crucial that Santa Monicans let them know that we are serious about ending any possibility of influence peddling in Santa Monica, especially in the wake of the Abramoff and other scandals in Washington.

This law must not be tinkered with. Pasadena has provided an excellent model for its implementation. Let’s all accept that it’s a good law and move on — perhaps to public funding? Instant runoff voting? There is much to be done to strengthen our local democracy, instead of discussing ways to dilute a law that the voters have twice approved.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 27, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/022707.pdf?ref=smdp.com)