By Marilyn Brennan Santa Monica
Thank you for the insightful editorial “In lieu of better ideas? City needs brain-storming” (SMDP, Oct. 14, page 6), but I think you are asking way too much of this City Council. With a few exceptions, they are giant egos running amok who care little for what the workers and residents of Santa Monica want or need. If tourism and commerce truly do drive the economy, then all I can say is: City Council and Bayside District, clean it up. The traffic-ridden, filthy downtown and Promenade area (also covered beautifully in a recent editorial) is very dirty and literally reeks of urine with transients sitting and sleeping on every available bench. I have over-heard many disgusted tourists say they would never come to Santa Monica again. I wonder how many others they will tell of their very expensive visit to a city that has, unfortunately, a smelly, dirty downtown area?
And as for this City Council taking a page from other successful cities’ workable affordable housing plans — don’t make me laugh. They have way too much ego to do something so practical. After all, if they wanted to keep the Promenade and the downtown alleyways so clean, they could always ask how the Universal Citywalk does it, or how Disneyland keeps clean with many more visitors than come to Santa Monica. It can be done, and with the square foot prices charged in the downtown area, there is no excuse or reason why it shouldn’t be pristine and spotless.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 10, 2005. Read the original PDF.