Wide field runs for open seats
Ficus trees, RIFT, LUCE and jets at the Santa Monica Airport — a formula that makes for an interesting election season.
Santa Monica residents surely have those issues in mind as the 2008 election officially kicked off on Monday when candidates for city and school races began pulling nomination papers, some incumbents, others newcomers, all with aspirations of coming out victorious on Nov. 4.
Santa Monica and Malibu residents, who are eligible to run for the school board and the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees, have until Aug. 8 to pull and submit their nomination papers, which must include a petition with the signatures of 100 residents. Santa Monica and Malibu residents must be 18 years and older and be a registered voter in the city to qualify.
There are 13 positions up for grabs this year, including a half-term, two-year seat on the Board of Education, currently occupied by Ralph Mechur and previously vacated by Emily Bloomfield, who won re-election in 2006. Mechur, who was appointed to fulfill part of Bloomfield’s term last summer, is running for one of four school board seats.
More than 20 people had pulled papers as of Tuesday morning, including seven incumbents. Both Susan Aminoff and Margaret Q. Quiñónez-Pérez, Santa Monica College trustees, have thrown their names in, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Richard Bloom and Councilmember Ken Genser. Neither Mayor Herb Katz nor Councilman Bobby Shriver had submitted their names as of Tuesday. Bloom announced his candidacy for the council earlier this month and Katz has previously indicated he would run for re-election.
The already high number of interested individuals is typical of Santa Monica, which has an active electorate uncharacteristic of many Southern California communities, according to Bob Stern, the president of the Center for Governmental Studies.
“People are just more interested in politics,” he said.
He pointed to strong political groups like Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights — the city’s ruling political party that has held a council majority for decades — believing that the power won’t be relinquished anytime soon.
3B3,“SMRR has been a dominant power for a long time and there’s been challenges to it, but it’s not enough to overthrow the majority on council,” Stern said.
The political organization was founded on the rent control platform, leading to the establishment of the Rent Control Board and the Rent Control Ordinance.
At least two candidates — realtor Bob Kronovet and Christopher Braun — have pulled papers for the two seats available on the Rent Control Board, neither of whom are incumbents.
Kronovet, who would serve as a counterview to the majority on the board, ran unsuccessfully in 2006.
“First, I will represent the homeowner,” he said. “My position on the board will cause open debate that will lead to better problem solving.”
The controversial nature of the ficus tree removal plan in Downtown Santa Monica as well as the development issues with the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) are sure to influence the elections this year.
The removal of the trees have caused a number of disgruntled residents to call for a change in the council, which nearly unanimously voted for a plan that included the shady specimen’s removal. Some residents even whispered of a recall campaign that never materialized.
It’s one of the main reasons pushing Santa Monica Treesavers’ co-founder Jerry Rubin, a peace activist, to seek a seat on the council. Rubin, a 64-year-old Ocean Park resident, previously ran in 2000 and 2002, dropping out in the final few weeks during the latter campaign for political and health reasons.
“When the chainsaw came out and they started cutting down those trees, that might’ve been the turning point,” Rubin said. “A number of those trees, people believe, were cut down unnecessarily.”
Further impacting the election and possibly voter turnout is the Residents’ Initiative to Fight Traffic, which seeks to limit commercial growth in Santa Monica. RIFT, as the initiative is called, will appear on the November ballot as well.
Sharon Gilpin, a former Santa Monica resident who still serves as a political consultant on local elections, said she believes the issues of development will have a noticeable effect on the election results this year.
“I think there is no doubt about it,” Gilpin said. “A lot of the community was involved in the Land Use and Circulation Element planning.”
The LUCE, which is an update for the city’s general plan, is one that has influenced a number of candidates considering a run, including Susan Hartley, a lawyer who is also currently an Airport Commissioner.
“I want to do everything I can to see Santa Monica retain what’s left of its small beach-town atmosphere,” Hartley said. “I’m opposed to the growth, density and height being proposed by City Hall.
Ocean Park resident and member of the Recreation and Parks Commission, Ted Winterer, has also pulled papers to run for City Council. Winterer is a strong supporter of RIFT and has been critical of the current City Council’s stance on development.
Not to be outdone by commercial growth and trees, homelessness is expected to be a key election issue once again.
Linda Armstrong, a 15-year-resident, will again run on a platform addressing the issue of homeless women. The computer data entry operator ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2004 and 2006.
“I’m the only one addressing this issue,” she said. “Nobody else cares one way or the other.”
The reasons why residents seek office runs the gamut, some hoping to bring back the pizzazz to Santa Monica.
Council hopeful Fred Loetterle, a movie producer, said he wants to restore the glamour of Santa Monica as a “Hollywood by the Sea,” among the first things on his agenda being bringing back the Academy Awards which were once hosted at the Civic Center Auditorium. Loetterle is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist who once worked for the New York Daily News.
“I am going to ask George Clooney and Julia Roberts to lead that campaign,” Loetterle, who believes the arts is of utmost importance to his campaign, said. “I want our own walk of fame beginning with Mary Pickford’s star.”
There are also residents who just want to be civically involved and have a positive impact on the community.
“It’s important to actively participate in government because it does affect our daily lives,” said Kerri Spiegl, a 30-year-old Ocean Park resident considering a run for City Council. “We have the privilege to participate in our local government, that is why I’m considering a run.”
Changes in store for education?
The past two years in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District have been somewhat rocky, rattled by one controversy after another, whether it be the confidentiality agreements in special education or the matters of fiscal responsibility.
But those issues have yet to be cited as reasons for running by some of the candidates who have pulled papers. Those issues could nevertheless shape the election this year.
The school board race could be a crowded one, with six candidates considering running as of Tuesday, including incumbents Jose Escarce, Maria Leon-Vazquez and Mechur. Kathy Wisnicki is also up for re-election.
“We have the capacity to provide every student in our schools with an education that will allow them to make choices as to what they want to achieve in their own lives,” Mechur, an architect, said. “We need to use the resources in our community to meet the needs of the district to provide access and opportunity to all.”
The school field includes a group of new faces to the local political scene, including Judith Meister, a former PTA president at Santa Monica High School.
For 18 years, Meister worked with Santa Monica City Hall, serving in various managerial capacities. Her reason for running is to bring open communication and an “educational vision of excellence” to the board.
Joining her in the field are Ben Allen, a former University of California Regent and Samohi class president, and Chris Bley, a current history teacher at the Brentwood School.
Bley grew up in Santa Monica, attending Roosevelt Elementary and Samohi.
“I want to be able to provide that opportunity and education to other students,” he said.
Allen, who also graduated from Samohi in 1996, has served in various volunteer roles in the district, including on the Financial Oversight Committee.
80E,“I bring to the table a combination of deep roots in the community, youthful energy, a commitment to communication and outreach, and also a substantial education policy-making experience,” he said.
A tight race might also take shape in the college board where three seats are up for grabs.
One of the biggest issues that might have an effect on the college board is the placement of a bond measure on the November ballot. The measure will pay for various construction projects.
“We had a very successful four years at the college and I would like to be part of that continuing success,” Aminoff said.
She cited current issues in which she would like to be a part, including sustainability and workforce development.
Quiñónez-Pérez, who has eight years on the board and is the most senior member, said she offers a veteran institutional memory.
Part of the reason why she wants to remain on the board is to see through a number of projects currently taking place, including the workforce development program and the bond measure.
“It’s mostly about the renovation of the college and to continue to make Santa Monica the number one community college in [students who] transfer [to four-year institutions],” Quiñónez-Pérez said.
“It’s mostly about the renovation of the college and to continue to make Santa Monica the number one community college in [students who] transfer [to four-year institutions],” — Quiñónez-Pérez said
Jump hedline: Land use, special education, expected to shape races
Suggested pullquote: “I want to do everything I can to see Santa Monica retain what’s left of its small beach-town atmosphere.”
Susan Hartley candidate for City Council
*****BREAKOUT BOX*****
(hedline)
Candidates running local races
City Council
Richard Bloom
Linda Armstrong
Ken Genser
Primo Anthony DeJesus III
Jerrry Peace Activist Rubin
Ted Winterer
Susan J. Hartley
Robert Joseph Miner
Fred Loetterle
Nicholas Ruderman
Kerri Spiegl
Rent Control Board
Christopher Braun
Robert Kronovet
School Board
Jose Escarce
Judith Meister
Ralph Mechur (2-year term)
Maria Leon-Vazquez
Chris Bley
Ben Allen
College District
Margaret Q. Quiñónez-Pérez
Lucida Grande 40, 4 0 400 0¬ 1 0 40, Minion 40, 4 0 231A 0¬ 1 0 40, Arial 40, 4 0 7D1 0¬ 1 0
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 16, 2008. Read the original PDF.