Endorsement proves critical
CITY HALL — Municipal employees seem pleased with the current makeup of the City Council, throwing their support behind three incumbents seeking re-election in November.
The Coalition of Santa Monica City Employees — comprised of roughly 1,500 City Hall employees — announced Thursday that Mayor Bob Holbrook and City Councilmembers Kevin McKeown and Pam O’Connor received their endorsement following 30-minute interviews with each candidate last Saturday.
The elected officials were required to answer a series of questions before the interviews and were then asked to explain those answers during face-to-face discussions with representatives from each of the nine bargaining units at City Hall.
“The general feeling was that (members of the coalition) were supportive of the issues that employees are concerned with, such as public safety and the provision of adequate resources for city employees to perform their jobs, labor relations and communications with the City Council on mutual issues of concern,” said Lauralee Asch, president of the coalition who works in community relations at the Santa Monica Police Department.
With the endorsement comes plenty of campaign assistance, including volunteers and financial support in the form of donations, Asch said. The coalition has not decided whether or not it will send out mailers this year, but it has done so in the past.
“Other groups we have partnered with have not yet made their endorsements so we are waiting for them before we make out decision,” Asch said.
There are three open seats on the council and eight candidates running, all of whom were interviewed by the coalition. The election is Nov. 7.
The endorsement is critical for candidates because of the constraints placed on fundraising by local election law limiting contributions to $250 per person per candidate. With candidates spending anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 or more, any assistance provided by outside groups such as the coalition can help candidates focus their efforts on other areas of the campaign, such as hosting meet-and-greets with residents.
Holbrook said the coalition’s endorsement means more to him than money. It means he is doing something right in City Council Chambers.
“Our employees are well respected by the community and their opinion matters because they are the ones who know more about us than anyone since they work with us on a daily basis,” Holbrook said.“I’m very happy to have their support.”
McKeown also was pleased as he praised city employees for their dedication to the community.
“This makes me very proud,” he said.“These are the people who make our city work day-to-day. They know what it takes to provide good service and I see their endorsement as an acknowledgment of my support for them over the years.”
O’Connor said she was happy to hear of the endorsement, which proves to her that city employees want her to continue to be part of the “team,” in which she and other elected officials represent the “face of the city, while the employees represent the heart of the city.”
“I’ve been doing what I’ve done all along and that is look at the issues, listen and then use my best judgment,” O’Connor said. “It’s nice to know that those folks you work with appreciate you and the effort you put in everyday to provide the best public service possible.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 15, 2006. Read the original PDF.