> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ficus fiasco continues to rage on - URL: https://www.smdp.com/ficus-fiasco-continues-to-rage-on/ - Published: 2007-10-13T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T17:49:46.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless This past week, Q-line asked: “How far do you believe the tree activists can go with this fight? Do you think the city is going to give the trees a reprieve or is this just a temporary victory? Here are your responses: “WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE Treesavers, I’m sure (the restraining order) is just a temporary reprieve. When City Hall gets fixated on something, you can be sure it’s a done deal, like the horrendous mess of homeless, drug addicts, alcoholics and criminals that have invaded this city.” “I AM HERE AT THE SITE WHERE THE first tree was supposed to be cut down, and obviously, it’s not being cut down today. I believe the Treesavers should continue with their efforts to save all of the trees. I do believe that the City Council will come around, they will sit down and find a win-win solution. Then Santa Monica would be saved embarrassment from the worldwide environmental community. Then we’ll all be happier for it.” “IF COUNCIL DOES NOT LISTEN TO THE people now, we should carry our crusade to Election Day, voting only for people like (Councilman Kevin) McKeown, who listens to the people.” “MOST OF OUR CITY’S WOES ARE because the commies from Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, who rule us, don’t believe in property rights. If we want a tree in front of our business or home, let us plant one. If we want a hedge or rose bush, or if we want to cut down a nuisance tree, let us pay for it. We don’t need a high-paid arborist to tell us what to do. Please leave us property owners alone. The best government is the one that rules the least.” “I AM PROUD TO STATE THAT I AM ONE of the many save the ficus trees personages, and I am pleased to report that, at the present time, the trees have been given a stay of execution. The Treesavers should now spend their energy trying to pin down the frustrated lumberjacks who wish to practice and hone their wood-chopping skills at the expense of some lovely trees. The Treesavers should mention to the wood-choppers that it’s time to move on to another subject; a subject that is not opposed by nearly every resident of Santa Monica.” “I THINK THE TREE ACTIVISTS WITH Treesavers can go very far with their crusade, and should go very far. They’ve been doing an excellent job and have a very reasonable position. They have a very environmental and pro-tree policy. They can, and I think they will, save all of the trees that are threatened. They could help formulate a more expansive debate on how Santa Monica could have a more complete tree-nurturing and tree maintenance policy. That’s something that has sorely been neglected in our great city.” “I THINK THE TREES SHOULD CERTAINLY stay where they are and be happy and live the 150 years that’s predicted for that type of tree. They’ve hardly reached 50 yet. They add a great deal to Santa Monica. For visitors coming here from other places, the trees are greatly admired.” “IT IS A SHAME WHAT’S GOING ON WITH the trees on Second and Fourth streets. I feel what’s going on with the trees is like what’s going on in the White House, where the will of the people is not being respected. The few are deciding for the majority. The people of Santa Monica feel very strongly that these trees should be kept. I believe that there is a lot of political and power interests involved in this — $600,000 contract to chop down these trees. Someone must be profiting from that. I’m very disappointed, especially Councilman Bobby Shriver. He ran on the premise that he didn’t want his hedge to be cut down. Now he’s supporting that healthy trees be chopped down. I don’t understand.” “I KNOW THE TREESAVERS WILL SAVE our ficus trees. We have to get rid of our City Council. We have to get a new group of people who will save our trees.” “IF THE TREE’S SICK OR DEAD, THAT’S A good reason to chop it down, for firewood or whatever, but if the tree’s healthy, there’s no reason to remove it just because someone doesn’t like it. That’s not a valid reason. Of course, once politicians decide to do something, they don’t care what the people say. It wouldn’t surprise me if they head out in the middle of the night to cut those trees down.” “ALL THE YEARS WE’VE BEEN WORKING here, we’ve enjoyed the presence of the trees. We like the shade they give us, the oxygen. We’d like to keep them as they are. We don’t want them cut down.” “I BELIEVE THE SPIRIT OF THE TREESAVERS will help eliminate global warming, and will allow the birds to continue to build their nests there, and will help protect all the senior citizens who rely on the trees to breathe from the gas fumes on Second and Fourth streets. I support the Treesavers. I do not want to see it happen and will do whatever I can do to protect them. Please save them.” “I’M VERY GLAD THE TREESAVERS — FOR now — have prevailed. For this stinking city to think they can do such a thing is positively outrageous. This is the city of ‘Samolicious’ — sometimes they do things that just don’t make sense. I just can’t imagine people wanting to take beautiful ficus trees that provide a lot of necessary shade for the populace here. I’m glad, for now, we have prevailed. I think we’ll prevail for good.” “I’M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE trees on Second and Fourth. They want to chop them down? I think that’s really terrible. Is there anything we can do about it?” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 13, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101307.pdf?ref=smdp.com)