By Dr. David A. Levy Santa Monica
A record number of homeless people. Rising crime rates. Worsening traffic congestion. These are the critical problems of Santa Monica. A reasonable person would assume that Santa Monica’s City Council would aggressively confront and tackle these issues. A reasonable person would be wrong. Instead, the City Council has effectively ignored these problems and spent its valuable time on such vital community concerns as counting squirrels, declawing cats, and condemning children’s playhouses.
Over four years ago, I sought approval to build a playhouse for my son Jacob in our backyard. More than three months after permission was granted by City Hall, it was abruptly withdrawn, and I was ordered to either tear it down or face criminal prosecution. I refused, and City Hall embarked on a four-year legal mission to impose its will, eventually winning a decision at the appellate court.
Then they stuck me with $85,000 in legal bills. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of Santa Monica citizens, the bills have been paid in full. But it never should have come to this. It happened to me. It could happen to you.
My ordeal, along with similar stories like candidate Bobby Shriver’s battles with the city over the height of the hedges on his property, have convinced me — and thousands of others around the city — that the majority of this City Council has got to go. Herb Katz is the only member of the current council running for re-election who backs the citizens over bureaucratic interests. He will get my vote, as will Bobby Shriver.
I’ve lived proudly in Santa Monica for nearly 30 years. And it is patently obvious that problems such as homeless people using our streets, alleys and sidewalks as beds and bathrooms are much more critical to our quality of life than this City Council’s misplaced priorities, capricious abuse of power, and arbitrary hubris toward both residents and small business owners would suggest.
Let’s face it. This City Council is not up to the challenge. They’ve had their chance and they’ve failed. Let’s stop batting our collective heads against the same old brick wall and try a new approach.
I don’t wish a four-year legal battle on anyone, but it has taught me a couple of valuable lessons. First, you can fight City Hall, but it’s extremely expensive and not very efficient. Second, the citizens of Santa Monica deserve much better that what this council has been providing. We don’t have the power to threaten council members with criminal prosecution or send them legal bills for squandering our resources. We do have something far better, cheaper, and more efficient: The power to vote, which we should exercise in a manner that is loud and clear on Nov. 2.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 19, 2004. Read the original PDF.