“What issues here in Santa Monica — other than war and school district woes — are you concerned about?”
Here are your responses: ■ “Not a thing in the world. Everything is just wonderful. I have to run now, there is a man wearing a white suit carrying a butterfly net rushing after me.” ■ “The presence of illegal aliens is a real and significant problem in this area. When are we going to see them cleared up from the intersection of 11th and Colorado? These illegals directly contribute to the homeless person’s plight by taking away any available work in this area as well as any affordable hosing. Now thoroughly entrenched deeply in the construction, hotel and restaurant businesses, for safety reasons, they ought to be identified. For security reasons, they ought to be terminated in favor of hiring who is legal.” ■ “I’m concerned about a City Council engaged in an orgy of spending on grandiose and unnecessary projects, while ignoring basic needs, such as deteriorating alleys for instance. I’m concerned that the $25 million bond issue for upgrading our libraries, passed in 1998 has resulted in a planned expenditure of $74 million. I’m concerned about the kick-backs someone must be getting from the never ending flow of new buses, new street signs of all kinds, new city vehicles, garbage bins, etc. Irresponsible council has become so addicted to borrowing and spending huge sums of money, that most of all, I’m concerned about Santa Monica going bankrupt, leaving us taxpayers to pick up the pieces.” ■ “I’m deeply concerned that the City of Santa Monica consistently awards maintenance contracts to companies which are 100 percent Hispanic labor force, which I believe is discrimination against all other people. I think something should be done about it.” ■ “I am a 10-year Santa Monica resident. I do not want to this darn, darn, darn fluoride crap thrown into my water. It is crap. Everything that I have read about it for the past 25 years has been junk. It is awful and nasty stuff. The people writing against it don’t have a monetary motive, they are not getting any money, whereas people writing for it just might be because it is a huge industry. You think about it. Study the facts yourself, go online, blah, blah, blah. There are a lot of educated people, much smarter than myself that will say it’s nasty stuff. That would be a great big campaign, daily, weekly, monthly to get on the bandwag-on about. Let’s stop it now.” ■ “I believe one of the most important issues facing the City of Santa Monica right now is the addition of fluoride to our water. It is known poisonous, industrial waste product. It has no business going into our water and into our bodies. I hope that more people will become aware of it and do something about. I would like to have city council rescind their motion to have this industrial waste kept out of our water.” ■ “Amajor issue that bothers me is the millions of dollars being spent to erect a new library when our current facility is more than adequate. I wonder where the money trail started and stopped?” ■ “The biggest issue is and should be concerned about SMRR’s ongoing attempt to control the lives of every Santa Monica resident. The latest example being their opposition to the homeowners voluntary preservation measure.”
“Why are we building a new courtyard with a food area for the library? The homeless will take it over. Many people not do not like to the library because of the homeless. Many of them don’t bathe.” ■ “The homeless problem is the biggest problem in Santa Monica. They should bring them to the brand new Belmont Learning Center. It’s empty. They could bring them cots, feed them in the cafeteria, educate them in classrooms. They would have a gym and an auditorium for entertainment, offices for counselors, bathrooms, etc. Maybe some people will start shopping here again.” ■ “I’m concerned that the members of the city council do not read your newspaper to find out what the people of Santa Monica are concerned about.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 14, 2003. Read the original PDF.