> ## 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. # Professional panhandlers congregate - URL: https://www.smdp.com/professional-panhandlers-congregate/ - Published: 2007-02-08T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T00:01:08.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness *SM’s potential deficit hangs like dark cloud* CITY HALL For a small piece of paper, it carries a lot of weight. I’m talking about cash money, you know, the almighty dollar. And just like the O’Jays declared in 1973, some people will still “do things, do things, do things, bad things with it,” while others will “do things, do things, do things, good things with it.” Those people — I’m talking about the good guys now — came with their hands out Tuesday night as part of an annual tradition in which residents and social service providers ask the City Council for dough to fund their pet projects. Based on their requests, elected officials develop a set of community budget priorities that they must consider when drafting City Hall’s spending plan for the coming fiscal year. It was especially important for service providers to attend, since the council was discussing what organizations need to do to qualify for the community development grant program, which provides $6.7 million annually to 29 non-profit human service and housing development organizations supporting more than 53 different programs. Those that didn’t show could be left out when the council starts divvying up the cash. The time to ask for the “Benjamins” is now, given the sobering news elected officials received about the future of City Hall’s finances. If corrections are not made — and you better believe they will be if the city manager has anything to say about — City Hall will face a structural deficit of roughly $4.7 million by 2009-10, with the deficit potentially growing to as much as $19 million by 2012, said Carol Swindell, the newly hired finance director who made her first appearance before the council Tuesday. Much of that is due to a potential loss of $12 million in user utility taxes as a result of changes in telecommunications regulations at the federal level. A slump in the housing market could also have a negative impact to the tune of $900,000, and so can increases in labor costs According to Swindell, enterprise funds (those generated to cover costs) such as solid waste, Woodlawn Cemetery and the Santa Monica Pier, could experience deficits, prompting Mayor Pro-Tem Herb Katz to request city staff work with the Pier Restoration Corporation board to develop a business plan for the city’s most famous landmark so that it can at least break even. “We need to make sure that the pier and other funds make positive cash flows, not negative,” Katz said. The Council Chambers were about half-empty (sorry, I’m a reporter, have to be somewhat pessimistic), but those who did attend were very passionate about the programs they run and/or the initiatives they want to see funded. There were representatives from homeless services providers such as OPCC, the Red Cross — which celebrates its 90th anniversary in Santa Monica next month — the Santa Monica-Malibu School District, CLARE Foundation,18th Street Arts Center, Main Street Merchants Association, Ocean Park Association, the Wilshire-Montana Neighborhood Coalition — all seeking that mean green. “I’m hoping to get money out of your budget instead of mine for some long-term funding for lighting and other street improvements. That’s better than the money coming out of my pocket,” said Joe Pipersky, chair of the Main Street Merchants Association, eliciting chuckles from the council. Pipersky was asked why he thought having better street lighting calms visitors to Main Street and, therefore, creates a quieter neighborhood for residents living nearby. “I think people tend to behave better when the lights are on,” he responded. Members of the Child Care & Early Education Task Force came out to speak on behalf of “those who don’t have a voice” before the council — toddlers and other youth. They were joined by representatives of Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) and school board vice president Oscar de la Torre in requesting more funding for education, calling on the council to allocate an additional $1 million for schools as part of a funding agreement between City Hall and the school district. “Your generous support has helped create a level playing field to ensure that low-and moderate-income families have access to high quality care and education,” said Patti Oblath, co-chair of the task force. With City Hall providing 5 percent of the district’s funding, de la Torre emphasized how important the council’s contribution has been and asked for elected officials to dig deeper to help close the achievement gap between students of color and their white and Asian counterparts. The school board vice president also tried to do some damage control, reassuring the council that recent friction within the ranks of the district over a potential deficit due to a raise in teacher salaries was nothing more than a disagreement between the superintendent and the district’s finance director. He said money is available to cover the raise and other expenses. “The board feels confident that we will be able to meet our budget and we will be in a better place once (a review of finances) comes out,” de la Torre said. CONTINUED NEED Parking and traffic were once again hot topics, with residents from Wilshire- Montana and Ocean Park calling for traffic studies and street improvements. In particular, Ocean Park residents want traffic calming measures along Ocean Park Boulevard, which was widened decades ago. “Drivers now have a freeway mentality,” said Jeffrey Jarrow, president of the Ocean Park Association, alluding to the bustling boulevard. “We’ve had an ongoing police presence to verify the seriousness of the situation. There have been more than 250 citations issued and 30 accidents in the last year alone... It’s unsafe.” Jarrow and other Ocean Park residents called for traffic lights to be installed and sidewalks widened. For Wilshire-Montana residents, parking was the issue. They are fed up with not being able to park in front of their homes and apartments and would like City Hall to study whether or not it’s feasible to create diagonal parking to create more spaces. Ana Maria Jara, a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, asked for the council to put more money behind marketing so that more residents know what programs the city offers and how they can access them. “Many residents are unable to determine which programs they are eligible for,”Jara said. In the end, the council directed city staff to keep their eyes on nine areas when drafting next fiscal year’s budget, including; a continued emphasis on customer service; homelessness; mobility (traffic, parking, land use); culture, sustainability; youth violence, education; capital projects; and active living/recreation. Council identified three areas of special focus — homelessness, addressing youth violence and completion of the Land Use and Circulation Element of the city’s master plan. By the time that happened, it was already close to 10 p.m., and with a goal of ending the meeting by 11 p.m., Mayor Richard Bloom and the rest of the council opted to continue discussion of items related to management of the council meetings and the use of council contingency funds to the next meeting, Feb. 13. The meeting adjourned at 11:10 p.m. in memory of Dr. Don Clelland, a principal at several Santa Monica schools, and in memory of Ed Maggiore, a pediatric dentist and long-time UCLA faculty member. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 8, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/020807.pdf?ref=smdp.com)