By Mike Rosenfeld Santa Monica
Bill Bauer’s article on Friday analyzing SMRR strategy (SMDP, Jan. 2, page 4) was very revealing. Bill’s observations that SMRR is pandering to the labor unions because the unions are providing money and campaign workers should be a wake-up call for all Santa Monica residents.
The SMRR-controlled City Council is spending millions of our tax dollars not to reduce gun violence in the Pico neighborhood, or to improve the quality of life for the residents of our city, but on social-service programs for non-residents and to curry favor with big labor.
For example, SMRR backed the recent school-parcel tax, which raises taxes on homeowners and raises rents for tenants allegedly because the city did not have the money to help our school children. But at the same time, SMRR strongly supports spending millions to develop low-income housing for the union hotel workers, also known as potential campaign workers and SMRR voters. The city is developing low-income housing projects at the former Gallegos Restaurant on Broadway and 15th Streets, and the former Jewish Community Center at 26th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. They will tear down Shakey’s Pizza at Berkeley Street and Santa Monica Boulevard to build another high-density low-income housing project.
Vivian Rothstein, a highly paid organizer for the hotel employees and restaurant employees union (H.E.R.E.) will present another increased minimum-wage proposal to the City Council on Jan. 13. She will probably ask the SMRR council to place on the November 2004 ballot a proposal that will compel a higher minimum wage and which will cost over $3 million a year to administer. Yet the SMRR-run council will probably say there is no money in the budget for schools. This is just more political pay back for the union’s generosity and support for SMRR politicians. Instead of spending $3 million to administer the union proposal, I would support a proposal to compel the city to give a percentage of the general fund every year to support our local schools. As a tenant, my position is our tax money should be spent on Santa Monica residents, not on non-resident social services or a union payoff.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 12, 2004. Read the original PDF.