Tuesday’s City Council marked the end of an era as longtime sitting councilmembers traded places with the fresh faces of those who were incoming.
Approaching City Hall from Main Street at about five o’clock in the afternoon, crowds could already be seen inside the foyer and even queuing outside to get in. City Staff generously laid on an impressive buffet for the large numbers that had gathered to share this new chapter in Santa Monica history. Needless to say, chambers filled up quickly as friends and family members of both the incoming and outgoing councilmembers joined former councilmembers, along with locals and residents to watch the evening’s proceedings unfold.
Television screens had also been set up in the foyer so that anyone who had not managed to snag one of the 80-or-so seats, or standing room, inside chambers could still watch the live YouTube feed and there were at least the same number outside in the lobby.
Everyone on the dias made an effort and dressed up and arrangements of flowers were placed at each desk, all adding a sense of occasion to the meeting. About 20 enlisted to speak during the public input and along with some entertaining theatrics, there were also speakers representing neighboring West Hollywood City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District, among others, congratulating both the outgoing and incoming members of council.
Councilmember Oscar de la Torre was the first to give a speech, saying, “I'm very proud of what we've been able to accomplish throughout the years here on the city council. When we were elected in 2020 it was utter chaos … coming through COVID and we weren't even in office. We couldn't even come into City Hall for many months … So it was a struggle, for sure and I just want to congratulate all of us. All of us that have been on the council during these very difficult times, weathered the storm [and] brought the city back to some stability and the trajectory is positive.”
De la Torre is a native Santa Monica resident who served 18 years on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education. He has held a seat on the City Council since 2020 and was elected at the same time as Councilmember Christine Parra.
Despite originally being on a slate with both de la Torre and Mayor Phil Brock, Parra herself, chose not to run for reelection in August of this year, citing family priorities.
“As I step away, I'm filled with hope that the new council will continue to prioritize the voices and the needs of every member of our community. I trust that we remain responsive, compassionate and dedicated to the work ahead. I wish them all the best as they carry this important work forward,” she said in an emotional speech., adding, “I want to give a special thanks to my husband and to my boys, my three sons, I'm sorry I wasn't there, but [I’m] coming home now.”
Councilmember Gleam Davis joined the City Council in February 2009 and was elected to the position of Vice Mayor in 2016 and to Mayor in 2018 and again in 2022. Prior to joining the City Council, she was a co-chair of Santa Monicans for Renters Rights and served on the Santa Monica Planning Commission. Because rules have changed regarding the amount of time each councilmember is allowed to serve, no one will again come close to her record.
“Let me start out with thanking everyone who came out tonight, so obviously a celebration of folks who have given a lot of time to this community,” Davis said. “I'm so excited for our future, because we are going to be in such amazing hands. I too want to start out with a lot of gratitude, gratitude to the community for allowing me to serve this community in many capacities.”
“My husband has endured things that no human being should have to endure, everything from my being grouchy to waking up when I get home at three o'clock in the morning from council meetings, but most importantly, he has been my supportive rock throughout all of this.”
Finally, Mayor Phil Brock presented his opus. Brock is a second-generation Santa Monica resident and was elected to the Santa Monica City Council in 2020. He served on the Recreation and Parks Commission for over 12 years, including as Chair and he also served on the Arts Commission for over four years.
His mayoral trademark stamp on each Council meeting was a three minute video highlighting a different element of Santa Monica history. And to honor that tradition, he offered a montage of photographs from throughout his life, including some priceless pics from his childhood.
“I'm sad about leaving the council [but] I'm confident our city will be in good hands on the council and the city of my birth has been the honor of my life. I've done my best to be true to my original reason for running, to be a champion for all of our residents, to use common sense and be pragmatic in decisions, to do our best to help all of those in need,” he said in another emotionally-charged speech.
They were then presented with the customary City of Santa Monica street signs, before the newly-elected Councilmembers Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell and Natalya Zernitskaya were sworn in by City Clerk Nikima Newsome to begin their four-year terms.
Negrete was unanimously voted to become Mayor, as was more or less expected. However, when it came to vote on who would take the Vice Mayor position, Hall nominated Torosis, again as was more or less expected, but added the detail that her time in the role be limited to 2025 and Councilmember Jesse Zwick will be Vice Mayor for 2026.
Despite one or two gasps from some members of the gathered crowd in chambers, this actually makes perfect sense. Torosis, as the next longest serving member of Council will potentially become Mayor in December 2025 following a formal vote, replacing Negrete after her one year term, in a similar manner to the handover between Davis and Brock in December 2023.
However, Zwick and Torosis, along with Negrete, are all up for reelection in November 2026, and having spent the preceding 11 months in elevated positions on the dais, will certainly boost their chances of reelection. With all the relatively new rules in place regarding mayoral rotation and one year terms, how 2027 unfolds is anyone’s guess.
Once the seating order had been decided (L-R, Zwick, Hall, Raskin, Negrete, Torosis, Snell and Zernitskaya) they too gave speeches.
“I'm proud that voters overwhelmingly chose a compassionate, progressive and abundant future. Voters told us they were not afraid to build more homes, support renters and uplift workers while rebuilding our economy. They asked us to continue repairing racial injustice, invest in education and street safety, enforce equitable public safety, treat our neighbors with dignity and protect our environment,” Hall said, adding, “Voters demanded a return of ethics, integrity and our city council.”
“I want to thank my family, most of all, my wife … and all those that supported me and us coming on to this council … So many of you know my advocacy and my love for the city. I also like short meetings so that hopefully, hopefully that is something that we will see and something that we will all cherish on some level,” Snell said.
“I want to thank the folks who voted for me, everyone who cast a vote in this election, and everyone who could not vote, but made their voices heard, because it takes all of us to make democracy work,” Zernitskaya said, adding, “We have big problems before us, and with the incoming federal administration, we'll have even more work to do to protect vulnerable people in the community.”
Finally, Raskin said, “I ran for city council to make our city more affordable, more inclusive and more sustainable. I promise to work on behalf of all residents and I invite all of you to reach out to me. Let's talk about the issues that matter to you. I look forward to the good work that we can accomplish over the next few years, and I look forward to the journey ahead.”
In addition to installing its new members, the City Council certified the results for the local ballot measures:
Measure F — updates the city’s business license tax ordinance to improve tax equity and fairness by exempting small businesses from the tax, decreasing tax rates for most retailers and restaurants, removing auto dealer tax exemptions and restoring a business license processing fee. The changes are anticipated to generate approximately $3 million annually to fund essential city services such as 911 emergency response, public safety and addressing homelessness
Measure K — increases the city’s Parking Facility Tax from 10% to 18%. The tax applies only to private parking structures and lots and is anticipated to generate about $6.7 million annually to reduce traffic congestion and the risk of traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Santa Monica (see Measure PSK below).
Measure PSK ― an advisory measure that directs the city to allocate at least half of the revenue from Measure K toward addressing public safety and homelessness.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
