Another round of endorsements has occurred for local election and ballot measures.
Institutional endorsements continue to back incumbents for city council and oppose Measure LV.
There are 10 candidates running for four seats on the City Council with all four incumbents in the race. Four candidates are running two seats on the Rent Control Board with both incumbents running. Four candidates are running for three seats on the College Board with all three incumbents running.
The Los Angeles County Democratic Party is backing all four incumbents for City Council (Gleam Davis, Terry O’Day, Tony Vasquez and Ted Winterer. The organization is backing Rob Greenstein Rader (incumbent), Margaret Quinones-Perez (incumbent) and Sion Roy (challenger) for the Santa Monica Community College Board of Trustees. For the Rent Control Board, the party is endorsing Anastasia Foster (incumbent) and Caroline Torosis (challenger).
Their endorsements include support for Measure V (bond money for Santa Monica College) and Measure SM (revisions of the city’s ethics rules). The party took no position on Measures GS and GSH (raising taxes to fund affordable housing/schools). However, they formally opposed Measure LV (also known as the LUVE initiative that would mandate voter approval of some development decisions).
The Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) announced endorsements this week. CEPS is an advocacy organization that has worked to secure funding for local schools including a commitment from City Hall to a long-term funding agreement with the school.
“Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) endorses the incumbents on the Santa Monica City Council and on the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees as the most reliable champions of prioritizing education, as voters consider their choices in the upcoming November 8 election,” said their statement. “Additionally, CEPS has made three important decisions on local (Santa Monica and Malibu) ballot measures before voters in this 2016 local election. CEPS supports Measures GSH/GS and Measure V; and opposes Measure LV.”
The incumbents for Council are Davis, O’Day, Vazquez and Ted Winterer. Incumbents for the SMC board are Rader, Quinones-Perez and Susan Aminoff.
In opposing Measure LV, the statement said LV does not exempt school construction, restrict housing for families/teachers and diminish trust in the public process.
“In opposing Measure LV, CEPS is neither dismissing the serious concerns raised by its supporters nor questioning its proponents’ motives,” said the press release. “We simply believe that Measure LV will make things worse, not better, especially for our schools. It could delay and even prevent the badly needed modernization or post-disaster reconstruction of many educational facilities. We worry that its passage would diminish our community’s commitment to inclusion and helping people of all socioeconomic levels have access to housing, good jobs and great schools in Santa Monica.”
Neighborhood Association Candidate Forum
The second City Council Candidate Forum will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 7 – 9 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) at the Main Library.
The event is hosted by the Friends of Sunset Park, Mid City Neighbors, NE Neighbors, NOMA, OPA, PNA and Wilmont associations.
Organizers said the forum will have several kinds of questions. Candidates will have the opportunity to answer questions about city-wide issues from a moderator similar to other events. However, individual neighborhood associations will also pose questions specific to their individual concerns. The forum will also feature a “lightning round” of yes/no questions.
Organizers said there will also be information available about the neighborhood groups to encourage residents who are interested in learning more or getting involved.
The forum will be held at the Main Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
BY MATTHEW HALL
