Editor:
I am a property owner. I was born and raised in Santa Monica long before Community Corp, SMRR and other like-minded organizations dominated city policies. In addition to the aforementioned special interests city management and unions dutifully support the city council's agenda in return for enriching themselves with compensation that defies market rates, the private sector and any semblance of logic.
When was the last time the city council did anything to ease the financial burden of property owners? Instead the city increases taxes, fees, expands the requirement for business licenses and generally pursues financially onerous measures. The climate the city council has created towards property owners is nothing short of institutional hostility.
The proposal to raise water rates should not be viewed in isolation but instead in the context of a consistent pattern of behavior on the part of the city to pursue misguided social programs and pay ridiculous city salaries at the expense of property owners. Tax paying property owners are usually lauded and appreciated by politicians and government entities. In Santa Monica we are under attack!
Dominic Gomez
Santa Monica
