Residents of Santa Monica rarely question how their local government works. Debate usually focuses on housing, homelessness, or budgets—not on the machinery producing those outcomes. But the City Council–City Manager system creates a power imbalance: part-time, often inexperienced council members struggle to set priorities, while unelected staff make the real decisions. The result can be inefficiency and policies misaligned with community needs.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2025/09/sm-a-r-t-column-santa-monicas-governance-problem-elected-council-strong-mayor-or-part-one-of-two/