Two factors have created the residents’ unprecedented concern about our future. What should we as residents expect from our city? As Livablecities.org describes it, 

“The essential character of the city, “its urban character,” evolves through a confrontation of the public and private domains; a constant exchange, a separation and coming together of these two domains. Only when inhabitants live in both domains, can the city meet its full potential for enhancing the life of each, and serve its social and cultural functions.”  

Applying this definition of a successful city to Santa Monica over the past 20 years of the residents’ lived experience, it’s clear that the instances of the essential synergistic coming together of the public and private domains has been in inexorable decline. Compounding this decline at every step has been the complete absence of clarity about what the future holds.  

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/10/sma-r-t-column-the-opportunity-to-re-unite-the-residents-with-their-city/

The City Council on Tuesday amended its contract with St. Joseph Center by more than $1 million to help between 150 and 200 additional tenants pay rent during the coronavirus emergency.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/October-2020/10_29_2020_City_to_Help_Up_to_200_More_Tenants_Pay_Rent.html

With City revenues "marginally better than anticipated," the City Council on Tuesday closed out the 2019-20 Fiscal Year budget by using $12 million less in reserves than expected.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/October-2020/10_28_2020_Funding_Gap_Narrows_as_Council_Closes_Year_End_Budget.html

Last night, the Santa Monica City Council reviewed and closed out the fiscal year 2019-20 budget and modified the fiscal year 2020-21 budget based on updated financial projections.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/10/28/santa-monica-city-council-reviews-year-end-financial-health-and-addresses-community-needs

Political Action Committees (PACs) involved in the Santa Monica City Council race have raised almost $1 million and are quickly spending it to elect their choice of candidates as voters cast early ballots at a record rate.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2020/10_27_2020_OPINION_Are_PACs_Buying_the_City_Council_Election.html

The Lookout recently asked sitting City Councilmembers to respond to a poll released by Eyes on Local 11 ("Is Crime Really Down? Incumbents Weigh In," October 21, 2020).

The poll found that half of Santa Monica voters feel less safe in the city now than they did two years ago.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2020/10_26_2020_LETTERS_Shooting_the_Messenger_on_Crime.html

[SMa.r.t. originally published this article four years ago. We believe it remains current, with slight alterations. The elections, in the next few days, make it especially relevant. We urge our readers to vote as if our city, and our home, depends on it].

 SMa.r.t. and others in our city have identified many continuous problems with planning oversight in Santa Monica. It is appropriate to look at some of our civic problems in relation to the sins set out in the Divine Comedy. Gluttony has been suggested. There seems to be no other way to describe the “carpetbaggers” and “robber barons” intent on taking control of our city’s most precious resources. Our land, our proximity to the Pacific Ocean, our climate and our skyline all scream profit to those who want to exploit them.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/10/sma-r-t-column-santa-monicas-divine-comedy/

The California Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to review the decision of the Court of Appeal on the voting rights lawsuit that ruled in favor of the City’s at-large election system.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/california-supreme-court-takes-on-cvra-case/197823

The voting rights lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica is headed to the California Supreme Court after it granted the Latino plaintiffs' petition for review Wednesday.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/October-2020/10_21_2020_Supreme_Court_Takes_Up_Voting_Rights_Lawsuit.html

 Last year, Santa Monica experienced the steepest drop in serious crime in at least a decade ("Reports of Serious Crime Dropped in Santa Monica Last Year," October 20, 2020).

Yet, half of the local voters who responded to a recent poll said they felt less safe than they did two years ago ("Poll Shows Lack of Support for Council Incumbents," October 2, 2020).

The Lookout asked the four members of a slate of challengers to explain the reasons for this discrepancy.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/October-2020/10_21_2020_Is_Crime_Really_Down_Council_Challengers_Weigh_In.html