Santa Monica City Council Priorities: Performative vs. Performance

Dear Council,

You have inherited a city on the brink, with a lot of problems (we're broke!). And, of course, with a lot of potential, if we keep our priorities straight.

But as you consider levying a staggering bond tax ($460 million) on residents, you are also inexplicably deciding to launch a task force to "explore both monetary and non-monetary reparations options." To be paid with what money? Not to mention each member of this 'task force' will be paid $2500 for their opinions. Ha!

You have also managed to find money to hire a consulting firm to conduct a "cannabis equity assessment" to explore "barriers faced by marginalized communities in the cannabis industry." I know, it sounds like a joke, but it's not. And how much did that consulting firm cost?

I realize the money spent on these two pieces of performative virtue signaling is a drop in the bucket of debt that is drowning us. But the energy, time, and attention include real opportunity costs, as they will drawn from staff, our new city manager, and the council. They will distract us from our ongoing crisis: we are broke, and our downtown is still overrun by addicts openly using and dealing drugs. These two initiatives signal to residents that your priorities are in the wrong place, and worse, that you are not serious people.

Here are two opportunities to show leadership and that you understand our real problems and opportunities:

- Civic Auditorium: Approve the public/private partnership (agree to the revised Exclusive Negotiating Agreement) and start the process of restoring a world-class performing arts center. It will bring people from all over the world and help revitalize the city. This is a no-brainer.

- Pali High at the Sears Building: Thousands of kids being dropped off by doting parents will activate that dead zone, bring foot traffic to the promenade, and naturally flush out the addicts that have taken over that area of our downtown, courtesy of our misplaced shelter, (which should be moved ASAP). Do whatever you can to enable Pali high to come to the Sear's Building.

Finally, I challenge you to take a walk at dusk on Santa Monica Blvd., the street named after our city, without the hair on your neck standing up and your heart breaking. The city, with declining downtown revenues from both hotels and retail, will not recover until this issue is solved. Many of us have been saying this for years, and it has, unfortunately stayed true-because reality just doesn't care what you believe.

Show the city that you understand our problems by prioritizing what's critical first. Solve the problems we have, not your personal agenda to right every wrong in the world through questionable means. That's a luxury we can't afford.

Current city council: Ellis Raskin, Dan Hall, Jesse Zwick, Lana Negrete, Caroline Torosis, Natalya Zernitskaya, Barry Snell