Electoral Reform Talk without Walk

May 14, 2007

Dear Editor,

This Monday there will be a Citizens' Workshop, ostensibly about how we finance Santa Monica's elections and improve our local government.

The facts are that in most municipal, county, state and federal elections, campaign financing, incumbency and special interests all provide the political support and backing that determine who gets elected.

Santa Monica is no different. Here the most powerful interests who benefit from the gratitude of our City Council are city employees, community agencies and various individuals. Isn't there supposed to be a law against using public revenues for political purposes?

Of the most powerful interests who determine who gets elected are the Santa Monica Police, Fire Department and Santa Monicans Renters' Rights. There are other more commercial interests who endorse and contribute to political campaigns and are a source of enormous city revenues, but who gains from all this political maneuvering?

If you look around the city you will notice more development than ever before, more traffic, more tourists and less parking. Santa Monica College is larger than some universities, even though it is supposed to be a Community College, with students from all over the world paying out of state tuition fees.

We have an airport that was not designed for large jets and serves the rich and powerful, most of whom live in the Palisades or Beverly Hills and don't have to be subjected to the noise, toxic pollution and danger of a major disaster.

Those of us who live here have very little voice, even though a select few who form neighborhood groups and try to have some input into policy decisions can sometimes hold off the inevitable for a little while. They may even succeed in getting a dog park at the airport, or childcare for Yahoo employees (who don't live her but commute to work).

What can be done to empower the people who actually live here and meekly vote for the incumbents, and whomever is endorsed by people who work here, or receive city contracts?

Well, that's what Clean Money and this workshop is supposed to be about. But will this meeting really make a difference, considering the goal is to reform elections? Why would our City Council support anything that would create a level playing field and enable residents to have a real voice in city government?

Why stop at Clean Money? Why not Ranked Voting and Term Limits also? We have all seen how the Internet, blogs and the free exchange of ideas are beginning to expose political corruption, incompetence and conflict of interest.

Santa Monica was the first city to create a public electronic network (PEN) almost 30 years ago and pulled the plug after three years. Los Angeles is planning to provide public wireless access for free or for a nominal fee, why not Santa Monica; we already have a city website.

I expect Monday’s meeting will be attended by the same people and even an elected official or two proclaiming what a great idea for electoral reform, and then it will be back to business as usual...

Jon Mann
(Editor’s note: Jon Mann has made five bids for City Council)