Initiative Talk

May 6 , 2014

Dear Editor,

As we celebrate our victory of getting a referendum certified, I want to point out that there’s another tool in our tool box that we have started to consider.  It’s called an initiative.

A referendum is intended to nullify a law already passed.  It requires the signatures of 10% of the voters gathered in 30 days.  

An initiative is intended to create a new law.  To get it on a special election  ballot requires signatures of 15% of the voters collected in 180 days.

Keep in mind that in the process of getting the Hines referendum certified, we collected signatures of 15% of the voters in just 28 days.  In fact,  we’ve become so adept at signature gathering we’ve put City Hall and the development community into shock.

Since we Residocracy members intend to be heard and responded to by  the City Council, if the Council ignores us on May 13,  by refusing to nullify  the Hines project,   and depending on the results of the election,   the possibility exists that we may want  to  put an initiative on the ballot in a special election.

Topics  for an initiative under discussion include, but are not limited to:

(1)Having all developments over a certain height or density come to the voters for approval.; (2)  Mandating that all developments must provide at least one parking space per car per anticipated resident. employee. and customer of that development. 

City staff from top to bottom and the present majority on the council have an over arching  goal -  to raise city revenues  in Santa Monica by overdeveloping every inch  of ground in the city ,   making sure that tax from new development  will always pay for the bloated needs of one of the largest and highest  paid City Staffs in the country.

They are  completely  ignoring consideration of the limitations of the capacity of the streets,    the necessity for parking , and the promises made to protect neighborhoods.  In so doing,  they’re  systematically   destroying our quality of life. in Santa Monica.  When the Fire Department can’t get through traffic to put out a fire, and the Police can’t get through traffic to stop a crime,  drastic steps may be necessary.

City Governments are created to serve the residents of that city,  We need to do what ever is necessary to make sure that the city government of Santa Monica knows  the residents, will not tolerate less,  and an initiative is one way to make that clear.   Think about it. Set your creative minds to work and come up with bases for possible initiatives that you think would work.  You may post your suggestions on the Residocraccy Santa Monica Facebook page.  All suggestions will be considered. . .

Ellen Brennan
Santa Monica Resident