July 20, 2026

Dear Editor,

Every important decision begins long before the final vote is cast. It begins with a simple question: Who gets invited into the conversation?

My own experience negotiating the proposed California Roadhouse lease illustrates why this matters.

During negotiations, City Council members added labor-related provisions commonly known as "Labor Peace" and "Right to Recall." Those provisions had been publicly supported by UNITE HERE Local 11.

California Roadhouse objected because we believed those provisions fundamentally changed the terms under which we were prepared to operate, without further discussion. The proposed lease ultimately was not completed after those provisions became the central point requiring clarification and discussion.

Regardless of where one stands on "Labor Peace" and "Right to Recall," the workers, businesses, and community members most directly affected deserved a meaningful opportunity to explain how those provisions could affect jobs, private investment, and the future of the Santa Monica Pier before decisions were made.

In my experience, only one of Santa Monica's seven City Council members -- Lana Negrete -- accepted the opportunity to meet with me and fully hear our concerns firsthand.

At the same time, campaign finance records show that several other Council members accepted campaign contributions and endorsements from UNITE HERE Local 11, the union that publicly supported those same provisions.

Whether elected officials ultimately agreed with my perspective is not the issue. The issue is whether they were willing to hear all sides before making a decision.

Communities benefit when elected officials challenge their own assumptions, hear competing viewpoints, and carefully evaluate the broader consequences of public policy before taking action.

Communities suffer when important decisions appear to be shaped without fully considering the people who will live with the consequences.

Residents should never have to wonder whether access to City Hall depends on campaign contributions, political relationships, or organizational influence. Public confidence depends on knowing that every stakeholder has a fair opportunity to participate in the process and that decisions are guided by the merits of an issue -- not by who has the greatest access to elected officials.

Good government is measured not only by the decisions it makes, but also by how those decisions are made. Citizens are far more likely to trust outcomes when they believe the process was open, transparent, and fair.

As Santa Monica voters prepare for another election, we should ask every candidate a simple question: When difficult decisions arise, who will you listen to first?

The answer may tell us more about how our elected officials will govern than any campaign promise ever could.

Sean Ahaus
Founder of California Roadhouse, Inc.