Council Candidates Tackle the Living Wage, the RAND Land and Preferential Parking

By Jorge Casuso

The business-backed living wage initiative, the new RAND Corporation headquarters and preferential parking were the topics of a City Council candidates' forum sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

As they did during a televised forum at Adelphia Communications last week, the three incumbents touted the City's accomplishments, stressing the council's support of education, affordable housing and more open space.

The challengers, on the other hand, contended that the council was ignoring the plight of a large sector of the community and pushing a divisive agenda that often has little bearing on the lives of most businesses and residents.

Following are some of the comments made by the 12 candidates present. One candidate, Jon Stevens, was unable to attend.

In their opening and closing comments, the challengers attacked the council's view of public process and community input, arguing that they included residents but excluded business owners.

"We must break through the barrier of us against them," said Chuck Allord, a vocal critic of City government. "We have to start working through our differences."

"I'm concerned the council is a 5-2 majority that won't listen to diversity," said Herb Katz, an architect who served on the council from 1984 to 1992.

"There is one viewpoint and one viewpoint only in this community," said Donna Block, former vice president of Mid City Neighbors. "That dominates everyone in this community. I feel I don't have a voice."

"We will return the Chamber of Commerce and all of the businesses to the table," said David Cole, the former president of Mid City Neighbors, who is running with Block.

"We've lost the guidance we need to do the things we have to do," said Rob Ross, a former prosecutor and business law professor.

The challengers also questioned the council's role in championing the ban on ATM surcharges and the proposed living wage ordinance.

"They create the appearance of action without any real progress," said Don Gray, a publisher. "They distract residents from real issues. A change of leadership is what's needed in this city."

The incumbents countered criticism that the council did not welcome input from all members of the community.

"We have an open public process for people to give their views," said Mayor Ken Genser.

"The hallmark of Santa Monica democracy is its inclusive nature and that we listen to all voices and incorporate them," said Councilman Richard Bloom.

"I really listen and try to meet with everyone," said Councilman Michael Feinstein. "That's how you get the best government."

LIVING WAGE:

Candidates discussed both the nation's first business-backed living wage initiative and a proposed ordinance the council is studying that would make Santa Monica the nation's first city to require businesses with no municipal contracts or grants to pay workers a minimum wage.

Jerry Rubin, who wore a pro-union T-shirt during the forum, sided with the council's position on the living wage.

"I hope the time will come when more hotels can wear the union T-shirt," said Rubin, a peace activist. "We need to get back to the process the council started. We need to bring the workers and the business people together to work out an equitable thing."

The other challengers opposed the council's backing of the ordinance proposed by Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism (SMART), which would cover businesses inside the Coastal Zone that gross more than $3 million a year.

"It (the proposed ordinance) will affect the small businesses in this community," said Ross. "It was not well thought out. It's unconstitutional in several different areas. It will cost - like the ATMs - tens of thousands of dollars in litigation. We need to reach a middle ground that will work."

"I am totally against the SMART proposal," said Katz. "It is the most discriminatory thing I've heard in years. It pits businesses on one side of Fourth Street against the other." (The proposal only covers businesses in the coastal zone, which runs from Fourth Street to the coast north of Pico Boulevard and from Lincoln Boulevard to the coast south of Pico.)

"It tells workers to go work for the big businesses," Katz said. "We've got to get back to basics. Solve the local problems like they should and stay the hell out of it."

"I'm against the City Council getting involved," said Richard Horner, a paralegal and a business broker. "We're looking to put ourselves in the national limelight. It does nothing for the small businesses here."

"It's going to take a multi-faceted approach to improve the lot of the working poor," said Don Gray. "Any matter of this importance should have the vote of the people."

"I think the City should stay out of it," said Edward Curnel, a carpenter. "No one has ever worked who didn't want to."

"I think it's really sad that we have another issue that divides the community," Cole said. "Looking at the living wage for everyone is a good thing, and if there's a groundswell, we should look at it."

Cole noted that the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees local union - a staunch backer of the SMART proposal -- had worked in previous campaigns to elect candidates supported by Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights.

"This looks like a political payback to me for past and future political work," Cole said.

"I truly think that this was an election issue," Block said.

"This is a state issue and a local City Council has no business doing this," said Allord, a printer. "Why are they (council members) out there marching in the streets trying to unionize hotels if this isn't their baby?"

The incumbents countered that the ordinance is just a proposal that will require further study and that many of the fears expressed by business owners are premature. They also criticized the business-backed initiative, which covers municipal contractors and would require voter approval of any living wage measure passed by the City.

"The SMART proposal is a proposal from a community group," said Genser, a planner. "We don't have the answers yet. I think the chamber should be ashamed of supporting the living wage (initiative). If you're against a living wage say so."

"The living wage issue is one of the harder issues," said Feinstein, an author. "We're actually talking about economics and that's much more challenging. Unfortunately, we got off on the wrong foot and things spiraled, but now we've come to a place where there is substance.

"Our goal is not to undermine the local economy, but to help workers," Feinstein said. "The economy has to work for all of us."

"I don't think issues divide people," said Councilman Richard Bloom. "I think it's the way groups address issues that divide. This is a controversial subject." Bloom said he expected there was room for mediation "in hopes that this issue will inform, not divide us."

THE RAND PROPERTY

The candidates discussed the council's recent approval of the design for the new RAND headquarters and the City's purchase of 11.3 acres of RAND property earlier this year for $53 million.

"They should not be spending $53 million of our money before the community had a chance to discuss this," Allord said. "Take some more time and think what we were doing with our money."

"It was a backroom deal," said Block, a product designer. "We're going to end up with a coliseum-sized building hanging off the sidewalk."

Incumbents touted the purchase of the property.

"When opportunity knocks, it's the responsibility of a responsible city government to take that opportunity," Bloom said.

Bloom said the new City-owned land could accommodate "affordable housing, open space, public space, share-use space, a gym, meeting rooms and a non-profit campus (for agencies). The most important thing in this process is your ideas."

"I took the lead in engineering this deal," Feinstein said. "This is a massive opportunity"

Feinstein said he envisioned "underground parking paid by state and federal funds and shuttles, open space, athletic space and a world class child care program that is part of the RAND agreement."

Genser said his vision was "similar to what Mike just enunciated."

The mayor said there would be "an open public process for people to give their thoughts. I'm surprised to hear people speak negatively against this process. There's half a dozen people in this community who don't want it, and they're all at this table."

Curnel said, "They shouldn't have bought the RAND property. I'd hate to see low-income housing go in there."

"I think the council should have asked the community what they want," said Katz, who added that he envisions subterranean parking, open space, mixed housing and a music auditorium.

Rubin said the city needs a new public park and advocated bringing the Oscars back to the Civic Auditorium. "The City Council made the right decision," he said.

Cole, a health care administrator, envisioned a throwback to the past, "sort of a Main Street like you see in Disneyland, something akin to a local Old Town."

He noted that voters already had approved a Civic Center Specific Plan, which dictates the mix of uses and square footage allowed. (The plan is expected to be dramatically revised after extensive public input.)

"Voters have already decided," Cole said. "I have respect for what voters have said they want to do with the property."

But other challengers advocated starting with a clean slate.

"I think it should go back to the drawing board," Horner said. "I think we should look at other communities to see what they've done."

Gray advocated using a plan for the Civic Center developed by UCLA.

"It's a great design," he said. "Why reinvent the wheel. These guys have come up with a great plan."

"We sit at a crossroads," said Ross, who envisions the plan incorporating businesses, housing and open space. "The only way to do that is to get the best planners possible. We need to look 20, 30, 50, 100 years down the line and say, 'Is this going to be the crown jewel of our city?"

PERMIT PARKING

Rubin, who said he has never owned a car or had a driver's license, advocated the use of public transportation.

"Get out of your cars once in a while and get on the Big Blue Bus," said Rubin, who added that there was a need for "more parking structures in the right area, cheaper beach parking and a low parking structure on Main Street.

"We need to sit down and have a summit," Rubin said. "We can figure out the business needs and the community needs."

Ross called parking and traffic "one of the most difficult issues." The problem, he said, won't be solved by "speed bumps and round-abouts but by comprehensive traffic planning.

"It's a balance that has to be struck," said Ross, who added that there is a need for more parking structures, renovating the existing ones and adding shuttles. "It's not a band aid approach, it's a comprehensive plan" that is needed, he said.

Katz called preferential parking "stupid." "It doesn't work," he said. "It just leads to the next block. They pit businesses against residents. It's stupid."

Katz advocated more parking structures and an inner-city shuttle. "Let's get the people out of their cars," he said.

Horner called preferential parking a "band aid solution. It doesn't work. I oppose any measure that chokes businesses."

"It's gotten to the point where people say, 'They have it, so we should have it,'" said Gray, who advocated using the Exposition Light Rail to reduce the number of cars coming into the city.

"We can remake our city to what we want," he added. "Let's make it a place we want to live in. Let's make it a place we want to do business in."

"I'm completely against preferential parking," Curnel said.

Genser said he has always supported residents who petition for preferential parking, although he acknowledges it is not without flaws.

"Preferential parking is not perfect, except it's the best we have," the mayor said. "This is no perfect solution, but we do the best we can."

Genser advocated exploring off-site parking structures and expanding the Tide Shuttle to Mid City and Montana Avenue. He noted that the City already had purchased some land for the light rail.

Genser quoted Yankee great Yogi Berra, who once said, "That place is too crowded. Nobody goes there anymore."

"Santa Monica is a good place," Genser said. "That's why everybody wants to be here."

Feinstein said the council has asked staff to analyze more options and advocated exploring the possibility of issuing parking permits for employees.

Cole countered, "Mike, you have a lot of good ideas, but I don't see them on the street. They're probably being studied.

"I'm not going to tell residents I'm against preferential parking. I mean, let's get real," Cole said. "We need more parking structures. We need to have a citywide traffic plan, not a hodge-podge of zones."

Bloom, who lives on a block with preferential parking, said he understands why residents resort to the controversial measure but added that he opposed building more parking structures.

"Preferential parking often devolves into an us against them issue," Bloom said. "Over-development and growth is the number one reason residents have resorted to preferential parking.

"It's a difficult decision to make, but when you can't park in front of your home, that's when you look at preferential parking," Bloom said. "If we build more parking structures, we generate more traffic."

Ignoring a correction by Bloom in the televised forum last week, Block once again contended that what the city needs is a traffic engineer. (It already has one and has had one for years.)

"Our needs are being ignored," Block said. We don't have a traffic engineer in this city, a qualified professional. There is no willingness to address a solution. We're running around pitting people against each other. We need to have a stronger voice in this community."

Allord said preferential parking is needed when residents are forced to park "four to five blocks from their homes because of a few bad businesses.

"It's ridiculous," Allord said. "We're not going to get anywhere. More preferential parking is going to come and it's going to be a problem."