A Question of Signing

By Jorge Casuso

Jan. 21-- It's not surprising that former Mayor Judy Abdo would sign a ballot statement opposing a measure that requires homeowners to approve historic designation for their homes. After all, the Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights leader has long championed historic districts and lives in one of the city's oldest homes.

"I believe in preserving historic buildings," said Abdo, whose home in Ocean Park dates back to around 1880. "It's important to preserve the heritage of a community. I just signed on to something I believe in."

But Abdo is also a School District administrator, heading the beleaguered system's Child Development Services. And Councilman Bob Holbrook, for one, thinks her signature opposing the "Homeowners Freedom of Choice Initiative," which goes before voters in March, will turn off a core constituency the district will need to pass a school parcel tax in June.

"I was amazed" she would sign the ballot argument, Holbrook said. "I think it upsets the homeowners heavy duty. There's no question about that."

Holbrook notes that the parcel tax on the November ballot, which fell short of the necessary 66 percent of the vote, garnering 62 percent, failed to carry any of the homeowner neighborhoods in Santa Monica and Malibu. "The school district needs homeowner votes," he said.

Holbrook also was surprised to see Abdo's name on the ballot argument because a high ranking district employee he has known for years declined to endorse him in last year's council race, citing district policy.

"The superintendent's policy is that his administration stay out of these things. We have to remain neutral," Holbrook said the employee told him.

But School Superintendent John Deasy said there is no such policy in place.

"The district does not have a policy," Deasy said. "We recognize that every resident has a right to express their views. No employee represents the local school district."

While Holbrook believes Abdo's signature will hurt the parcel tax, other proponents of both initiatives question whether homeowners will put the two together.

"I can't tie the two together," said Councilman Herb Katz. "It's a whole different issue." But he added that Adbo's decision to sign the ballot argument "may not be the most prudent judgement."

Tom Larmore, who authored the "Homeowners Freedom of Choice Initiative" and is a staunch supporter of the parcel tax, also said voters will likely not make the connection.

"I didn't quite look at it that way," Larmore said. "I certainly wouldn't make it an issue. I'm supporting both things. People don't really identify her with the schools."

What did trouble Larmore was that the argument opposing the initiative is "inaccurate."

The statement Abdo -- along with four others, including Mayor Richard Bloom -- signed reads: "Proposition A is an attempt by developers to repeal the Santa Monica Landmarks ordinance -- so they can tear down historic homes and replace them with 'monster mansions.'"

Larmore said that the initiative, which qualified for a special election with nearly 10,000 signatures, is a grassroots effort and that the council has already approved an ordinance curbing the construction of "monster mansions."

"I was very disappointed in her," Larmore said. "The ballot argument is full of inaccurate statements. The money (for the initiative's campaign) has been given by homeowners, and we already have zoning laws to deal with that," he said referring to the "monster mansions."

There was apparently an efforts to remove Abdo's name from the statement after Holbrook expressed his concerns, and City Clerk Maria Stewart said there were several calls to her office. But it was too late.

A two term City Council member who served three years as mayor, Abdo, in fact, decided not to also sign the rebuttal after her signature on the argument opposing the measure became an issue.

"I decided not to sign the rebuttal," Abdo said.

This is not the first time the district or one of its employees is charged with unwisely entering into Santa Monica's charged political arena.

Last April, 120 Samohi students marched from the high school to the neighboring Double Tree Guest Suites Hotel, which is embroiled in a unionizing battle. The demonstration celebrating Cesar Chavez's birthday was sanctioned by the school administration.

After a story ran in The Lookout, Holbrook, a former School Board member, wondered if district officials who participated in the march would allow other groups to use the school grounds to stage a demonstration, particularly if their cause was not politically correct.