"Celebrate America" Back On

By Jorge Casuso

May 23 -- With the community’s help, fireworks will light up the skies to celebrate Independence Day after Santa Monica College and City officials rekindled the annual event that had been cancelled during a financial crisis.

In a letter sent out Friday, Mayor Richard Bloom and College Board of Trustees Chair Herb Roney appealed to the community to help raise the $25,000 needed to stage the annual $50,000 “Celebrate America” event produced by the college and sponsored by the City on June 28.

“The City of Santa Monica has offered to join with Santa Monica College and make this special appeal to members of our community to raise the remaining funding to keep this wonderful event alive,” the letter said. “Already, we have reached the halfway mark towards our goal of $50,000. Your help will make the difference.”

Mayor Richard Bloom said he hopes the community will step up.

“We’re putting the word out on the street and hoping people pitch in to help keep one of Santa Monica’s best-loved events alive,” Bloom said.

The mayor added that he would rather not dip into the City’s discretionary fund, which stands at about $100,000 and which he hopes to earmark to help the School District bridge a $13 million shortfall.

“If we absolutely have to use it, we will,” Bloom said. “But any money we don’t spend, I’m going to have the council earmark for the school district.”

News that “Celebrate America” will return to the campus for a 21st straight year comes nearly one month after college officials announced that it had cancelled Santa Monica’s biggest community event because they feared the celebration would send the wrong message during a budget crisis.

Earlier this month, Bloom placed an item on the City Council agenda to “urge the community to save ‘Celebrate America,’” -- which drew 20,000 people to the college stadium last year -- arguing that the college was “not choosing the right vehicle to send the message“ about the budget crisis.

City Manager Susan McCarthy then contacted college administrators, who agreed to take part in the effort, said College spokesman Bruce Smith.

“We said, ‘If the City can raise the money, we’d go ahead with it,’” Smith said.

The letter was sent by the college to 300 supporters on Friday, and the City disseminated copies to local media.

“The City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica College are making this combined appeal for your assistance in preserving this wonderful patriotic festival and summertime celebration despite unprecedented funding cutbacks,” the letter said.

The letter notes that the college could face budget cuts of as much as $10 million due to an historic $35 billion shortfall in the State budget. The City this week unveiled a budget that trims $16 million.

But lack of funds wasn’t the main reason “Celebrate America” was cancelled. The college’s decision, Smith said earlier this month, was more of a symbolic gesture than a fiscal necessity.

“We feel very strongly that this is not the year to put on such a big celebration,” Smith said.

But Bloom disagreed. “Canceling it, to me, would be more of a penalty to the community than a message,” he said.

Those interested in helping can send a check in any amount payable to "Santa Monica College Celebrate America" to "Celebrate America," c/o Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405. All donations are 100 percent tax deductible.