At the Candidates Online Workshop held on July 13, Santa Monica City Clerk Denise Anderson specifically informed potential candidates that the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica Education Fund would be providing candidate forums and other election-related services.

We are in the process of planning these forums and will be reaching out to all qualified candidates to invite them to each elected bodies’ respective forum.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2020/08_19_2020_LETTERS_Local_League_to_Host_Candidate_Forums.html

 In a highly unusual move, the City on Tuesday replaced the argument opposing a tax measure that will appear on the November ballot.

The arguments were switched after two separate filers attempted to submit arguments opposing Measure SM, which would boost the City's luxury real estate tax to help pay for essential services, City officials said.

"One opponent filed a complaint claiming that the other opponent’s filing was administratively incorrect," said City spokesperson Constance Farrell.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/August-2020/08_18_20_2020_City_Replaces_Ballot_Argument_Opposing_Luxury_Tax_Measure.html

As with the City of LA program, the County Program will distribute $100 million in Covid-19 relief, to tenants who complete an online application. The deadline is Monday August 31. Tenants may also call 211 and complete an application by phone.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2020/08/16/news/city-of-los-angeles-county-of-la-each-give-100-million-to-tenants-through-a-lottery/4846.html

Four slow-growth candidates have formed a slate to take on the incumbents in the November race for four seats on the Santa Monica City Council, slate members announced Monday.

Santa Monica Residents United for Change is composed of School Board member Oscar de la Torre, Arts Commissioner Phil Brock, Planning Commissioner Mario Fonda-Bonardi and Pico Neighborhood resident Christine Parra.

The slate is expected to receive the backing of the Santa Monica's seven neighborhood groups, said Tricia Crane, a slow-growth activist who is chair of Northeast Neighbors.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/August-2020/08_17_2020_Slate_Formed_to_Challenge_Council_Incumbents.html

A Santa Monica ballot measure that would eliminate rules to fill open positions will either help diversity the City's workforce or lead to "nepotism and cronyism," according to ballot arguments submitted to the City Clerk last week.

The ballot measure would remove two provisions from the City charter that require "vacant positions to be filled using a closed internal promotional recruitment" and "selecting from only the top three highest ranked internal candidates."

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/August-2020/08_17_2020_Charter_Changes_Promote_Diversity_or_Lead_to_Nepotism.html

The election for the partial 2-year seat will proceed as scheduled and McCowan’s name will appear on the ballot unopposed, according to the City Clerk. 

Read More on page 1, 4: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/081720.pdf

Santa Monica voters will have the opportunity to decide the fate of a local ballot measures this coming November and arguments for the proposed luxury tax ordinance have been released online.

The measure asks if the City of Santa Monica shall increase the one-time real estate transfer tax paid on each property sale that’s worth $5 million or more by $3 for every $1,000 of the sales price. 

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/arguments-in-favor-and-against-proposed-ordinances-released/195508

In last week’s article we touched on the nine bills currently before our state legislature which assigns and orders, under economic penalty, that Santa Monica builds 8,874 units in the next 8 years. 1,100 units a year in a city that currently builds 200 a year. 

Where is our City Council??

While Sacramento is considering

• allowing heights for new construction based on buildings ½ a mile away!
• allowing 10 unit, four-story apartment buildings in single-family neighborhoods without parking
• silencing residents on the review of housing projects in their neighborhoods 
• and each bill ignoring water and other infrastructure demands

It is truly unbelievable that we have a City Council that is so dependent on developer money, that they will allow us to be led down a path of no return, lined with six and 8-story buildings instead of trees and sunlight.  

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/08/sma-r-t-column-where-oh-where-is-our-city-council-part-2/

Under a twenty-second supplement last month, Santa Monica’s eviction moratorium has been extended to September 30, 2020 for residential tenants in alignment with state law. The extension is to August 31, 2020 for commercial tenants.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/08/santa-monica-extends-eviction-moratorium/

See list at: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/August-2020/08_14_2020_Santa_Monica_Ballot_Order.html