Dear Editor,
My husband and I totally agree with Carol E. Siegle regarding the traffic situation in Santa Monica. We could not have said it any better. I read her letter this morning after surviving another disastorous traffic situation last night.
Santa Monica Place open[ed] officially [Friday, Aug. 6], but I had received an invitation from Bloomingdale’s for a special sneak preview a day earlier. To avoid the opening day madness and masses of people, we decided to go last night. The traffic moved fine until we got to Lincoln and Colorado, where it became to a stand still. We had also forgotten that there was a musical event on the Pier. We endured the traffic jam for half of an hour, which it took to reach 6th Street. We gave up and headed north on 6th until Wilshire Boulevard, turned west on Wilshire and discovered the public parking structure north of Wilshire on 4th Street was full. We ended parking at the 2nd Street structure between Wilshire and Arizona Avenue. We walked to Bloomingdale’s and saw that the structure between Arizona and Santa Monica Boulevard as well between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway were full.
I feel strongly that [this] disaster sealed my decision to stay away from downtown Santa Monica. And just wait when the [Exposition Light Rail] arrives to Santa Monica. I am very much in favor of public transportation… [but it] is going to bring to Santa Monica these huge and monsterous briges and construction which you can already see on La Cienega Boulevard and along Jefferson Boulevard. There goes the charm of Santa Monica.
I will continue shopping at Bloomingdale at Century City and for some time already I have been doing my banking by Westside Pavilion. Both City Bank and Chase are close by and the post office inside the pavilion. And as a bonus I often purchase movie tickets for the night, since Landmark has numbered reserved seats. And now, that’s what I call civilized.
Mirja Covarrubias, Santa Monica
Dear Editor,
Those who recently joined Santa Monicans for Renter’s Rights (SMRR) solely to pursue endorsement of one particular candidate while blocking endorsement of other candidates have been dismayed to learn that SMRR is bigger than any one faction and beyond their ability to manipulate or control.
SMRR is at its core a tenant protection and advocacy organization. Thousands of Santa Monica residents belong to SMRR and rely on the organization to protect their homes and their quality of life. On non-tenant protection issues, SMRR will only take a stand when there is strong consensus within the organization, as there is regarding SMRR’s support for the schools. When a consensus fails to emerge on a non-tenant issue, such as the development issues surrounding Prop T, SMRR leaders and members will generally agree not to take an official position. We recognize that people of good will can hold different views on one or more secondary issues, and that SMRR as an organization is more important than any faction within SMRR. As long as we continue to agree on our core goals and principles, we can all move forward together.
This brings us to the 2010 election campaign and the Steering Committee’s decision to support previously SMRR endorsed candidates in addition to those endorsed at the convention. By adding candidates who have consistently supported rent control and worked hard to protect tenants, the Steering Committee fulfilled one of its most important responsibilities to the broader SMRR membership. It is a responsibility that the Steering Committee does not take lightly, but also one that we will not shy away from because of complaints from outsiders or from newly minted SMRR members who may not share our deep commitment to SMRR’s platform and core values. It is part of a democratic system of checks and balances has helped SMRR remain vibrant for more than 30 years.
SMRR is a diverse and welcoming organization. We are renters and homeowners of all ages and backgrounds. We suggest that those who are less familiar with SMRR visit our website www.smrr.org to read our platform and learn more about SMRR’s role in the community. We are pleased to welcome new members from every neighborhood who want to roll up their sleeves and work with us on behalf of tenants and all residents of Santa Monica.
Sonya Fox Sultan,
SMRR Steering Committee
