July 15, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Letter To The Editor: Why Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor Gets My Vote:

Dear Editor,

We are undergoing difficult transitions. Heck, even CEQA is changing. There is a lot of pain amongst drivers caught in congestion, especially those who still expect to drive themselves wherever they want to go.

Many can’t see beyond their windshields and seem blinded by a sea of red lights. All alone in their cars, they are angry and yelling, stop!

But we need leaders who are not blinded and can see the complex big picture of traffic woes, how we got here, how to get out, community values — and global warming. Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor is such a leader and can see a way out of this mess and through the pain to the other side.

In December, she was awarded the Streetsie Award by Streetsblog, for Politician of the Year. Pam, in her free time from her primary job as a historical preservation consultant, has committed her life to the public good:

* Santa Monica City Council for 20 years.

* Metro Board of Directors 13 years.

* Chair of the Expo Line Construction Authority.

* President of the Southern California Association of Governments.

* Board of ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), a non-profit group looking to provide technical expertise and services to local governments looking to lead the transition to more sustainable places.

Santa Monica’s system of campaign contributions allows candidates without personal wealth to run for office. Council members should be held to the law regarding campaign contributions.

Pam has followed the law. Santa Monica has a reputation and history of clean and transparent politics. In fact, this dedication to ethics can become a fault when we throw out the most knowledgable and experienced community members who want to represent us, such as happened with architects on the planning commission. Many in the community are expressing the desire that Pam should have self-financed her campaign. But she is not a wealthy woman and has dedicated her best energies to moving through the painful present to a better future for us and our children.

Many Santa Monica residents don’t know the treasure they have in Pam O’Connor. Of all those on the council she has the best understanding of what works and what doesn’t in long-range transportation planning, how to battle global-warming, and what kind of world we can leave our children. I have voted for Pam and want her to continue to make decisions in line with her beliefs, which many people share, including some developers, donations or not. I would be angry if she recused herself from voting on the Bergamot Transit Village project. She represents me and many others. So, I say, go, Pam, go!

Barbara Filet

in Opinion
<>Related Posts

SM.a.r.t.Column: Happy Fourth of July 

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) hopes you are enjoying a great 3-day weekend as part of your...

SM.a.r.t Column: Cities That Never Shut Up – The Roaring Cost of Urban Noise

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

In today’s cities, silence isn’t golden—it’s extinct. From sunrise to insomnia, we’re trapped in a nonstop symphony of shrieking car...

SM.a.r.t Column: Santa Monica Needs to See the Light

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

How Santa Monica’s Growing Light Pollution Is Eroding Human Health, Safety, and Sanity There was a time when our coastal...

SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Transit Death Spiral: How Housing Mandates Are Backfiring

June 15, 2025

June 15, 2025

California’s ambitious housing mandates were supposed to solve the affordability crisis. Instead, they’re creating a vicious cycle that’s killing public...

SM.a.r.t. Column: A City Dying by a Thousand Cuts

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Santa Monica, once celebrated for its blend of coastal charm and progressive ideals, is slowly bleeding out — not from...

SM.a.r.t Column: Oops!! What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Our Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow (SMa.r.t) articles have, over the past 12 years, collectively presented a critical...

SM.a.r.t Column: Why Santa Monica Might Need a Desalination Plant, and Maybe Even Nuclear Power

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Santa Monica is known for its ocean views, sunny skies, and strong environmental values. But there’s a challenge on the...

SM.a.r.t Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 3: “Pie in the Sky”

May 17, 2025

May 17, 2025

SMO: Fantasy, Fact, and the Fog of Wishful ThinkingBy someone who read the fine print Every few months, a headline...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Owner Occupancy Protects Against Corporate Over-Development

May 2, 2025

May 2, 2025

This week SMa.r.t. will have as guest columnist Mark Borenstein. Mark is a long-time Santa Monica resident, a retired attorney,...

Opinion: Declaration of Economic State of Emergency in Malibu & Pacific Palisades: A Direct Result of the Devastating Impact of the Palisades Fire

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Malibu and Pacific Palisades Request Emergency Financial Measures By Ramis Sadrieh, Chairperson, Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce    On behalf...

SM.a.r.t Column: The World’s Happiest Cities

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Almost every year, we see new cities, regions, and countries that make the list(s) of our planet’s happiest and healthiest...

SM.a.r.t Column: A City for Everyone

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Santa Monica dazzles with its ocean views, sunshine, and laid-back charm. But beyond the postcard image lies a more complicated...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part II: Rebuilding Resilient Communities: Policy and Planning After the Fires

April 13, 2025

April 13, 2025

The January 2025 wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena left an indelible mark on Los Angeles County. Beyond the...

SM.a.r.t Column: Innovative Materials for Fire-Resistant Rebuilding After the LA Fires

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

In the aftermath of the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, homeowners face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and...

Opinion: Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath Community Column Regarding a More Accountable Homeless Services System

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

By Lindsay Horvath, Los Angeles Board of Supervisors This week marks a significant milestone in our fight to end homelessness...