BOYB: Phil Reflects on Thanksgiving at the VA

" Santa Monica will always attract developers large and small. The success of this marriage will be maintaining Santa Monica’s character and identity, a low rise city of landscape and courtyards, and its relaxed beach culture," writes SMa.r.t in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Saving a Failed Marriage – Part 1

January 14, 2021 Sam Catanzaro

After several decades of wedlock and blind pursuit, our Santa Monica City Council finds itself in a failed marriage with...

"Between crafting COVID-era return-to-school plans, fine-tuning Distance Learning, developing major district-wide campus improvements, giving fair process to the Santa Monica High School History Building (slated to be bulldozed this summer along with the cafeteria, main administrative building, a gym, and a wide swath of mature trees and greenspace), and appointing a new member to fill the SMMUSD School Board vacancy, our School Board has a lot on its plate." Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Education, News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: School Board Dilemmas – Campus Construction Planning and New Member Appointment

January 7, 2021 SM.a.r.t

Between crafting COVID-era return-to-school plans, fine-tuning Distance Learning, developing major district-wide campus improvements, giving fair process to the Santa Monica...

“Without a comprehensive and realistic plan, our goose, as the saying goes, will be cooked, and the ever-expanding infrastructure costs will impose an increasingly heavy burden on our residents and businesses. The denser the city gets, the less room we have for mistakes in planning,” writes SMa.r.t. their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Development, News, Opinion

SMa.r.t. Column: Planning Is a Vital Need

January 4, 2021 SM.a.r.t

[We wrote this article 6.5 years ago. Today, the issues it raises continue to bedevil the city, and with more...

"Wishes can be realized only if our community stands together and the new City Council does what's required in order to move our city back to common sense solutions, directions and sustainable goals." Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Yes, Santa Monica, there is a Santa Claus

December 24, 2020 SM.a.r.t

It’s that time of year again, but tragically this year so many things are staggeringly different and difficult on many...

"This City Council vote signals a City that is moving toward meeting the real needs of its residents instead of the needs of developers. It represents the residents flexing their muscles to take back their City and preserve its beach side charm," writes SMa.r.t. on the ending of The Plaza at Santa Monica development.

Opinion

SMa.r.t. Column: Citizen Victory!

December 19, 2020 SM.a.r.t

Tuesday night Santa Claus brought Santa Monica a gift that we have waited 7 years for. That evening the City...

“In reality the City does not have a housing problem. It permits annually about twice the amount of housing it needs to absorb its natural growth, but it cannot produce enough AFFORDABLE housing for the full spectrum of its current residents’ incomes,” writes Mario Fonda-Bonardi in the latest SMart Column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion, Real Estate, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Under SCAG’s Boot

December 11, 2020 SM.a.r.t

As most of you know the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is now forcing Santa Monica to permit 8873...

"We want our ship to stop taking on water. We need to act with the utmost urgency as we bring residents back to the seat of power in the City of Santa Monica," writes councilmember-elect Phil Brock in the latest SMa.r.t. Column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion

SMart Column: A Better Ship of State

December 3, 2020 SM.a.r.t

On Tuesday, December 8th, shortly after 5:30 PM, Oscar de la Torre, Christine Parra, and I will be among the...

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Our Brave New World: How the Residents Can Help Realize Their Goals

November 27, 2020 SM.a.r.t

As the weather chills, we enter a Holiday Season like no other that the City of Santa Monica has seen...

Santa Monica High School’s History Building, circa mid-century. Photo: National Archives and Records Administration.

News, Opinion, Real Estate, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Saving Our History Building

November 20, 2020 SM.a.r.t

SMart has always looked for ways to do more with less and to live within our means on our way...

“there will be a renewed focus on the city’s financial integrity, crime and safety, and responsiveness to specific concerns expressed by very many local residents,” writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Election’s Over–Let’s get to Work

November 13, 2020 SM.a.r.t

The extraordinary results of our municipal election signal a deep desire, by many residents, for a change in the city’s...

"This has been a historic election because once every 10 years an incumbent is upset in a Santa Monica City Council race: this year you may have upset three incumbents!" writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photo: Getty.

Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: The Big Upset

November 9, 2020 SM.a.r.t

Dear Faithful readers of the SMart Column, For over seven years you have loaned us your attention about City planning,...

“This election, unlike all previous elections, has provided the residents with a clear choice in the determination of our future quality of life. In may ways, it is our last chance to significantly influence the imminent major decisions that will impact our lives for decades to come,” writes SMart in their latest column. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

News, Opinion

SMa.r.t. Column: The Opportunity to Re-unite the Residents with their City”

October 29, 2020 SM.a.r.t

As election season draws to a close, we are all deciding on how to best to provide for our city’s,...

“The focus of our city government seems to always be how to grow the city, how to build it up. No one listens to the neighborhood associations that are the voice of the residents of our city. Wouldn’t it be an act of healing for our city council, our planners and our city staff to take a holistic approach to the city…to listen to all residents and preserve what has made us such an enviable Paradise?” writes SMart in their column. Photo: Getty

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Santa Monica’s Divine Comedy

October 25, 2020 SM.a.r.t

[SMa.r.t. originally published this article four years ago. We believe it remains current, with slight alterations. The elections, in the...

Santa Monica City Hall. Photo: Sam Catanzaro

News, Opinion, Santa Monica

City Council Endorsements: Santa Monica Needs a Change

October 22, 2020 Sam Catanzaro

Santa Monica City Council endorsements from the Santa Monica Mirror The following are two endorsement articles from Santa Monica Mirror...

"This election will be Santa Monica’s most consequential in decades. Let’s turn this election into an opportunity! We need to preserve our beachfront community with its low scale and natural environment and live within our means!" writes SMa.r.t. in their latest column. Photos: Ron Goldman.

Development, News, Opinion, Santa Monica

SMa.r.t. Column: Which Santa Monica Do You Prefer to Live & Work In?

October 18, 2020 SM.a.r.t

Santa Monica’s Governance Last I heard, we are a country “by the people and for the people.” But Santa Monica...

BOYB: Phil Reflects on Thanksgiving at the VA

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