February 10, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Letter to the Editor: The City Has Been Dealt a Losing Hand

Submitted by Ron Goldman

In response to our article, “Trumped by Our City Council” published in this paper 8/30/2019, in which we compared our councils’ actions to those in Washington, and a pointed response putting spin on items or failing to respond to others altogether, I have the following reply.

“Santa Monica’s commitment for the climate crisis is emulated worldwide” sounds good but it’s only spin and very little, if any, fact.  Spending approximately $142 million including construction and financing for a 50,000 sq ft city hall annex won’t be recaptured in energy savings for 5 or 6 decades or more.  Meanwhile, wouldn’t the city be much further ahead with a $50 million investment, creating an energy efficient building with money left over for solar arrays on all of Santa Monica’s schools, libraries, and municipal buildings – a lasting benefit at a fraction of the money being spent?!

And regarding the 227 acre airport “slated to become a great park” at the eastern edge of the city will be paid for by Santa Monica residents but used much more by adjacent Los Angeles residents.  And this while the city is negotiating to rent for pennies on the dollar a 3.4 acre property it, i.e. the residents, own in the middle of our downtown for an 12 story, 250 room hotel, apartments and commercial uses – property which would otherwise make a perfect location and size for a town square or a downtown park, and which belongs in the center of our city, on a property that belongs to the residents of Santa Monica and one that would attract residents back to our downtown.

And maintaining our “housing policies are the most progressive in the country,” but in approving a 7 story, 250+ unit project at 5th & Broadway, the council has traded increased height and density for more affordable units – which they then moved off-site to a parcel overlooking the freeway – a location notorious for air pollution.  Did you mean “progressive” or “regressive” ?? I guess “affordable” doesn’t include living alongside more fortunate residents.

And by the way, the response didn’t care to address spending $20-25 million of taxpayer’s money to continue to fight and appeal the court’s decision to provide district elections in order to keep you gainfully and profitably employed – the exact expenditure and the reasoning kept behind closed doors just like Trump’s “secret” meetings with Putin and Kim!!  But again, like Washington, “no collusion.”

Nor was addressed the other $150 million irresponsibly budgeted and approved!

In summary, like Washington, both locally and nationally, the spin is all hyperbole with the results largely negative.

And the residents of this city have been dealt a losing hand!

Signed,

Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect

in Opinion
<>Related Posts

SM.a.r.t Column: The Water Crisis Behind LA’s Fire Disaster: A Legacy of Outdated Infrastructure

February 9, 2025

February 9, 2025

A firefighter filling a trash can with pool water during the devastating 2025 Los Angeles fires tells a story more...

SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Fire Safety Evolution: Meeting Modern Wildfire Challenges

February 2, 2025

February 2, 2025

The devastating fires that struck Los Angeles in January 2025 echo a pattern of increasingly destructive wildfires reshaping California’s approach...

SM.a.r.t Column: Peril, Prevention, and the Path Forward

January 26, 2025

January 26, 2025

The recent Palisades and Altadena fires brought Los Angeles’ inherent contradictions into sharp focus as residents fled their homes in...

SM.a.r.t Column: A New Path Ahead

January 19, 2025

January 19, 2025

The recent Palisades Fire is profoundly impacting the people of Los Angeles, displacing families, destroying property, and creating an enduring...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Adaptive Liveability

January 2, 2025

January 2, 2025

You know, sometimes you walk by a building and think, that place has some stories to tell. What if those...

SM.a.r.t Column: Happy Holidays

December 22, 2024

December 22, 2024

S.M.a.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) is wishing you a wonderful holiday season. We hope you are surrounded...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Preserving Santa Monica

December 15, 2024

December 15, 2024

Since Giving Tuesday I’m sure you have been bombarded with appeals from countless organizations, local, national, or even international that...

SM.a.r.t Column: Climbing The Vertical Learning Curve

December 8, 2024

December 8, 2024

The city is facing a financial crisis, the roots of which stretch back decades but have been made worse by...

SM.a.r.t Column: It’s Time To Inspect Balconies

November 24, 2024

November 24, 2024

About nine years ago, a fifth-floor balcony in a Berkeley apartment building collapsed, tragically killing several students gathered on it...

S.M.a.r.t Column: Your City is Broke

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

On December 10, the new City council will be seated fresh from their dominant win in the recent elections. There...

SM.a.r.t Column: Moving Ahead to the Future

November 10, 2024

November 10, 2024

As we write this, the election results are still trickling in. We’ll leave the deep analysis to others, but the...

Opinion: Fact Check: Why Vote Yes on Measure QS

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Despite living in a famously progressive region, Santa Monicans are not immune from the same political misinformation and disinformation that...

SM.a.r.t Column: Lack of Oversight and No Accountability

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

S.M.a.r.t. periodically invites guest columnists to write opinion articles on topics of particular interests to our readers. Below is an...

SM.a.r.t Column: “Help! I’ve Fallen, and I …!!”, Cries Santa Monica!

October 25, 2024

October 25, 2024

Maybe fallen, but slipping for sure from being a desirable beachfront community that served all equally, the local residents who...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Vote

October 13, 2024

October 13, 2024

In a polarized country or City every vote counts. Regardless of which side of any issue or candidate you support,...