October 5, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Open Letter On the California Voting Rights Case Against the City of Santa Monica

By Oscar de la Torre

Like many Santa Monicans and Californians who care about fair elections, I watched the California Supreme Court’s June 27 arguments in Pico Neighborhood Association & Maria Loya v. City of Santa Monica – a case filed more than 7 years ago to vindicate the voting rights of people of color in Santa Monica.  Within the first few minutes of his presentation, the City’s high-priced attorney, Theodore Boutrous, argued that the Santa Monica City Council now has two Latino/a members from the Pico Neighborhood, only one of whom could serve on a council chosen through district-based elections.  According to Mr. Boutrous, this was a reason to leave the at-large election system in place.

What Mr. Boutrous failed to mention is that from 1946 through 2019, Santa Monica’s at-large election system had resulted in the election of only one Latino councilmember – one out of 72 elected councilmembers in that span – and the Pico Neighborhood never had a person of color elected to represent our voice on the City Council. That is why I support a switch to more inclusive district-based elections, just as the Los Angeles Superior Court ordered in 2019. The fact is that the at-large election system in Santa Monica was deliberately implemented to keep people of color from the Pico Neighborhood off the City Council. This is a clear example of systemic racism. District-based elections strengthen our democracy by reducing the cost of running for a seat on the City Council. Elections by district ensure that every neighborhood in Santa Monica gets represented. 

I am unconcerned about my own political future; it is the future of the Pico Neighborhood, where I was raised by two immigrant parents with my 7 siblings, that I care deeply about.  I want the Pico Neighborhood to be guaranteed representation for the future, long after I am gone, so that my children who are being raised in the Pico Neighborhood can say one day that Santa Monica is fair to all of its residents. I also want minority communities throughout California to never go unrepresented and ignored, as the Pico Neighborhood has for many decades.  As a Democrat, I agree with what US Senator Alex Padilla wrote the day of the Supreme Court argument: “If the city of Santa Monica prevails, the CVRA’s protections against discriminatory at-large elections would be drastically weakened.  In other words, if the city has its way, California would be set back 20 years.” (https://tinyurl.com/yd49h22b)

The Pico Neighborhood has endured the neglect of an apathetic city government for over 75 years due to its lack of representation. Any personal political sacrifice I may have to endure to prevent another 75 years of suffocating ambivalence to the Pico Neighborhood pales in comparison.

My city council colleagues tell us that the City – among the richest in the world – cannot afford to keep our libraries open, offer after-school programs at our public schools, and keep our parks clean and safe.  Yet, they have no hesitation in spending many millions of dollars on attorneys to fight against the voting rights of Santa Monica’s residents of color in order to maintain their own political power.  Had the City simply adopted district elections in 2016, it could have avoided all the legal fees associated with the Pico Neighborhood Association’s case.  That’s the sensible action that dozens of other California cities have taken when faced with California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) claims.

This issue is not just about Santa Monica.  Racial and ethnic minorities throughout California are denied the representation they deserve by at-large election systems.  The CVRA has been instrumental in combating that inequity, yet some of my otherwise progressive colleagues would seek to cripple the CVRA in court so they might maintain their own political power and privilege.   My colleagues on the Santa Monica City Council cannot fight against voting rights and simultaneously call themselves “progressive.”  

We will all be remembered for where we stood on the voting rights of minorities – probably more than any other issue we address as city council members. Santa Monica’s “liberal” facade will be exposed once the California Supreme Court renders its decision. Some of my colleagues will, unfortunately, be remembered for standing in the schoolhouse door, obstructing the rights of minorities like so many of history’s “conservative” villains.  I choose instead to stand on the right side of history. 

-Oscar de la Torre, Santa Monica City Councilmember

in Opinion
Related Posts

S.M.a.r.t Column: Architect’s Son Reflects On Civic Auditorium

October 2, 2023

October 2, 2023

Welton (David) Becket (1902-1969), pictured above, backed by a picture of our Civic Auditorium, was the designer of that famed...

S.M.a.r.t Column: Civic Center Debate

September 24, 2023

September 24, 2023

Civic Center Debate Last year, the City declared the Civic Center Auditorium surplus property after a decade of neglect and...

SMa.r.t.Column: THE ONCE AND FUTURE SANTA MONICA CIVIC AUDITORIUM

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

This week SMa.r.t. is focusing on the historic Civic Center Auditorium and residents’ efforts to save it from a misdirected...

S.M.a.r.t Column: The Battle for the Planning Commission: A Circus of Political Maneuvers

September 10, 2023

September 10, 2023

Ah, the wonderful world of city politics! Ladies and gentlemen hold on to your hats as we delve into the...

S.M.a.r.t Column: The 30 MPH City Part 2

September 4, 2023

September 4, 2023

Last week’s article discussed why we need to continue our program to slow down our streets to save lives, given...

S.M.a.r.t Column: The 30 MPH City Part One

August 27, 2023

August 27, 2023

Some ideas sound extreme when first presented but acquire more credibility when you think about it, and particularly when conditions...

S.M.a.r.t article: Save the Civic – Keep it Alive

August 6, 2023

August 6, 2023

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium: A Historic Gem That Shaped Our City’s Cultural Legacy. Save Santa Monica’s Heritage The Santa Monica...

SMa.r.t. Column: Counseling The City Council

July 28, 2023

July 28, 2023

This week, our SMa.r.t. column is authored by concerned resident Nikki Kolhoff. Nikki has been an active voice in the...

SMa.r.t. column: The Impact of Private Companies on Our City Streets: A Call for Safety

July 21, 2023

July 21, 2023

As someone who’s always out and about, whether walking, biking, or driving, this writer has noticed a worrying trend that...

A Seismic Duality

July 21, 2023

July 21, 2023

Last month the City issued a follow-up report on its success in complying with its Seismic Retrofit Program. This 2017...

SMa.r.t. Column: The Future Of Santa Monica Airport (SMO)

July 4, 2023

July 4, 2023

On January 1, 2029, the City Council will be given the legal right to vote on whether to maintain the...

A Comfortable City for All

June 23, 2023

June 23, 2023

Picture this: a concerned citizen takes to Facebook to ask about the mysteriously vanishing benches and chairs on the Promenade....

An Open Letter To Santa Monica

June 16, 2023

June 16, 2023

Declining Business Climate in Downtown Santa Monica By Jennifer Rush, Blue Plate Restaurant Group To all that do business, live,...

Thirsty Santa Monica: Running Dry

June 11, 2023

June 11, 2023

The thirst is real, and Santa Monica is feeling it. The problem? Santa Monica relies on the Metropolitan Water District...

Landmarks Commission Back From the Dead

June 2, 2023

June 2, 2023

For over three years, SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) has consistently warned that recently increased intense development...