Local Voters Return Incumbents to Power, Turn Down Measure LV

Proving that the Santa Monica electorate really, really likes intensive development; local voters returned all 4 incumbent City Council members to Santa Monica City Council. In voting for Terry O'Day, Gleam Davis, Tony Vasquez and Ted Winterer, the voters rejected SMMUSD School Board member Oscar de la Torre and Armen Melkonians.

Melkonians ran an outside campaign connected with Measure LV, which would have greatly restricted the size of new developments in San- ta Monica. Some residents are concerned because the Council has approved two million square feet of new commercial development in the last 24 months. With the exception of Winterer, the other 3 incumbents (O'Day, Davis and Vasquez) voted to approve all two million square feet.

If you needed more proof that Santa Monicans really, REALLY like the folks in power, they also voted to approve two sales tax increase (Measures GS and GSH), half a billion dollars in bonds for SMC and it's 25 or so students from santa monica high school (Measure V). Voters returned the incumbents to the Rent Control Board (Anastasia Foster and Caroline Caroline), to the SMC College Board (Susan Aminoff, Margaret Quinones-Perez, and Rob Greenstein-Rader).

This in the shadow of a national election where American voters took a chance with an outsider, brash, crass Reality TV star over a consummate Democratic insider. Santa Monica took no such chances, however.

Retaining all 4 incumbent City Council members and turning down LV clears the way for more towers. Way to go, guys! I guess you like waiting in traffic. See ya there.