Civic Center: Fallout Over Campaign Tactics

In response to Mr. (Frank J.) Gruber’s letter of Sunday, Sept. 4, in which I was criticized by name: I had hoped that the rhetoric regarding RAND’s Civic Center Plan for Santa Monica would have abated after the June vote. Perhaps Mr. Gruber has not heard of being “magnanimous in victory.”

The point of my July letter was to bring to the attention of your readers how modern elections are fought. First, limit your opposition’s ability to reach the public. The City Council’s decision to schedule this vote in June, as opposed to the petitioners’ request for November, was not to move quickly with financing of a new police headquarters. Both sides supported the new headquarters. The council and RAND used this issue solely to win. What happened when they did? They postponed financing this vital public safety facility indefinitely.

Second, reinforce the “public safety issue” and obscure the environmental and cost issues during the campaign. Even a cursory look at RAND’s mailings prove this point. Outspend your opposition nearly 40 to 1, more than $20 per vote, and more than Mr. Gruber’s favorite whipping boy, Sen. (Tom) Hayden, spent in his entire statewide gubernatorial campaign.

Unlike the McCarty Beach Hotel issue, which was resolved in a November vote and in which both sides had sufficient time and money to reach most voters, only 35% of the voters participated this time. Only 21% approved. Not quite the mandate, but certainly a “landslide” to RAND patricians who believe that the only thing that is important is to “win.”

The issue of building heights still alludes Mr. Gruber (as does the fact that I withdrew from the consideration of SMRR’s endorsement for City Council). There is no height limit that cannot be circumvented by setbacks and step-backs.

The important issue is shadows, both onto Ocean Avenue and the so-called park.

Two months before the June vote, I predicted its outcome within two percentage points. For what it’s worth, let me make these additional predictions:

1. With a multiyear development agreement in hand, RAND will sell most, if not all, of its property, profiting handsomely from its campaign donations.

2. Some building heights (as measured by normal people) will exceed 80 feet.

3. The County Courthouse will not expand in Santa Monica. Even so, traffic and air pollution in this area will worsen.

4. New park space will be compromised.

5. Santa Monica will not get a new Police and Public Safety Headquarters for at least four years.

6. The plan will cost taxpayers and recipients of vital city services far more than it will bring in additional tax revenue.

MERRITT COLEMAN

Santa Monica