The LookOut columns What I Say -- by Frank Gruber

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Return of the Matrix (No, not the movie)

By Frank Gruber

October 4, 2010 --For every City Council election since 2004 I have assembled a chart -- the "Matrix" -- setting forth the votes of Santa Monica’s City Council Members on important issues that they voted on since the last election. (The 2008 update can be accessed at 9 29 2008 Matrix2006-08 and there are links there to the previous versions.)

Now with another City Council election, it’s time to do it again, but with the same caveats I’ve made before. By looking through Lookout news reports and minutes of council meetings, I found 38 votes that were noteworthy, but that’s only a fraction of the votes the council took. Take the LUCE: leading up to its final vote on the new general plan, the council made many preliminary votes, but in the matrix I only isolated one (the most contentious one, the final one on building heights).

But it’s not just that issues like the LUCE entail many "sub" issues. I may as well quote something I wrote two years ago when I was introducing that year’s matrix: "What you realize when you go through two years of news articles and minutes is just how complex a city of 85,000 is."

For instance, I don’t list any votes about the budget. One could argue that those are the most important votes the council takes, but the fact is that the council members usually only disagree on minor points at the end of the process, and they use means other than direct votes on the budget to establish their priorities. Budget decisions are not typically grist for Santa Monica’s political mills (unless they involve allocations to the School District). But within the budget are myriad issues relating, for instance, to social services and public safety.

One sad note about this year’s election -- two council members who were on board in 2008 have died since then. Both Herb Katz and Ken Genser are missed. I have included their votes on this matrix, and noted where their successors, Gleam Davis and Terry O’Day took over.

With those caveats, here is the 2008-10 matrix:
Issue

Bloom

Genser

Katz

O'Connor

Holbrook

McKeown

Shriver

Result

Vote to allow higher "affordable"
rates at new Travelodge
9/23/08
Yes

No

Absent

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Passed
4-2

Vote to approve new Travelodge Motel
9/23/08

Yes

Yes

Absent

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Passed
6-0

Ordinance to modify fence and hedge standards and "grandparent" existing 10/14/08

Yes

Yes

Yes

Absent

Yes

Yes

Yes

Passed
6-0

Elect Ken Genser mayor for two years, not one 12/9/08

Yes

Yes

No(then changed to yes)

Yes

No(then changed to yes)

Yes

No

Genser
elected
4-2

Release to school district $804,470 that had been held up in connection with special ed controversy
1/13/09

Yes

Yes

Absent (deceased)

Yes

Yes

Recused for conflict

Yes

Passed
5-0

Ordinance to regulate smoking in common areas of apartment buildings 1/13/09

Yes

Yes

Absent (deceased

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Passed
6-0

Appeal of approval of adult group home project at 749 17th St.
2/10/09

Deny
appeal

Deny appeal

Absent (deceased

Recused for conflict

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Deny
appeal 5-0

First round vote to fill Herb Katz’s seat2/24/09

Patricia Hoffman

Patricia Hoffman

Gleam Davis

Ted Winterer

Ted Winterer

Ted Winterer

Final effective vote to fill Herb Katz’s seat 2/24/09

Gleam
Davis

Gleam Davis

Gleam Davis

Gleam Davis (afterwards changed vote to Winterer)

Patricia Hoffman (afterwards changed vote to Davis)

Ted Winterer

Davis won seat on
4-1-1 vote, later changed to 4-2

Issue

Bloom

Genser

Davis

O'Connor

Holbrook

McKeown

Shriver

Result

Approve highest funding priorities for redevelopment funds 5/12/09

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Absent

Absent

Absent

Passed
6-0

Appeal of Landmark designation of 301 Ocean Ave.
6/9/09

Grant
appeal

Recused for possible conflict

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Appeal
granted
4-2

Motion to commit $118 million of redev. funds to Samohi facilities
6/9/09

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Recused for conflict

No

Failed
2-4

After many motions to allocate redev funds to Samohi projects failed, motion to allocate funds to downtown parking, freeway capping, traffic signals and affordable housing 6/9/09 and 6/10/09

Yes

Yes

Yes

No (afterwards changed vote to yes)

Yes

Yes

Absent

Passed
5-1

Authorize city staff to work with Metro to find alternative site for Expo line maintenance yard & other issues
714/00

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Absent

No

Passed
4-2

Motion to proceed with "hybrid" option for maintenance yard" 8/11/09

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Absent

Passed
6-0

Extension of Jonathan Club’s beach lease
8/11/09

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Absent

Passed
5-1

Appeal of landmark designation of 3030-3060 Nebraska
9/8/09

Grant
appeal

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Appeal
granted
5-2

Implement new downtown parking study proposals9/8/09

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Passed
6-1

Appeal of approval of project at 1012 2nd Street9/22/09

Deny
appeal

Deny appeal

Absent

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Deny appeal

Appeal
denied
6-1

Vote on anti- cat de-clawing ordinance10/27/09

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Passed
6-1

First ballot on vote to replace Ken Genser 2/23/10

Terry
O’Day

Jennifer Kennedy

Abstain

Terry O’Day

Ted Winterer

Ted Winterer

Ballot where council members listed top two choices to replace Ken Genser2/23/10

O’Day,
Kennedy

Kennedy, Jim Ries

O’Day, Kennedy

O’Day, Oscar de la Torre

Winterer, Kennedy

Winterer, O’Day

Final ballot to replace Ken Genser
2/23/10

O’Day

Kennedy

O’Day

O’Day

Kennedy

O’Day

O’Day appointed 4-2

Issue

Bloom

O’Day

Davis

O'Connor

Holbrook

McKeown

Shriver

Result

Vote to regulate exercise activities on street medians 2/23/10

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Passed
7-0

Proposal for moratorium on development agreements until completion of LUCE 2/23/10

No

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Failed 2-5

Appeal of landmarking of three buildings at 1047 9th St.
3/9/10

Grant appeal

Grant appeal

Deny appeal

Grant appeal

Absent

Deny appeal

Absent

Appeal failed 3-2

Approval of agreements in principle for Broad Museum at Civic Center
3/23/10

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Absent

Yes

No

Passed
5-1

Increase in ticket price to ride Carousel 5/13/08

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Absent

Yes

No

Passed
4-2

Approve contract with James Corner Field Operations to design new parks at Civic Center
4/13/10

Absent

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Passed
4-2

Election of Mayor 5/25/10

Pam
O’Connor

Bobby Shriver

Pam O’Connor

Pam O’Connor

Bobby Shriver

Bobby Shriver

Bobby Shriver

Bobby
Shriver
elected
mayor
4-3