letter, Clarifying Santa Monica Council Actions

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Clarifying Santa Monica Council Actions

August 30, 2012

Dear Editor,

Thank you for printing my letter (August 24, 2012) regarding the pledge signed by seven candidates not to cooperate with any new group that is "not transparent," exempting all groups they've worked with in the past. I stand by everything I said in that letter with one correction.

There were two votes taken at City Council about transparency. On January 11, 2011, the council voted on Kevin McKeown's motion to direct staff to explore possible implementation of a rule requiring disclosure by Council members of campaign contributors coming before the Council for development agreements, zoning variances and other special benefits. Both Terry O/Day and Gleam Davis voted "'No".

On January 25, 2011, Council member McKeown made a different motion, namely, that the Council direct staff to prepare printed copies of all Santa Monica donation reports filed for the past five years, and make them available for reference by the public at Council meetings. Terry O'Day voted "No." Gleam Davis, however, voted "Yes."

In my original letter I indicated that Gleam Davis had voted "No" on the second motion and, in fairness to Ms. Davis, I want to make this correction.

Yours truly,

Bob Seldon
Santa Monica
(Candidate for City Council)