Residents Just Want You to Do Your Job

September 15, 2023

Dear Editor,

Mayor pro tem Lana Negrete accuses me of “a false narrative” regarding the Council majority’s abandonment of residents by walking off the dais last Tuesday night without addressing the City’s business ("Abandoning the Rules for Politics," September 15, 2023).

I stand by the verifiable facts. Just watch this brief video someone posted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0dkcBpP8qM

As for my stepping down from the Council over two years ago, I didn’t pout, pick up my marbles, and go home in the middle of a meeting. I announced my retirement after over 22 years of service, with notice, at the very end of a meeting, having entered my mid-70s and choosing to yield my seat to a younger policy-maker (I’d hoped Caroline Torosis would be appointed to replace me).

Yes, I acknowledge that among the challenges of Council service are long meetings (hint: garrulousness lengthens them) and heavy workload (hint: reading staff reports helps).

Apparently Negrete has still not resolved why labor item co-author Phil Brock threw her under the bus when he revealed a secret last-minute deal Brock thought would make him a hero, while Negrete continued to take the blame for being anti-worker. Didn't she deserve the courtesy of consultation?

After all, it was just a year ago that Negrete crucially changed her vote, shielding Brock from legal investigation for violating closed session trust and a written non-disclosure agreement.

Negrete offered Brock cover even after she emailed at least one constituent, "I also felt that there was information specific to 1-2 council members that I still don't understand why it was not enough to investigate those individuals.”

Kevin McKeown
Santa Monica