Feinstein Seeks Reelection, Touts Antidevelopment Stance

By Teresa Rochester

Touting his staunch antidevelopment stance, Councilman Michael Feinstein Tuesday became the first incumbent to announce that he will seek reelection to the Santa Monica City Council in November.

Feinstein, one of two Green Party members on the current council, said he decided to run for a second term because he felt there is still much work to do to halt over-development and address its impacts on traffic, parking and quality of life. Feinstein's is one of four open council seats.

A member of the council's powerful Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights five member majority, Feinstein said he is making development his top priority because "the pressure on the community to develop and overdevelop is enormous."

"If there is no community-derived context for the market driven development pressures, we can't expect the results to serve our community," Feinstein said.

"We're not a sleepy little town, as we were before the Santa Monica Freeway came in," Feinstein said. "We have to realize that several factors - the declining quality of life in LA, the westward migration of the entertainment industry and vacancy decontrol and the overall strong economy - all at the same time can fundamentally change our course, in a way we may not want, before we know it. Unless we're prepared for it."

In a statement released Tuesday, Feinstein said he had carried through on his 1996 campaign promises, which included increasing parks and open space and affordable housing, modifying development standards, and championing environmental health and sustainability, as well as education.

In an interview Tuesday, Feinstein highlighted his push to earmark an additional $3.5 million for more parks and open space and to encourage the City to purchase the RAND Corporation property. (The City bought 11.3 acres of RAND land across from City Hall earlier this year for $53 million.)

Feinstein also noted that he led the fight against the "Monster Mansions" dwarfing smaller homes north of Montana Avenue and brought the city budget to the people by having City staff set up tables at the Farmer's Market.

"I look at those decisions as aggressive leadership," Feinstein said.

In his 1996 bid, Feinstein, a founding member of the California Green Party who made a name for himself in local politics opposing the Civic Center Specific Plan, placed a surprising second in a field crowded with 13 candidates. During his first campaign, he was endorsed by SMRR, Santa Monica Dog Owner's Group, State Senator Tom Hayden, consumer advocate Ralph Nader (who is the Green Party's presidential candidate in November), the Sierra Club and the Westside Greens.

One of most important endorsements Feinstein garnered in his first bid for a council seat came from the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 814, whose members were then embroiled in a bitter battle to keep their union at the Miramar Sheraton. Union members walked precincts and worked phone banks for Feinstein and other union friendly candidates.

November's elections will be the first test of the SMRR super majority's staying power. Along with Feinstein, Mayor Ken Genser and Councilman Richard Bloom are expected to seek reelection, though neither has announced his candidacy. Councilman Paul Rosenstein, a former SMRR member who defected from the organization before the 1996 race, announced earlier this year that he will not seek reelection.

During the past few weeks, the number of candidates announcing bids for the four open council seats has increased. Last week neighborhood activist and former Mid City Neighbor vice chair Donna Block became the only female candidate.

Former two-term city council member and current Bay Side District board chair, Herb Katz, also has announced his candidacy. At a recent fundraiser Katz, who has the backing of the business community, raised $10,000 in two hours.

Others who have announced their intentions to run include neighborhood activist Chuck Allord and Jerry Rubin, who is currently fasting for a positive campaign season. There is heavy speculation that former Mid City Neighbors chair David Cole will toss his hat into the ring, and former Planning Commissioner Matt Kanny also has expressed interest in running.

Candidates can begin filing their paperwork on July 17.