October11, 2010 -- The Lookout Staff submitted questionnaires to the 23 candidates running for seats on the City Council and Board of Education. The candidates were given the same timeframe to answer the questions and were limited to 150 words per answer.

During the next several days, the Lookout News will publish the candidates’ answers verbatim. The profiles for the four-year City Council race will be published first, followed by the two-year City Council race and lastly the Board of Education race. They will appear in alphabetical order based on the candidates’ first names.

Name: Robert Kronovet
Running for: 2-year City Council seat?
Status: Challenger

How long have you lived in Santa Monica? In what neighborhood do you live?
20 years in Sunset Park

Why are you running for office and why should residents vote for you?
I'm running to reduce taxes, re-direct 20 million dollars to our schools, and build our police and fire departments. I will reduce our homeless population, thereby normalizing our cities commitment to this national issue. I will bring our city back from the brink of financial collapse.

We must come together and put the city we love back on a successful financial track. You can not expect the same Santa Monica Renters Rights (SMRR) officials who've mismanaged one of the largest municipal budgets in the country to repair the damage they have caused. Friends, my opponents are not qualified, trained or able to bring the glory and class back to our beloved city.

Why do you enjoy living in Santa Monica?
I owe Santa Monica she allowed me to pursue happiness, work hard and prosper and make a life for myself and my family…We have lived in Santa Monica for 23 years, our three children all found success, made friends, and created joy in our schools.

We must come together and put the city we love back on a successful financial track. The current SMRR officials who mismanaged our budget are not qualified, trained or able to repair the damage they have caused. It's time to restore the glory and class of our beloved city.

A vote for Kronovet means you want our city to get back to basics:
great schools, winning sports teams, thriving art programs, safe neighborhoods, get the Airport under control, growing tourism dollars, slow growth, and serious traffic reduction solutions.

The only "special interest" groups I serve are the people of Santa Monica!

How would you rate the current City Council? What particular decisions stand out for you that made you form that opinion?
My fellow Santa Monica residents, could there be a clearer example of why the appointment process to elected office is the weakest link in our government. First, Mr. O'Day and Mrs. Davis can not put their personal loyalties to SMRR above the needs of the voters. Second by failing to cut spending and by promoting more taxes their incompetence and poor judgment is clear for everyone to see. The true nature of SMRR like their candidates, Mr. O'Day and Mrs. Davis, is to serve themselves.

1) I will stop the lending of between 7 million and 12 million dollars a year to the Santa Monica Community Corp. This is back door money and I will halt this reckless spending,

2) The city spends between 1/2 million - 2 million dollars yearly on "consultants". This is an unnecessary expense when we have qualified and trained city staff to perform this work.

What is the most frequent complaint you hear on the campaign trail? What do you plan to do about this issue?
Homelessness and Traffic

On homelessness, I will move to re-instate the Civilian Conservation Corps, a public work relief program started by FDR in1933 for unemployed men and women. When elected I will move to normalize our city and match the level of financial and staff resources to that which our neighbor cities have committed.

I plan to reduce traffic with the following proven techniques:
In downtown we will use redevelopment money to erect a 1000 space parking structure on our Civic Center lot, and we will model Buenos Aires and build 5,000 new spaces under our public parks.

I will reduce the residential street speed limit to 25MPH, and assure you that we will enforce it. We will build bike lanes that work, not the joke we currently have.

I will synchronize our lights to move traffic in and out of our city based on demand.

Should Santa Monica residents be allowed to vote on major development agreements? Why or why not?
No…In this county the voters select their city council members every 2 years…this is the most effective and equitable system of Terms Limits on earth. The issue of development is complex and has ramifications that cross many civic lines. There is too much info, research, public safety and time commitment of the average working Santa Monica family to have to deal with.

Where do you stand on Measure Y, the half-cent sales tax proposal, and Measure YY, the companion measure that would recommend 50 percent of the tax revenue go to education?
We can not tax our way out of Financial Mismanagement.

I'm running to re-direct 20 million dollars to our schools.

1) I will stop the lending of between 7 million and 12 million dollars a year to the Santa Monica Community Corp.

2) The city spends more then 2million dollars yearly on "consultants". We have city staff that is perfectly qualified to do this work.

3) For the last 32 years the SMRR city council has duplicated many County and State social and housing programs, costing the tax payer over 10 million dollars a year.

Solve the traffic problem in Santa Monica in under 150 words.
Our residents will be able to buy an all city parking pass every January for $250 that is good everywhere in our city, every meter, every street, every city lot (except red zones, handicap zones and street cleaning)

I plan to reduce traffic with the following proven techniques:
In downtown we will use redevelopment money to erect a 1000 space parking structure on our Civic Center lot, and we will model Buenos Aires and build 5,000 new spaces under our public parks.

I will reduce the residential street speed limit to 25MPH, and assure you that we will enforce it. We will build bike lanes that work not the joke we currently have.

I will synchronize our lights to move traffic in and out of our city based on demand.

If you were emperor with absolute authority for a day and could do one thing for Santa Monica, what would it be?
Have my wife and kids agree with every thing I say!