New Santa Monica Group Has Ties to Miramar Opposition

By Jason Islas
Staff Writer

August 22, 2012 -- Santa Monicans for Responsible Growth (SMRG), a new anti-development Political Action Committee (PAC) that expects to be a player in the race for four City Council seats, has ties to Miramar's opponents, The Lookout has learned.

Since it burst onto the scene last Wednesday with a questionnaire that went out to all confirmed council candidates, questions have been raised about the group and who is behind it, especially since the identities of all but one of its 15 members remain unknown.

Ivan Perkins, a Wilmont resident and member of Santa Monicans Against the Miramar who has become SMRG's spokesman, said the new group was formed sometime over this summer.

"We're still nailing down who wants to be in this group officially," said Perkins. Its members remain unknown to the public because, Perkins said, he doesn't have everyone's permission to reveal their names.

Although Perkins said the group did not want to focus its platform on the Miramar, the ambitious redevelopment of the hotel is the only development project specifically mentioned in the questionnaire sent out to candidates.

The Miramar "brought some of us together," Perkins said. "We're not trying to make it a centerpiece, but for some of us it is."

In addition, the group has ties to Miramar's opponents, including the owners of the Huntley Hotel, which has been spearheading the opposition.

Susan Burnside, a prominent political consultant hired by the Huntley to oppose the Mirarmar project, "has been a part of to introduction process," Perkins said.

Burnside, however, said that although she sometimes gave the new group advice, she didn't introduce the members to one another.

She said that most of the 15 knew each other from other groups, adding that she knew at least three of them well.

Perkins said that he has worked with Manju Raman, the general manager of the Huntley Hotel, although he could not say whether she was involved with the group.

"I'm happy to work with whomever I may be aligned with," Perkins said, adding that the Huntley may be opposed to the Miramar redevelopment for different reasons.

Not everyone is comfortable with the fact that the group's members remain unknown. ("Santa Monica Council Candidates Ask for Transparency from New 'Responsible Growth' Group," August 22, 2012 )

In an official letter sent to SMRG Tuesday council candidates Shari Davis, Gleam Davis, Terry O'Day, Frank Gruber, Tony Vazquez, Jerry Rubin and John Cyrus Smith rebuffed the organization for failing to disclose their members.

"Just as voters have a right to expect transparent politics from us, voters and we have a right to expect that organizations requesting information from candidates do so with transparency themselves," the letter reads.

There should be "enough information so that we and the public know who controls the group, such as a list of board of directors or steering committee members," the letter said. The council candidates also asked for the group's "FPPC (Fair Political Practices Committee) ID number and name of Treasurer, if it is a PAC."

"I think it's legitimate to ask these questions," said Perkins, adding that he should have had this information available but that he is still learning about the process.

Perkins said that not having a list of members ready was a "rookie mistake" and that he hopes to have all the information available to the public by the end of next week.