By Lookout Staff

December 28, 2023 --Summer heated up as hotel workers staged protests and a seven-year-old voting rights lawsuit continued winding its way through the courts. The Council cracked down on knives and guns amid more stabbings, while an attack on a Councilmember highlighted a revolving door policy that put repeat offenders back on the street. And after voters approved three new taxes in 2022, the Council began exploring more "revenue ballot measures."

JULY

Workers Strike at 5 Santa Monica Hotels
July 4, 2023 -- Workers at five Santa Monica hotels remained on strike for a third straight day on Tuesday as labor negotiations reached a standstill at some four dozen hotels in the Los Angeles region.

Hotels File Unfair Labor Charges Against Workers Union
July 6, 2023 -- The bargaining group for 44 hotels in LA and Orange counties has filed unfair labor practice charges against the hotel workers union alleging it violated the law by striking over claims unrelated to the employees' contracts.

Hotel Workers Stage Second Wave of Walkouts
July 10, 2023 -- Less than one week after returning from a three-day walkout at five Santa Monica hotels, union workers staged a second wave of strikes at hotels near LAX on Monday.

Police Reform Commission Takes Up Identity Profiling
July 10, 2023 -- Blacks were involved in a disproportionate number of traffic stops in Santa Monica last year compared the the size of their population, according to a report that will be presented to the Police Reform Commission on Tuesday.

Santa Monica to Prep for More Ballot Funding Measures
July 11, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday is expected to take initial steps to place funding measures on the 2024 ballot after voters approved a slew of new taxes last year.

$1.5 Billion Biennial Budget Restores Cut Services
July 12, 2023 -- With projected revenues expected to slowly continue growing, the Santa Monica City Council last month approved a biennial budget that totals nearly $1.5 billion and restores cut services.

Councilmember Brock Attacked on The Promenade
July 17, 2023 -- Councilmember Phil Brock, a vocal supporter of boosting public safety efforts, was attacked on the Third Street Promenade Sunday afternoon by a man who appeared to be homeless, the Councilmember told The Lookout.

Brock's Actions: A Welcome Sign of Citizen Involvement or a Potentially Dangerous Example?
July 18, 2023 -- Councilmember Phil Brock's run-in with a homeless man on the Promenade Sunday -- which made local headlines -- has raised concerns over his involvement in the man's arrest and the message it could send.

Hotel Union Submits Ballot Initiative for Country's Highest Minimum Wage
July 19, 2023 -- The hotel workers union on Tuesday filed a ballot initiative requiring Santa Monica hotels to pay their workers at least $30 per hour, which would make it the highest minimum wage in the nation.

Council Delays Fines for Leaf-Blower Violations
July 25, 2023 -- Gardeners in Santa Monica can continue using gas-powered leaf blowers for half a year without fear of being fined after a crackdown approved by the Council goes into effect next month.

Council Ends Negotiations to Sell Civic Auditorium for Affordable Housing
July 27, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday terminated negotiations with Community Corp, Santa Monica's biggest affordable housing developer, to buy the historic Civic Auditorium.

Council Expands Uses, Heightens Security in Promenade Area
July 31, 2023 -- Santa Monica's struggling Third Street Promenade got a much-needed boost last week that should have visitors dancing in restaurants and enjoying movies on a rooftop.

AUGUST

Man Fatally Stabbed at Santa Monica Beach
August 1, 2023 -- A man was fatally stabbed at Santa Monica Beach Monday afternoon, with the incident at the popular tourist destination aired by local news stations and shared on social media

Hotel Workers Union Submits Bed Tax Initiative
August 1, 2023 -- Unite HERE Local 11 submitted a ballot initiative to the City Clerk on Tuesday that would impose a 7 percent bed tax on Santa Monica hotels to create an affordable housing fund for hospitality workers.

Judge Upholds Transfer Tax Hike
August 3, 2023 -- A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Thursday issued a tentative ruling that found former Mayor Sue Himmelrich's transfer tax does not violate California's single-subject rule.

Man Arrested for Attacking Councilmember Part of Legal Revolving Door, Police Say
August 7, 2023 -- When Councilmember Phil Brock was attacked on the Promenade on July 16, it marked the third time the suspect was arrested in less than a month, a pattern Santa Monica police say reflects a legal revolving door.

Tensions Escalate on Hotel Picket Lines
August 8, 2023 -- Union workers and hotel representatives are blaming each other for growing tensions on the picket lines as demonstrations picked up steam during a third wave of strikes.

School District Releases Plans for Civic Auditorium
August 11, 2023 -- The School District on Friday unveiled a nearly $227 million plan -- excluding the purchase cost -- to upgrade and re-adapt the Civic Auditorium.

Protesting Noise -- A Tale of Two Cities
August 16, 2023 -- When it comes to the noisy union protests outside hotels embroiled in bitter contract negotiations, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills have taken divergent paths.

Newly Formed 'Save the Civic' Group Opposes School District's 'Risky' Venture
August 15, 2023 -- The School District is taking a costly risk that will distract it from its core mission if it purchases the Civic Auditorium from the City, the newly formed Save the Civic group warned Monday.

City Council Cracks Down on Knives and Guns
August 28, 2023 -- The City Council last week banned persons from openly carrying large blade knives, daggers and swords in public and imposed additional regulations for gun retailers and owners.

Police Officers, Firefighters Dominate Top Earners List
August 23, 2023 -- When it comes to pay, it's a good time to be a sworn public safety worker in Santa Monica, thanks to recent salary hikes and plentiful overtime due to longstanding staffing shortages.

Supreme Court Reverses Voting Rights Ruling
August 24, 2023 -- In a major blow to the City, the California Supreme Court on Thursday reversed an Appeals Court ruling that had found Santa Monica's at-large election system did not discriminate against Latino voters.

Santa Monica Rents Rise After 3-Month Drop
August 29, 2023 -- Santa Monica rents rose 1.8 percent in August, bucking a nationwide trend that saw rents dip for the first time since February, according to Apartment List's monthly report.

SEPTEMBER

The Last Taxis in Town
September 7, 2023 -- Fourteen years ago, Santa Monica was a wild west for taxi cabs, as the City scrambled to curb the 511 permitted cabs operated by 55 companies.

Zero-Bail Protocol to Take Effect
September 13, 2023 -- Starting next month, most suspects arrested in Santa Monica for non-violent felonies and misdemeanors will be released on the spot or immediately after booking without bail, police officials said Wednesday.

Much Noise, No Action on Union Protests
September 14, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday engaged in lengthy debates about parliamentary procedure before listening to dozens of speakers address an issue that had been pulled from the agenda.

SMPD Gets Over $6 Million to Combat Retail Theft
September 18, 2023 -- The Santa Monica Police Department will receive more than $6 million in State funding to combat organized retail theft in the city, police officials announced last week.

Barnes & Noble Returns to The Promenade
September 18, 2023 -- Five years after shutting down, Barnes & Noble will return to the Promenade, marking "a pivotal moment" in the revitalization of the struggling pedestrian strip, Downtown officials announced Monday.

Santa Monica Boosts Efforts to Tackle Homeless Problem in Parks
September 19, 2023 -- The City is increasing police patrols and stepping up efforts to clean up encampments in public parks frequented by the homeless, according to a report to the City Council last week.

Downtown Activist Attacked in Palisades Park
September 21, 2023 -- John Alle -- a Downtown business activist known for his crusading efforts to fight crime and anti-social behavior -- was hospitalized after being attacked by a homeless man in Palisades Park Tuesday afternoon, according to police.

Randomly Chosen Panel Should Guide Airport's Future, Officials Say
September 25, 2023 -- The future of Santa Monica Airport should be hammered out -- not by the usual community activists and civic volunteers -- but by randomly selected "everyday people," City officials told the City Council Monday.

Local Rents Continue Rising Amid Nationwide Drop
September 27, 2023 -- Bucking a nationwide trend, Santa Monica rents rose 2.1 percent in September, but the rate of growth has flattened after soaring last year, according to the latest monthly report by Apartment List.

Security Firm Terminates Downtown Contract
September 29, 2023 -- A tip sent to Downtown officials Thursday from an encrypted email server quickly unraveled a security program to patrol the Promenade that was months in the making.