THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2002
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Volume 1, Issue 99
Santa Monica Daily Press Serving Santa Monica for the past 116 days
Overwhelming approval for bond measure cast by underwhelming minority
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16 percent of voters pass Santa Monica College bond BY ANDREW H. FIXMER Daily Press Staff Writer
Andrew H. Fixmer/Daily Press Roz takes time out of her busy day to pick up organic oranges and avocados from Carlos Sasaki of Fallbrook on the Third Street Farmers Market Wednesday.
Santa Monica election turn out lowest in years Over 70 percent of city’s registered voters didn’t cast ballots in primary BY ANDREW H. FIXMER Daily Press Staff Writer
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Santa Monica voters stayed away from the polls in droves Tuesday, resulting in a record low-turnout. Only 23 percent — 16,827 out of the city’s 73,279 registered voters — went to 83citywide polling stations to cast ballots. Not for over a decade has resident interest in an election dipped to the level expressed this week, one city official said Some elected officials theorized that because the majority of city voters are registered Democrats and the Democratic primary was nearly unopposed, residents didn’t feel a need to vote. “There was less reason to turn out this time because the gubernatorial election was not contested,” said Mayor Mike Feinstein. “With Gray Davis a sure winner, it made
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things even worse than if there had been a contested race.” Feinstein said low voter turn out at spring elections is why the city decided in the 1980’s to change city council elections to November, when statewide races would draw more voters to the polls. Others felt voters did a great disservice to the nation by not getting out to the polls. “In the post 9-11 era this is an abomination,” said Peter Tigler, a ‘No on Prop U’ leader. “I guess all the flag wavers were still at the malls shopping for patriotism when it came time to vote.” Besides the political party primaries for governor and an assortment of initiatives, local voters were asked to decide the fate of a $160 million Santa Monica College bond. The measure was overwhelmingly approved, receiving 70 percent of the vote. “I think that many residents who are disappointed by the college simply did not vote,” said Councilman Richard Bloom in an e-mail. “It was predicable that this election would have low voter turn out as the community is largely Democrats and there was no hotly contested Democratic race in the primary.
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Voters overwhelmingly approved a $160 million bond that will pay for expanded facilities and a new campus for Santa Monica College. Nearly 70 percent — or 11,688 residents — voted for the bond measure Tuesday, surpassing the 55 percent required by law for approval. Only 30 percent — or 5,144 residents — opposed the measure. “This is an incredible vote of confidence,” said SMC President Piedad Robertson. “It was good to see that people appreciate the college and want to encourage us to be even better.” However, only 16 percent of total registered Santa Monica voters approved the measure. Some critics of the proposal have said that is hardly a majority of support. “We were a lot smaller than they were, but I think broadly speaking that under 25 percent of the electorate came out,” said Peter Tigler, a ‘No on Prop U’ leader. Opponents said that the bond would spur more uncontrolled growth at the college. The idea of more satellite cam-
puses concerns many residents who have been impacted by the school’s expansion over the years. Also, opponents said the local community shouldn’t be funding a college that has 32,000 students, many of whom commute from outside Santa Monica. Their third argument was that the measure would reduce local bonding capacity. Opposition to the measure came late, with an ad campaign estimated at under $1,000 and little public protest until just weeks before election day. The advertising war chest for “Vote Yes on Measure U” reached about $200,000, with $115,000 raised by SMC’s Associated Students over the past two years. The funds are collected through student fees. By dividing what the college spent on pro-measure U advertising by the number of votes, they spent $13.64 cents per vote. If the same mathematical equation is applied to the opposition party, they spent under 20 cents per vote. Tigler said he hopes SMC will have a “congenial” relationship with nearby residents. Santa Monica Mayor Mike Feinstein said the fall is the time when important ballot issues, like the bond measure, should go before voters. “In general its better to put a measSee MEASURE, page 3
GOP could have tough time winning statewide offices BY SETH HETTENA Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES — The once mighty California Republican Party is now facing the prospect of being shut out of statewide offices in the November general election. Four strong Democratic incumbents are running for governor, attorney general, treasurer and lieutenant governor. Other races for controller, secretary of state, insurance commissioner and
superintendent of public instruction feature well-financed Democratic contenders. “It’s fair to say the symbol of the California Republican Party is not the elephant. It’s the underdog,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and an expert in Republican politics. Assembly Majority Leader Kevin Shelley’s upset win Tuesday over March Fong Eu for the Democratic bid
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