VOTER

Learn more about our nonpartisan stance.

Read this blog post from former LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomón.

Leadership Team: Angela Scott, Barbara Inatsugu, Karen Carrey, Jackie Pepper

Editor: Barbara Inatsugu

league@lwvsantamonica.org

Have You Voted Yet??

DON'T FORGET ... Election Day is TODAY - MARCH 5

Download the EASY VOTER GUIDE here

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SANTA MONICA

Women Who Shape Santa Monica 2024

On March 21, the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica will gather virtually and in person to honor four women for their activities helping to shape the City of Santa Monica.

“Celebrating Women Who Advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” is the theme for this year’s celebration, in which Tara Barauskas, Patti Braun, Robbie Jones and Ericka Lesley will receive Yellow Rose Awards.

“The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica is excited to honor four outstanding women who have worked tirelessly to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in our community,” said Angela D. Scott, president of record for the LWVSM. “Each honoree’s dedication to uplifting people from systemically disadvantaged groups has enriched the lives of those directly impacted by their work, while also making Santa Monica a better place to live, work and visit for all people,” Scott adds.

Guests have the option of attending either virtually on Zoom, or in person at:

Brookdale Ocean House, 2107 Ocean in Santa Monica

Thursday, March 21.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. program begins at 7:00 p.m. 

Attendees are strongly encouraged to register in advance due to limited space. 

Complimentary Valet Parking from 6:30 p.m.

RSVP for in-person attendance here: https://conta.cc/4bJr7bz

RSVP for virtual attendance here: https://conta.cc/3T25NqG

YELLOW ROSE AWARDS

Four Incredible Women

TARA BARAUSKAS

Tara Barauskas is the Executive Director of Community Corporation of Santa Monica, a nonprofit affordable housing organization. Joining in 2016, she oversees the functional areas of the organization, including management of over 2,000 units of affordable housing, housing development, resident services, maintenance and administration of 100 staff. Ms. Barauskas has over 24 years of experience in affordable housing development, having worked at both for-profit and nonprofit affordable housing development organizations prior to joining Community Corporation.

Tara currently serves on several Boards - the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council, AIA-Los Angeles, Housing California, and Westside Urban Forum. In addition, she is a member of the advisory council of the UCLA Ziman Affordable Housing Council. Tara also leads the housing committee of the Committee for Racial Justice. 

PATTI BRAUN

Patti Braun created Mothers’ Education Outreach in Santa Monica, offering free English instruction and onsite childcare to immigrant mothers. She was a mainstay on the board of directors of Harvest Home –a Westside residential program serving pregnant women facing homelessness. Patti founded JAMS Theatre Company to enable students to take part in enriching theater experiences regardless of ability to pay, and she has served as President of Samohi Choral Steering, and as Samohi Theatre Producer—her efforts through the years have raised nearly a million dollars for performing arts and educational programs.

Patti’s Weekend Bags Program provides food for approximately 100 SMMUSD students experiencing food insecurity each week, enabling all our children to come to school fed and ready to learn. Patti currently is VP of Community Concerns with SMMPTA, is a member of its DEI committee, and is a past SMMPTA Council president.

ROBBIE JONES

Robbie Jones is a third-generation Santa Monica resident and passionate activist, dedicated to preserving the diverse histories of her community. In the late 1980s, she initiated tours for family and friends, evolving into group bus tours and concierge services for families, schools, and beyond—giving birth to Black Santa Monica Tours and Concierge. In 2022, Robbie collaborated with the Santa Monica Orchestra, weaving together the tapestry of Black Life in Santa Monica through the harmonious blend of music, visuals, and narrative.

Through her work, Robbie paints a vivid picture of a community deeply connected to its roots, fostering a legacy that transcends generations and inspires others to cherish the narratives that make each community unique.

ERICKA LESLEY

Ericka Lesley has dedicated more than a decade working with various organizations to amplify the voices of the unheard and underserved within the community. As the current Chair of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, she ensures that the concerns of our unhoused neighbors find a prominent place at the decision-making table. As Chair of the Santa Monica Black Agenda,

Ericka actively fosters a vision that places the spotlight on dismantling the systemic injustices of racism. Ericka has worked as a Community Health Specialist, ensuring underrepresented communities receive the resources needed for equitable health insurance.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE UNITED STATES

...Statement Issued by the LWV of the United States following SCOTUS Decision

US Supreme Court Rules State Courts Cannot Disqualify Trump on 2024 Ballot

Press Release / Last Updated: March 4, 2024

WASHINGTON — The League of Women Voters of the United States's President Sania Irwin issued the following statement after today’s Supreme Court decision. The unanimous ruling struck down the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision that former President Trump is ineligible to appear on the presidential primary ballot. 

“Today’s Supreme Court decision reverses the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove former president Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot as unconstitutional. This decision provides guidance to all states grappling with this issue. The court explicitly rules that state courts do not have the authority under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to disqualify federal candidates from office and that the power to do so rests with Congress.    

“The Supreme Court needed to move swiftly to ensure that voters have the clarity they deserve to vote with confidence in the upcoming presidential primary season.   

“As a nonpartisan organization, the League of Women Voters is committed to ensuring that voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Voters can check out VOTE411.org to get voter information for the 2024 election.  Visit VOTE411.org

“The League of Women Voters remains committed to empowering voters and ensuring more people are fully represented in our democracy.”  

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA

Series of Legislative Briefings on California's Changing Electorate

The Center for Inclusive Democracy is conducting a series of legislative briefings at the State Capitol focused on California’s changing electorate. The series explores issues of voter access and equity in the state, California’s changing demographics and its impact on elections and redistricting, as well as other developments impacting voter turnout and engagement.

You can watch Deputy Director Dora Rose on the panel entitled California’s Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) at Five Years. A 2-minute highlight reel is also available here.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LA COUNTY

An InterLeague Organization

WHAT OTHER LEAGUES ARE DOING

...shared by Carolina Goodman, Chair, Committee on Criminal Justice Reform

League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles (LWVGLA)

Carolina submitted this article for LWVGLA's next newsletter about CIRCLE, LA City's unarmed response program for urgent, nonviolent calls regarding unhoused individuals. 

Alternative to 911 for People who are Unhoused

LWVGLA’s Committee on Criminal Justice Reform has been learning about successful programs around the country that respond to nonviolent emergencies with unarmed teams of professionals. Here in Los Angeles, the Mayor’s Office has had a pilot program called CIRCLE (Crisis and Incident Response through Community-Led Engagement) in Hollywood and Venice for nonviolent calls involving people who are unhoused. The City is now expanding the program to all of West LA, Metro, Northeast Valley, and South LA. CIRCLE has shown to improve outcomes for unhoused individuals by making referrals and connections to services. More...

...shared by Teri Mufic Neustaedter of LWV Beach Cities

Here's the link to LWV Beach Cities newsletters (VOTERs). This is an ongoing link and will be updated as new issues are posted. We publish our newsletter, The Voter, four times a year.

Read and download the current and past issues. https://lwvbeachcities.org/newsletters.html

SANTA MONICA

City Council

The City of Santa Monica broadcast AND recorded its Annual State of the City

Authored by Phil Brock, Mayor

The City of Santa Monica broadcast its annual State of the City address on Feb. 29, 2024, where city leadership highlighted progress made in key strategic areas: Addressing Homelessness; Economic Growth & Cultural Vitality; Clean & Safe; Sustainable & Connected; and Justice, Equity & Diversity.

Watch the recording of the event on YouTube. In this blog post, we share the text of Mayor Brock’s address. See City Manager David White's address here.

Council approves FY 23-25 midyear budget review

The Santa Monica City Council at its meeting on Tuesday night, February 27, reviewed and approved the Fiscal Year 2023-25 midyear budget adjustments and heard a presentation on the five year budget forecast.

The annual mid-year budget review process provides an opportunity to assess the adopted budget projections and review recommended adjustments based on eight months of actual spending data. Approved updates include staffing adjustments to better realign resources, acceptance of federal funding for various programs and an additional allocation to the City Council’s discretionary fund to support community needs.

Overall, the five year outlook for the city’s budget is stable and focuses on restoring services and replenishing reserves. At the same time, the city continues to navigate financial challenges, ranging from economic uncertainty to increased costs, high interest rates, a challenging labor market and changes in consumer behavior.

View the full presentation and council discussion click here.

To view the staff report, click here.

Authored By Oscar Santiago, Finance Department Director

Big Blue Bus seeks community input to enhance customer experience

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2024) — The City of Santa Monica is reimagining Big Blue Bus, working with community partners to expand access to fast, frequent, and reliable transportation in Santa Monica and west Los Angeles.

Community members are invited to share feedback on Big Blue Bus service improvements at two public workshops in March as part of the city’s Brighter Blue service planning initiative. More information is available as you register.

Virtual Workshop

Wednesday, March 6

6-8 p.m.

In-Person Workshop

Thursday, March 7

5:30-7:30 p.m.

Santa Monica Main Library – Multipurpose Room

601 Santa Monica Blvd.

To attend a workshop, register at brigherbluebbb.com.

Unable to attend? Don't worry: Those unable to attend a workshop can also provide input via an online survey at sur-vey.typeform.com/brighterblue.

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

**District News**

John Adams Middle School recognized as a California Distingushed School!

Last week California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 293 middle schools and high schools had been selected as California Distinguished Schools.

SMMUSD's John Adams Middle School (JAMS) was recognized as being “exceptional” for both closing the achievement gap and demonstrating student performance. JAMS was the only school in SMMUSD recognized in the prestigious 2024 California Distinguished Schools Program. Schools are recognized for exceptional student performance in English Language Arts and math, reducing suspensions, and demonstrating high graduation rates (high schools only).

The bar is set high. Schools recognized for closing the achievement gap enroll at least 40% of their students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and, in addition to demonstrating exemplary overall performance in ELA and math, achieve accelerated academic growth for one or more historically underserved student groups.

LEAGUE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS NEVER STOP LEARNING

NEVER STOP SEEKING KNOWLEDGE

NEVER STOP ENGAGING

Panel Talks Countering Truth Decay

...Santa Monica Daily Press Summary

Looking at any social media feed typically means viewing an argument between two or more parties. Whether it be something as light as the latest sports contest or movie, or a heavier subject like politics, current social climate dictates that a fight will be had, and usually not a well-informed one. A break from past discourse comes in the form of arguing parties not agreeing on the same sets of facts, something author and RAND Corporation President Emeritus Michael D. Rich coined “truth decay.”

At Santa Monica College’s Student Services Center Orientation Hall recently, Rich and several panelists held a community conversation about “Countering Truth Decay,” sponsored by the Human Relations Council of Santa Monica Bay Area. Rich co-authored the 2018 book Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life with Jennifer Kavanagh, a work that became widespread enough that former President Barack Obama put it on his 2018 summer reading list. More ...

"Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life" is available online at the RAND Corporation’s website, rand.org