Open Letter

By Jonathan Louis "Jon" (Stevens) Mann

This is a communication to my fellow candidates, Green party associates, interested parties and local media. I do not consider the press to cover my campaign as they are more concerned with covering incumbents, endorsed, and celebrity candidates. I therefore am relying on the electronic to communicate my message and expose corruption, incompetence and conflict of interest in Santa Monica.

This local election is not just about compromises candidates make to attract financial contributions and endorsements needed to get elected. I believe that resurrecting the Public Electronic Network, (PEN), would level the playing field so that the main priority of government would be to provide the services Santa Monica residents want without apealing to outside interests.

I have run for City Council six times, long before the advent of MoveOn.org; people are finally beginning to understand my vision to create an electronic plebiscite. My purpose has always to promote an agenda to create an electronic town hall, hoping my foresight would be implemented by someone who had a viable chance of being elected. I never campaigned hard enough to take that many votes away from so called "progressive" candidates and never made any personal attacks. All that has changed, now; this Council has had their chance and dropped the ball when I tried to pass it to them.

I hold the ENTIRE present and past city councils accountable for the state of affairs in this city, (which has accelerated under the leadership of the present council). While there are deep divisions among the council, the deteriorating situation in Santa Monica happened on their watch and is their fault. There are numerous special interests, appointed officials, city employees, and so on, that share the blame. Yet the council COULD have prevented much of the chaos, instead of approving corporate development, increasing tourism, raising taxes, and opting for increased revenues. There is talk of down sizing and streamlining the bureaucracy, but that is due to economic conditions and because it is an election year.

Because of a hedge issue that the council flubbed due to arrogance and insensitivity, (and now will pay the price), the voters are mobilizing to clean house. What an irony that it takes the such a trivial issue to prompt action. If voter dissatisfaction is any measure, and is not co-opted by business interests, a new majority will rule in this city. But, if an alliance is formed with even more reactionary members of the Council, then Santa Monica will be even more firmly in the hands of special interests and it will be more politics as usual. Candidates need to think long and hard before deciding who to affiliate with, as we'll be realigning the balance of power in this city and determining the future direction of Santa Monica. We have an opportunity to advance on a bold new course and move way beyond conventional politics into the 21sr century!

I ask for everyone to support Anderson and Mann, for a balanced ticket that reflects integrity, accountability and NO liability to any vested interests.

Jonathan Mann http://www.GreenSM.org