Candidate for
City Council Member; City of Santa Monica

I believe in positive campaigning. As I write this on October 27, I am saddened by all the negative campaigning in this city council race. I have sent out four mailers; their only topics are who I am and where I stand on issues. Campaign materials paid for by a committee other than "Bob Holbrook for Santa Monica City Council 2006" were NOT sent or aired by me. By law, I cannot have anything to do with campaigns run by independent expenditure committees. Even though they may use my name in their material, I have no control over the type of campaign they run.

I began my campaign in September with this letter to Santa Monica voters. It explains my philosophy of public service:

Dear Santa Monica Resident,

I'd like to communicate with you as directly as possible as I begin my campaign for re-election to the Santa Monica City Council. That's why I am writing a letter instead of starting out with the usual campaign mailer extolling me as the answer to all your problems, current and future.

Depending on how long you have lived in Santa Monica, you may be asking, "Who are you, anyway?" or "Bob--you've served us on the School Board and the Council for 24 years. Why do you want to attend even more of those mind-boggling Council meetings?"

My answer is pretty simple: I was born in Santa Monica, raised my family, and worked as a community pharmacist here. Serving the people of Santa Monica is what I do, and I believe I do it well. So far, the voters have expressed their confidence by re-electing me. I have no political agenda. As much as possible, I try to keep political quarrelling out of Council meetings, so we can focus on Santa Monica's welfare. I am often calmer and more conciliatory than some of my supporters (including my wife!) would like, but I have learned that the City comes out ahead that way.

I believe my knowledge of the City, experience in governing it, and resident-serving approach will be needed on the Council over the next four years. I and others have begun work that will have a profound effect on life in Santa Monica. I want to stay on the job to make sure the effect is good in each case:

• Public safety: People tell me they feel unsafe because of gang violence and the criminal element hiding among our homeless population. The City will hire a new police chief soon, and I look forward to working with him or her to create a peaceful Pico Neighborhood and parks safe enough for our children and senior citizens.

• Homelessness: Several new City programs have shown initial success in moving chronically homeless people off the streets and into housing. I am especially pleased that Bobby Shriver and I, along with City staff, have forged an agreement with the two largest groups that run feeding programs in our parks. Soon they will move indoors, where their clientele will be connected with social services. Above all, Santa Monica must keep pressing for a regional solution, including a regional governing body that leads other cities to do their fair share to eliminate homelessness.

• Traffic and parking: I will support new traffic mitigation measures and parking spaces wherever we can find them, as well as promote Light Rail for Santa Monica. We need to continue improving our own Big Blue Bus service, so more residents and visitors will use it.

• Education: Three generations of Holbrooks have gone through Santa Monica public schools--my dad, myself (Muir, John Adams, and Samohi), and my three children. As a former School Board President, I understand better than any other Council candidate the perpetual financial crisis our public schools face. I will continue to seek ways that the City can help create excellent schools, which benefit the whole community.

• Protecting Santa Monica's ambiance: We must make sure the City adopts a Land Use and Circulation Element that doesn't allow development to swallow up what we love about Santa Monica.

• Cleaning up our bay and beach: Bacteria and toxic chemicals from urban runoff have created a serious public health issue. People continue to get sick from swimming in Santa Monica Bay. We must stop this.

Sincerely,

Bob Holbrook

P.S. If you would like to discuss city issues, please email me at Holbrooksm2006@hotmail.com and I'll email or call you back.