Dear Culver City Crossroads Editor,
I am afraid I cannot vote in good conscience for Alex Fisch or Freddy Puza on November 8th. Leaving Freddy aside for the moment, in the current council, I believe that Alex Fisch and Daniel Lee have had their hearts in the right place, and many things they have achieved are positive. I thank them and the Council for their dedication to service.
However, in my opinion, Fisch and Lee have rushed to push through much of their legislation. For the sake of getting something across the finish line, they refuse to consider any changes, listen to the concerns about things not properly fleshed out in their legislation and simply ignore helpful and reasonable ideas put forward by the majority of the Culver City residents in meetings and correspondence. Instead, while their initial expressed goals are ones we all want to achieve, they time and again go for the extreme solutions which are not often well prepared or researched, under protecting some groups, overprotecting others and instituting unreasonable fees without any compromise or careful review of the impact of their proposals on the majority of this city. Another example this Move around Culver City was in theory a good project, but it ends up being an expense that was not properly researched before going forward and has caused more traffic congestion than helping the flow through the center of the city.
These last few years have been horrendous dealing with the Culver City Council. I believe most of us feel disenfranchised and unheard. For example, for the sake of allowing for as many to speak as possible, no one really can effectively state their concerns or points of view. You cannot properly cover all the aspects of such large issues as homelessness, police reform and housing rezoning in a 1 minute statement. I’m sure the Council may feel as if they’re being attacked, but when you have 1 minute to speak, all the niceties must be left out and even then, you must speak so fast, you’re barely able to make a coherent point! Why not limit the agenda items on days where you expect high participation and discussion? Instead of frustrating the community for wanting to have their say?
I see how the quality of our lives has been deeply affected by homelessness, crime and the pandemic (as well as other broader issues). The good news, I don’t think I’ve seen a higher attendance and engagement from the community for years (I’ve been a resident for 22 years). Predominantly because we see how little has been implemented by this Council to fix these problems properly. Example: They pushed through legislation, spending about $200k, to build a ramp and take out a whole section of the street parking to build a ‘safe’ passageway for residents to get around the homeless who had taken over the sidewalk in an underpass. It seems that they’re more willing to throw money at this, than hear the concerns and fears of those residents who have been attacked there, drug paraphernalia left where children passing can encounter it and the gross disrespect for the city streets, by defecation and littering these sidewalks. Again, too big an issue to discuss here, because I feel as most do that these individuals need help and a place to live safely off the street. Fisch spends more time devising faulty bills that will allow big business take over and developers to have free reign over all our city. We are painfully lacking in representation of the people.
Why can’t Fisch, Lee and McMorrin work better with their other council members, compromise and acknowledge intelligent and reasonable ways to achieve the same goals, and not destroy the goodwill of the majority of their constituents? I find myself falling more on the side of those conservatives in the Council, Goran Eriksson and Albert Vera, as they have voiced very constructive and reasonable revisions to some of the legislation set forth and it completely falls on deaf ears.
I am a liberal minded, equity and diversity advocate as well as a save the planet/environmental activist who believes the best way forward in all situations is to treat others the way you would want to be treated. What on earth has happened to our Democracy…yikes, that’s too much to get into in this brief appeal.
I hope that Khin Khin Gyi, Dan O’Brien and Denise Renteria will be the choice you make on this ballot and the change we need in council. I know you must only vote for two of them. At least they’ve vowed to listen, acknowledge and work with the community more directly on these big issues and make the changes we need. Freddy Puza is a good fellow, but I believe he will just be influenced by and a puppet to follow Fisch’s wishes as regrettably Yasmine McMorrin has been in this current council.
OF COURSE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET OUT TO VOTE!!! Thanks for your time and thoughtful consideration.
Best wishes to all,
K Ferguson
Culver City Resident
oh, Kimberley Ferguson, the CAMPAIGN MANAGER for Khin Khin Gyi?
Alex Fisch, Daniel Lee, and Yasmine Imani-McMorrin have approached their responsibilities with intelligence, forbearance, compassion, and vision. We have not seen comparable responses from their fellow council members. Instead, knee-jerk reactions, continually clouding rational choice with inflamatory comments, asking for studies when they have already been done, and delaying/waylaying meaningful discourse when all else has failed, are the typical modus operandi of Eriksson and Vera. Expect much, much more of the same if the any of the totally inexperienced trio of O’Brien, Renteria, or Gyi and their grandiose and unsupportable promises are elected.
Fisch has led the city out of looming bankruptcy created by generations of his “business friendly” predeccesors by creating dependable funding for city employee pensions. He has had the vision and legal experience to help steer Culver City through a devastating and unprecedented pandemic. He “walks the talk” in the battle against climate warming by biking, using public transport, and minimizing car use.
Unlike his opponents he has not accepted huge amounts of corporate and big business money to support his campaign. Why? Because such funds always arrive with strings attached which can be used whenever needed.
It is infinitely easier to criticize and stonewall efforts for positive and necessary change, than to create and implement legitimate ways to solve real and systemic problems. Instead of passing the buck as many have done in the past, Alex Fisch has accepted and followed through on the difficult, painstaking work necessary to solve them.
Alex Fisch and Freddy Puza are their own men. Beholding only to the community good, integrity, and a positive vision for the future. Vote for Alex Fisch and Freddy Puza for City Council.