City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 10, 2024
Agenda Item: 3.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Nikima Newsome, City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department Subject: Adoption of Resolution Accepting the Official Canvass and Official Statement of Votes Cast for the Consolidated General Municipal Election Held on November 5, 2024, and Declaring the Results Thereof
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution accepting the Official Canvass for the General Municipal Election held on November 5, 2024.
Executive Summary
On November 5, 2024, a consolidated municipal election was held in the City of Santa Monica with the purpose of electing three members to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board for four-year terms and four members to the Santa Monica City Council for four-year terms.
There was a scheduled election to fill three seats on the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees. However, by the end of the filing period, there were only three qualified candidates for the three vacant seats on the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees.
The candidates were: Anastasia Foster, Rob Greenstein Rader, and Margaret Quinones-Perez. A fourth candidate filed but did not qualify. Since the number of candidates for board members did not exceed the number of offices to be filled, the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees election was cancelled as provided for by Section 5328 of the California Education Code and the qualified candidates will be sworn in at the Board’s scheduled Organizational Meeting. 2 of 5
In addition, there was also a scheduled election to fill two seats on the Santa Monica Rent Control Board. However, by the end of the filing period, there were only two qualified candidates for the two vacant seats on the Santa Monica Rent Control Board.
The candidates were: Kay Ambriz and Phillis Dudick. Since the number of candidates for board members did not exceed the number of offices to be filled, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board election was also cancelled as provided for by Article XVIII, Chapter 1803(d) of the Santa Monica City Charter, and the qualified candidates shall be seated upon swearing in by the City Clerk.
The City placed the following measures on the ballot:
MEASURE F
To fund essential city services such as 911 emergency response, public safety, and addressing homelessness, shall the measure modernizing the City of Santa Monica’s 1990 business license tax ordinance to improve tax equity and fairness, exempting small businesses from the tax, decreasing tax rates for most retailers and restaurants, raising the corporate headquarters rate to 0.25%, removing auto dealer tax exemptions, and restoring a business license processing fee, generating approximately $3,000,000 annually, until ended by voters, be adopted?
MEASURE K
To enhance public safety, create safe routes to school to protect children, lower the risk of fatal traffic accidents, and maintain other essential city services, shall the measure increasing the City of Santa Monica Parking Facility Tax by 8% for users including visitors and tourists, causing no additional cost in City-owned lots and structures (including downtown and the beach) because of a partial City exemption, generating approximately $6,700,000 annually until ended by voters, be adopted? MEASURE PSK (Advisory)
ADVISORY VOTE ONLY: If Measure K is enacted, should at least half of the additional revenue raised be used to protect public safety in Santa Monica, including attracting and retaining well-trained police officers and firefighters, 3 of 5
improving crime and homelessness prevention services, and increasing police patrols and enhancing emergency medical response in neighborhoods and public areas, including downtown, the pier, and the beach?
Discussion
The Registrar Recorder/County Clerk of the County of Los Angeles submitted to the City Clerk a Certified Canvass of the Votes Cast for all candidates and ballot measures.
The results, as reported by the County Clerk, are as follows:
Candidates elected to the Santa Monica City Council for 4-year terms:
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT
Dan Hall 21,297 13.27%
Ellis Raskin 21,215 13.22%
Barry Snell 20,272 12.63%
Natalya Zernitskaya 20,198 12.58%
Candidates elected to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board:
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT
Jennifer Smith 28,882 29.96%
Jon Kean 26,564 27.56%
Maria Leon-Vazquez 26,454 27.44%
Measure F was approved by the voters by the following votes:
YES VOTES 35,971 78.31%
NO VOTES 9,962 21.69%
Measure K was approved by the voters by the following votes:
YES VOTES 34,669 74.26%
NO VOTES 12,014 25.74%
Measure PSK (ADVISORY VOTE) was approved by the voters by the following votes:
YES VOTES 30,409 67.21%
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NO VOTES 14,836 32.79%
Environmental Review
The adoption of resolution is not a “project” subject to CEQA. Pursuant to CEQA Section 21065, the project does not meet the definition of a “project” subject to CEQA as it will not “cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment”. Additionally, per Section 15378(b) of the CEQA Guidelines, a “project” does not include administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Therefore, the resolution is not subject to CEQA.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. Funds for the cost of the election are included in account number 01110002.552010 of the FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget. Costs will be pro-rated among the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
Measures F and K take effect on January 1, 2025. Revenues associated with fiscal year 2024-25 will be deposited accordingly and the budget will be adjusted as needed during the year-end budget process. Future year budgets will reflect the anticipated additional revenues generated by the tax measures.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. 2024 Santa Monica City Certified Results and Resolution