1 David Yakobson
From: Nikki Kolhoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 11:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi; Heidi von Tongeln Subject: 1/27/26 City Council - Item 11A: OPPOSE Extension of YY/GSH Joint Use Agreements
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and City Council,
I am writing to oppose the extension of the YY/GSH Joint Use Agreements for the following reasons:
This is premature. These agreements don't expire for another 2.5 years and a lot can change in that time. Extending the contracts for 10 years now is not prudent. You have no compliance information. There is ZERO analysis in the staff report of which facilities are covered by each agreement, and whether the city or school district are in compliance with, or in default under, the agreements. There is no information about the revenues paid and the use of facilities received. Furthermore, any extension would be a deemed waiver of current defaults under these Joint Use Agreements, and it would be irresponsible of you to waive defaults on behalf of the public with no information. This is a piecemeal decision. There are THREE joint use agreements. However, you would be extending two while not addressing the third. There is ZERO analysis in the staff report of which facilities are being extended and which are not and what the value is of each facility. This lays the groundwork for a parcel tax. You are limiting future options, which appears to be an attempt to force our hands on a parcel tax. Based on the "Realignment Plan", you have disingenuously claimed you cannot afford to pay the original Joint Use Agreement from 2005, despite it being a recurring revenue stream and payment to the school district for 20 years.
The City has a spending problem, most problematically in the form of unchallenged molestation settlements while refusing to release the Uller Report (it's Santa Monica's Epstein Files). You have brought us to the brink of fiscal collapse, not by paying the same bill to the school district for 20 years, but by reckless NEW spending decisions. You only want to "cut school spending" because you know voters are gullible enough to pass another tax "for the schools." But we know this is really a NEW tax to backfill your fiscal mismanagement.
Delay voting on this until all the Joint Use Agreement and Parcel Tax cards are on the table. The residents of Santa Monica deserve transparency.
Regards,
Nikki Kolhoff
Santa Monica Resident and Voter
1 David Yakobson
From: Ted Winterer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2026 6:23 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin
Cc: Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems; Shelton, Antonio
Subject: Item 11-a, 1/287/26 City Council Meeting
EXTERNAL
Mayor Torosis and Honorable Councilmembers,
I am writing on behalf of the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) with respect to the Y/YY and GS/GSH Agreement (Agreement) between the City and SMMUSD.
The two tax measures that fund this Agreement – Y/YY (2010) and GS/GSH (2016) – included advisory measures that directed that 50% of the revenue would go to SMMUSD to fund public education and 50% would go to the City. CEPS led the campaign effort on these measures; the overwhelming majority of volunteers and campaign funding was provided by the school community.
CEPS has reviewed the Agreement, which provides an initial ten-year term (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2028) and an indefinite number of potential ten-year extensions. CEPS urges the City and SMMUSD to confirm a ten-year extension through June 30, 2038.
CEPS does not believe there is any need to amend or modify the Agreement. In particular, CEPS does not support changing the Agreement insofar as it addresses non-renewal.
We look forward to a continuation of this City support of the children and teachers at our public schools.
Item 11-A
January 27, 2026
Item 11-A
January 27, 2026
2 Regards,
Ted Winterer
CEPS Chair
--
Ted Winterer
Realtor @Compass, 2115 Main Street Santa Monica
"Most Loved Real Estate Agent 2025," Santa Monica Daily Press DRE #02047989
To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.
Item 11-A
January 27, 2026
Item 11-A
January 27, 2026