A Quick Review of Measure SM

As we finish up our review of the ballot measures there’s one measure we haven’t covered, Measure SM. SM has received scant media coverage, and a quick google search shows that it hasn’t even been mentioned in Santa Monica Next yet. SM is so uncontroversial that nobody even stepped forward to write an opposition piece for the city’s non-partisan ballot initiative page.

So what is Measure SM? It’s an attempt to broaden, renew and clarify the city’s Oaks Initiative to curb corruption that was passed by voters in 2000 and renewed in 2006. In particular, SM would :

• Place enforcement responsibility in the hands of the independent Criminal Division of the City Attorney’s office or a special prosecutor who have no conflict
• Permit criminal and civil prosecutions of any violator, including developers or contractors who violate the law
• Clarify exactly which public officials are covered by Oaks (City Council, City Manager, Planning Commissioners, Department Heads, and their designees)
• Clarify that receiving a campaign contribution or personal advantage in any location, including outside of Santa Monica, is prohibited
• Require companies receiving public benefits to disclose who really owns them, so they cannot hide behind shell companies.
• Create an exception for volunteer members of non-profit entities other than PACs or entities controlling PACs.

The Santa Monica Next steering committee didn’t vote on whether or not to endorse this measure as it’s too far out of our coverage area.

About The Author

Damien Newton

Damien is the executive director of the Southern California Streets Initiative which publishes Santa Monica Next, Streetsblog Los Angeles, Streetsblog San Francisco, Streetsblog California and Longbeachize.

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