AD Candidate Richard Bloom Talks Topangan

 

PHOTO BY DAVID HUME KENNERLY, GETTY IMAGES A lawyer by training, Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom’s priorities are public safety, education, social concerns and the environment. The race for AD 50 pit two democrats against each other.

Two democrats, Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom, and incumbent Assemblymember Betsy Butler, who was elected to AD66 in 2010, but decided to run in AD50 after the districts were redrawn last year, are locked in a close Assembly race.

In the Assembly, Butler has been an advocate for consumers, working families and the environment.

Yet those on Bloom’s list of endorsers who have worked with him on economic, environmental and social issues for many years in Santa Monica, are favoring him for the Assembly seat.

A lawyer by training, Bloom’s priorities are public safety, education, social concerns and the environment, issues he has worked on locally, regionally and statewide for 13 years.

“I know how these things work; the only way they can keep it going is to take more money away from schools and local governments,” he said. “Therefore, we need fiscal reform; that is at the top of my agenda.”

“Our record of accomplishment in Santa Monica proves you can have progress and prosperity. We are the model. We have raised revenues that we can spend on special services.”

EDUCATION

“We need to keep on finding ways to make sure that everyone has access to excellent education without diminishing high-performing school districts,” Bloom said, and affirmed that he will vote for Propositions 30 and 38 to bring money back to the state and schools.

“I will fight for excellent public schools,” he said. “I will work hard in Sacramento to save our public education system, from K – 12 to community colleges and the University of California.”

ENVIRONMENT

During an Assembly candidate’s forum at the Topanga Community Club last spring, Bloom promoted the increasing economic vitality of Santa Monica and advocated for his record on the environment as a California State Coastal Commissioner, Chair of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, Chair of the Westside Cities Council of Governments and board member of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

“Climate change is the issue of our time,” he said. “We need to take a constructive role in addressing this in California, be a leader and do it in a way that minimizes impact on the economy.”

“I’ve earned a national reputation for environmental stewardship and innovation by prioritizing alternative fuels and solar power, cleaning up our beaches, setting aggressive GHG goals and the highest standards for green building,” he said. “On the California Coastal Commission, I fought to protect our irreplaceable coastline and its resources. Under my leadership, Santa Monica waged an epic legal battle against big oil companies that had polluted our drinking water, making them pay for 100 percent of the cleanup. Now, present and future generations will drink clean water.”

TALKING TOPANGAN

When asked what he would like to say to a room full of Topangans, Bloom did not hesitate.

“I love Topanga. I have the experience and record on issues that are of concern to Topanga,” he told the Messenger in a phone interview. “I am the right choice to represent you in the Assembly: 45 years of living in the area, 13 years on the Coastal Commission addressing issues of a number of cities.”

Bloom said he has been chair of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission that allocates funds for environmental areas, including the Topanga Watershed.

“I led most of the environmental issues that Santa Monica is known for — storm water, energy efficiency, elimination of pesticides in our public gardening, our plastic bag initiative, and the polystyrene ‘take out’ container ban,” he said. “We worked closely with the business community; that is the kind of leader that I am.”

Bloom also said he would work with Caltrans to prevent any future spraying on Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR 27).

“I understand why that is important, why Caltrans needs to keep those areas free of weeds, but it is important to keep roadsides free of pesticides and other toxins,” Bloom said. “I want to take that same environmental ethos to Sacramento.”

ENDORSEMENTS

A partial list of endorsements includes Ed Edelman, former L.A. County Supervisor; Mel Levine, U.S. Congress (ret); Rick Tuttle, former L.A. City Controller; Willy Brien, Mayor of Beverly Hills; Adi Liberman, Former Executive Director, Heal the Bay; the Santa Monica Firefighters Association; Santa Monica Police Officers Association; Tom Ford, former Executive Director, Santa Monica Baykeeper; and Shawn Casey O’Brien, Co-Host/Co-Producer, KPFK’s “Access Unlimited.”

For more information, go to www.richardbloom.com or e-mail Brian@RichardBloom.com.