Culver City Council Candidates Should Be Judged on Their Performance and Service

I have had the privilege of participating in Culver City elections for the last 45 years as a candidate and supporter of candidates. Culver City residents have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to support qualified men and women who have been willing to make personal and business sacrifices in order to serve our City. Until now, I cannot remember an election in which a decision relating to the private life of a candidate became for some, more important than his/her qualifications.

Scott Malsin made a choice to resign from the council rather than lose certain medical benefits. He is now a candidate for City Council. The wisdom or reasons for his choice to resign are irrelevant. Whether I would or would not have done the same thing is also irrelevant.

There is one standard that I will measure him and every other candidate by: WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF CULVER CITY?

Scott has served more years on the council than any other candidate and therefore it is much easier to measure his performance and service to Culver City. I rate it as A+. If you think I am being too generous ask yourself one question: Do you like the quality of life we enjoy in Culver City?  Scott had a significant part in designing neighborhood guidelines intended to preserve the city’s character; developing standards for commercial-residential developments that would be compatible with what we want the city to be; and obtaining grants that maintain and improve our parks.

It is dangerous and unproductive to measure the qualifications of candidates by the personal choices they have made in their private lives. If that standard was applied to Congress, we would have difficulty filling half the seats. I hope that Culver City will continue to elect candidates that are well qualified, and reject the negativity that has been unfairly directed at Scott.

Sincerely,

Paul A. Jacobs

Former Mayor and City Council Member (1976-1992)

Co-Chair Scott Malsin Campaign

Editor's note: Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.

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