Candidate: Mario Fonda-Bonardi For Santa Monica City Council

SANTA MONICA, CA — The 2020 election is heating up in Los Angeles County, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the outcome of state representative and senate seats.

Closer to home, Patch has asked candidates for city council races to discuss their campaigns, publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

In Santa Monica, Mario Fonda-Bonardi is running for one of the five open seats on Santa Monica City Council.

Age (as of Election Day)

72

Town/City of Residence

Santa Monica

Office Sought

Municipal office

Where appropriate, add specifics about office sought: i.e., State Senate District 1, State Assembly District 2, Temecula City Council District 1, etc.

Santa Monica City Council

Party affiliation (not needed in non-partisan races, including county, city and school offices)

non partisan office

Family

Wife + 2 adult children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS in architecture UC Berkeley

Occupation

Architect 40+ years

Campaign website

Mario4council.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Sanat Monica Planning Commissioner

The single most pressing issue facing our (state, district, community, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

In descending order 1. Crime 2 Homelessness 3 Overdevelopmen/environmental t 4 City finances For Crime: Always do more with less: 1. redeploy existing staff to more in field2. add back less expensive park rangers to secure park 3 better intelligence to forecast upcoming May 31 type riots.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I'm the real environmental candidate. The others just provide lip service but have failed to position the City in a truly sustainable direction.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

1 Command and control failure at the May 31st riots
2 Voted for an unneeded unsustainable 11 story skyscraper on our public land
3 Failed to resist Sacramento's unfunded mandate to provide 8800 new units

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

1. Provide broad band citywide internet connection to all homes and businesses as a City utility. This is essential for students, businesses, seniors etc etc

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Saved shotgun House, Instrumental in new joint use Historic Belmar Park, Instrumental in creation of 11th Street Historic District.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Net zero energy rules for all new buildings, new Citywide broad band internet, stopping the misguided plaza project.

Why should voters trust you?

45 year resident.Proven participation in civic activities: Coached AYSO for 17 years, Santa Monica Conservancy Board Member 10 years, Author of weekly editorials on Smart (Santa Monica architects for a responsible tomorrow) for 7 years. Ran a small business, my architectural practice, for 40 years in Santa Monica. I know this City and how to get things done.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Santa Monica has been living way beyond its means. Find ways of doing more with less. Lower staff starting salaries. Aggressively pay off City's $450M+ pension overhang.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

To every tough intractable problem theres always a simple easy answer that's wrong.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Our city urgently needs forward thinking council members as an alternative to the previous doomed status quo responses. I'm that person.