Hello. I'm Kevin McKeown, candidate for Santa Monica City Council. I've lived here almost half my life, over 22 years, and you've heard my voice before here on the radio at City Council meetings. As former chair of the Wilshire/Montana Neighborhood Coalition, I've spoken on behalf of residents for affordable housing, for safe crosswalks, for more parks and playfields. I've spoken against more traffic, against commercial intrusions into our residential neighborhoods, and against "monster mansions."

Now, I'm ready to stop asking and start ACTING, on your behalf, as your Councilmember. I want to work for you, and I ask you to vote for me, Kevin McKeown.

I'm a computer consultant for our school district. Education will always be a top priority for me, and that includes the creation of a lifelong learning community in Santa Monica that we'll ALL benefit from. Last year I served on our City's Telecommunications Working Group and helped create a high-speed computer network to link our library with our high school and with Santa Monica College. YES, I support the school bond and the library bond.

I also support what so many Santa Monicans have told me: we need more parks. The new Recreation and Parks Master Plan, created with tremendous public input, calls for more open space, for parks and playfields. We've done the study; it's time for action. Last June, though, the current City Council majority voted AGAINST additional money for buying parkland. That was wrong. As your Councilmember, I will vote FOR parks.

Housing in Santa Monica is a CRITICAL issue, and this election may be our last chance as residents to keep our city from losing its unique character. It may be your last chance to keep from being forced out of Santa Monica. Protection for our existing affordable housing has been weakened. Luxury housing developments will replace existing apartments, and current residents will be evicted. That's not theory. Evictions and demolitions already are up sharply. As your Councilmember, I will immediately revisit our housing program to make sure we're responsibly protecting our community, and generating needed funds for new affordable housing.

We MUST protect the special character of our residential neighborhoods. Santa Monica's soul is at stake. This summer, our North of Montana neighbors joined together to fight what they call "monster mansions". The money interests behind overbuilding tried to downplay a serious grassroots concern as "merely political." Truth is, we residents are awakening to the agenda of some developers, architects and attorneys whose vision of an overbuilt Santa Monica we do not share.

You know, our police and fire departments are as concerned about overdevelopment and increased traffic as we are. Streets clogged with too many cars mean emergency vehicles can't get to YOU. Overdevelopment is a public safety issue.

And as long as I'm talking about traffic, hey, what about crosswalks? City policy for some time has been to REMOVE marked crosswalks. We've come back to City Hall again and again asking for safe crosswalks in Santa Monica. Still, not a single marked crosswalk has been replaced yet.

I'm Kevin McKeown, a 22 year resident of Santa Monica. I know how special our community is. I want to protect our homes, expand our parks and playfields, make sure our schools are the best, and promote a healthy environment.

With your support, I'll be your voice inside City Hall. I'll work hard to make sure Council decisions are good for our neighborhoods, our community, including local business, and, most especially, for YOU and your family.

I ask for your vote on November 3rd. I'm Kevin McKeown, candidate for Santa Monica City Council. Thanks.