Scary Movie Suggestions From Santa Monica City Council Candidates

SANTA MONICA, CA – What's scarier than politics? Horror movies, of course! Election Day is Nov. 6, and Santa Monica residents will be voting on three City Council seats. There are seven candidates running for a spot on Santa Monica City Council, so in spirit of the Halloween season, Patch asked the candidates what their favorite scary movies are (along with some more important stuff, like their platform).

Here's a run-down of the best scary movies according to four Santa Monica City Council candidates:

1. Scott Bellomo

• Scary movie suggestions: The Shining; Nightmare on Elm Street; Poltergeist; Carrie; The Exorcist
• Incumbent? No
• What are the 3 biggest problems facing Santa Monica today? "Crime, homeless population, over-development"
• Can you summarize your platform? "Reduce crime immediately, so we can focus on the other issues facing Santa Monica including the homeless population, traffic, and over-development. Every decision I make will have one criterion: is this good for the quality of life for the residents of Santa Monica?"

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2. Pam O'Connor

• Scary movie suggestions: "I don’t watch horror movies (though I have heard of some of the characters!). I’m the daughter of a police detective and am drawn to mysteries/action genre. Recently watched the classic Alfred Hitchcock North by Northwest. The final big chase scene on the face of Mt. Rushmore is suspenseful! As are many of Hitchcock’s movies!"
• Incumbent? Yes
• Can you summarize your platform? "I am dedicated to Santa Monica’s future. I have worked
  as your councilmember to ensure our hometown moves forward while preserving and improving all that makes it special. I will continue to work to: provide resources needed by police/fire to keep our community safe; ensure Santa Monica is fiscally strong; improve mobility choices with emphasis on pedestrian safety; support our commitment to education; increase public park space (including airport to park); maintain diversity; preserve existing housing; protect residents and neighborhoods; support affordable housing; reduce homelessness; protect natural resources; provide reliable local water; support local businesses; continue services/programs for seniors and youth."
• Website: http://www.pamoconnor2018.com

3. Kevin McKeown

Scary movie suggestions: “'An Inconvenient Sequel' — I saw that one at the Aero Theater here, with Al Gore in person!"

Incumbent? "Santa Monica residents have elected me to the City Council five times so far."

What are the 3 biggest problems facing Santa Monica today? "Crime and homelessness have spiked, and need increased immediate attention. In the long term, we are challenged with appropriate development and preparing for climate change by becoming a resilient, sustainable city."

Can you summarize your platform? "Protecting renters and creating truly affordable housing; Fighting over-development and gentrification; Shaping a sustainable city with multi-modal mobility, water, self-sufficiency, and 100% renewably-sourced power."

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4. Geoff Neri

Scary movie suggestions: Silence of the Lambs; Se7en; Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer; The Exorcist; and Room

Incumbent? "No, no and heck no."

What are the 3 biggest problems facing Santa Monica today? "Crime, homelessness, and incumbency (see 1 and 2)"

Can you summarize your platform? "We are in the midst of a public safety crisis in our community, and I am running for office because our current leaders are failing to acknowledge and address that crisis. Rampant crime, homelessness, drug-dealing and disorder plagues our city, and we are not properly allocating enough of our city's considerable human and financial resources to solve these problems. If elected, I will insist that we devote more resources to public and private security, including programs such as those adopted by our neighboring communities. For example, West Hollywood has successfully deployed private security personnel in high-risk areas at a fraction of the cost of public law enforcement. We need more "eyes and ears" on the street, not just "guns and badges." In many, if not most instances, petty and even violent crimes can be prevented and deterred when there is someone with a semblance of authority on the scene. With respect to homelessness, we need to enforce city regulations, such as those prohibiting camping and loitering in our parks and on our beaches. Our parks should be playgrounds for our children, not campgrounds for a swelling homeless population. I am not insensitive to the plight of the homeless and I feel for those who are truly victims of circumstance. However, we are becoming victims of our own tolerance in Santa Monica when it comes to the increased violence and anti-social behavior emanating from the homeless population flooding into the city, as well as the criminal element. If elected, I will put public safety first, as the first job of elected officials is to ensure and provide a safe and clean environment for the citizens they represent. This is not happening in Santa Monica and will not happen until we vote the incumbents out and bring in new leadership."

5. Ashley Powell

Scary movie suggestions: "I do not like scary movies but I will pick Hocus Pocus and Double Double Toil and Trouble (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen) as Halloween classics."

Incumbent? No

What are the 3 biggest problems facing Santa Monica today? 1. Homelessness is a complex problem we can fix! 2. Affordable housing 3. Public Safety and crime"

Can you summarize your platform? " The rent in Santa Monica is too damn high! I plan to make it affordable to live here again. I am going to help solve the homeless crisis while putting residents first. I am a proven leader. Public safety and affordable housing are my priorities but I also want to include disability rights, education, and seniors in addition to children and families safety."

Editor's Note: Patch reached out to all of the City Council candidates, but not all responded by the time this story was published. The story will be updated if we hear back.

Main image via Shutterstock