As election season heats up in Santa Monica, our poll will continue to track which City Council candidates residents plan to vote for. In our latest Santa Monica Pulse Poll, Armen Melkonians takes the lead with 33 percent. Current Councilmember Lana Negrete comes in second with 24 percent. Albin Gelicz and Caroline Torosis are about tied for third, each with around 10 percent. However, more than half still remain undecided on who they’ll vote for to fill the three open City Council seats.
We also asked residents about the two transfer tax measures on the ballot — one sponsored by Mayor Himmelrich and one by Councilmember Brock. 20 percent said they supported Himmelrich’s measure. 28 percent said they supported Brock’s. But another 39 percent said they did not support either measure. Only 12 percent said they weren’t sure.
Residents were asked to weigh in on a recent ordinance introduced by the City Council. The ordinance would revise the current law that makes it illegal to sit or lie down in any entrance to a building in the downtown or Main Street areas between the hours of eleven p.m. and seven a.m. This new ordinance would expand the law to other locations beyond Main Street and Downtown. 85 percent of respondents support the ordinance. Eight percent don’t support it, and about another six percent were unsure.