Derrick Townsend #DT4SM
@Derrick_NOLA • 5,206 subscribers
2026 Santa Monica City Council Candidate A Higher Standard for Santa Monica
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Santa Monica 11.25% Sales Tax Tomorrow, Oct 1, Santa Monica's sales tax hits 11.25%, the highest in the region. That's a half-cent hike from Measure ER, passed by LA County voters in June. For a typical middle-income household spending around $20,000 a year on taxable goods, dining out, gas, clothes, household items, entertainment, that's about $2,250 a year in sales tax alone. Roughly $188 a month. And this comes on top of the city's own increases over the last 4 years. Water up 20%. Trash up 11% a year. Parking permits nearly doubled, while parking at the promenade has also increased. The city says it's for services. But when every bill, every meter, and every receipt goes up at once, families feel it. They deserve a council that asks whether we're getting value before we ask for more. Santa Monica residents deserve to know exactly where every dollar goes. No more blank checks. No more vague promises. We need real transparency, real audits, and real consequences when money is wasted. That's the accountability our city is missing. Affordability means keeping money in your pocket and letting you decide how to spend it. That's what I'm fighting for as your candidate for Santa Monica City Council. A Higher Standard for Santa Monica Derrick Townsend for Santa Monica City Council
Derrick Townsend #DT4SM221,657 views • 4 days ago
Honest Thoughts on Our Safety Yesterday, a tragic incident unfolded at Palisades Park in Santa Monica. A homeless individual charged at officers with a large knife during an unrelated call. He was fatally shot, and while no officers were injured, the event highlights the dangers our public spaces face. A life was lost, and an officer's life was changed forever. We should be thoughtful of the humanity of our entire community, including anyone who lives here or visits, and that they should feel safe walking down the street. We can show compassion by getting people off the streets and into treatment. But we can't sacrifice the safety of our parks and beaches for a small number of individuals. These individuals deserve appropriate treatment and care. Leadership's continued enablement and tolerance of this activity has brought us here. No crime could be predicted, but allowing someone who may be a danger to themselves or others to remain on the street is negligent. We can do better as a city. Our public spaces should be safe for everyone.
Derrick Townsend #DT4SM17,115 views • 1 month ago
My brother died of a fentanyl overdose at the age of 23. Twelve years ago, I lost my brother to a fentanyl overdose at twenty-three. He was a highly intelligent, athletic kid with a bright future. Our family was shattered, and I'd give anything to have him back. In Los Angeles County, there were one thousand one hundred thirty-five fentanyl-related overdose deaths in twenty twenty-five, with adults aged twenty-six to thirty-nine having the highest rate at nineteen point nine per one hundred thousand. Drug addiction destroys families. Enabling people to keep using only pushes the inevitable down the road. There's no harm reduction in continuing the abuse. We need mandated treatment, not needle handouts. Not only do I have master's level education in mental health and psychology, I also have lived experience. I understand what families are going through and know firsthand what these problems can cause. As a candidate for Santa Monica City Council, I'm committed to pushing for treatment access and ending the cycle of enablement. Derrick Townsend for Santa Monica City Council '26
Derrick Townsend #DT4SM21,542 views • 2 months ago
Good morning, Santa Monica. Some news you need to know. The City Council just voted unanimously on June 9th to accept a $2 million federal grant (taxpayer money) plus a $506,000 local match to study capping or even removing the I-10 between 11th and 20th Streets for a park. We have crumbling roads and delayed infrastructure projects, yet we're spending millions on consultants while real needs go unmet. Similar lids cost over $100 million and take up to 4 years to build. The I-10 carries around 150,000 vehicles daily and brings in roughly 60-70% of our workforce, over 50,000 commuters. This will worsen traffic, increase stress on workers, and hurt our economy. Tourism brought in nearly $997 million last year and supports over 6,400 local jobs. We're still only at about 50% of our peak tourism employment from 2019. More gridlock will drive visitors away, threatening these jobs that so many people rely on. It could also cut off Malibu's critical connection to the interstate, affecting emergency services during fire evacuations. This is the wrong priority. What do you think? 🚨 Share your thoughts below.
Derrick Townsend #DT4SM13,844 views • 3 months ago
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