Candidate Profile: Zoë Muntaner​ 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, Zoë Muntaner is running for one of the five open seats on Santa Monica City Council.

Age (as of Election Day)

51

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.

CA

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

Family

Norma Iris Muntaner (Mother) 74 years. She lives in Puerto Rico. Is the person who initiated me into civic life by teaching me that a Strong Woman Stands for Herself, but a Stronger Woman Stands for Others.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My mother ran for office in Puerto Rico and was very politically active for many years, fundraising for candidates and volunteering in local campaigns. She and my dad took me to my first political rally at the tender age of 8.

Education

Media & Communications

Occupation

Media & Communications Professional, Writer, Founder of Compassionate Santa Monica & Giving Tuesday Santa Monica.

Campaign website

https://www.zoemuntaner.com/

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

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

Homelessness & Public Safety.

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

I have been talking about the issues currently popular in our culture for the last 10 years. I've blown the whistle several times about it. None of the candidates have been impacted the way I've had by bad policy and politics. None has walked on my shoes for the last 10 years when my interactions with various departments of city government showed me we have a broken system.

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

The safety of residents in our city by the Sea has been compromised. Tenant harassment and wrongful evictions have displaced plenty of long time residents, the mental health issues are evidence by the multiple suicides in the city in the last three years. Small business has not been supported.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Economic Recovery.

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

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

Working with others council members and residents to achieve the goals of my platform. Build a robust coalition.

Why should voters trust you?

I AM one of them. I've experienced how government fail its constituents.

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

At the LWVSM and CRJ forum last Sunday, it became evident that the management style of our budget is biased. I challenged Council member Ana Maria Jara to explain how the city provided monies to a new initiative without a clear and defined program strategy while defending the SMPD cuts with the same argument for not doing so. For a long time, the budget has been used to reward political ideology.

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

Threat of my personal safety.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” ~Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

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

I've been called the prophetic voice of Santa Monica. Politics is not a left or right platform. It is an inside/ out. Those inside impact the lives of those outside. As I have said multiple times throughout my civic life "Government should be the servant of the people, not the ruler of the people".
As a citizen journalist and blogger my writing explores issues relevant to the wellbeing of our community. My vision is a city where everyone could thrive, not only those with insider connections. In my role as Founder and leader of Compassionate Santa Monica, I was invited and attended the United Nations High Level Political Forum on July 2018 to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in Santa Monica. I need your vote to achieve them. Let's develop and build a sustainable city together.