Dear Editor,
I’m a Democrat and I’m Marcus Tiggs’ Campaign Manager.
You may be wondering, with all the negative flyers making the rounds, why a Democrat would support Marcus Tiggs for Culver City council. Marcus Tiggs is supported by many Democrats because of the hard work that he has done for the City over the last 15 or more years. He is trusted to tell the truth, even if it’s a truth that would be uncomfortable to share, either for himself or the recipient of the news. We know and respect his personal integrity. If you want someone on Council who will not be swayed from the right path for the City, despite what the loudest voices in the room are saying, who is not afraid to tell the truth, then I ask you to vote for Marcus Tiggs.
Let us not forget that City elections are non-partisan for a reason. Check your sample ballots, there is no “D,” “R,” or even "L," after any candidate’s name. This is to ensure that national or state political agendas do not enter our local political dialogue, that candidates are judged on their personal merits. I likely agree with many of you concerning what’s going on in Washington. But that does not change my support for Marcus. No doubt Marcus and I likely disagree on some national issues. But we do agree on our local issues, and representing local Culver City issues is what his role would be on Council.
I’m a 25-year homeowner of Culver City, having raised my kids here, and I am concerned about the far-left voices in our City pulling us toward the Santa Monica-fication of our charming City. I also believe that in order to pull the pendulum from the far left it’s healthy to have someone more moderate and fiscally right leaning on the Council, so that we end up with a more balanced center. Marcus is not extreme right, in fact, he’s very much a moderate. He will agree and advocate for many policy issues that moderate Democrats hold dear. Yes, he’s a fiscal conservative, which will bring a counter balance to those who just want to assess us yet another tax. And he’s a fiscal planner, having seen what happens when people/companies fail to plan and have to file for bankruptcy.
He counts among his dearest friends, Aladin Sulejmanagic, a Muslim, whom he met ice skating at the Culver Rink when they were 12 year old boys, 40 years ago. His wife of nearly 30 years, Monica Granados, arrived in the U.S. from Colombia via chain migration, speaking no English. She now teaches ESL and also insists he watch Rachel Maddow. He’s a practicing Catholic who gave me grief all during Lent for neglecting my Catholic roots by eating meat on Fridays.
I continue to be impressed with his ability to surround himself with diverse individuals who are valued for exactly who they are, and their loyalty to him shows. That’s called real leadership. One memorable moment from the kid’s forum: two of the competing candidates, when asked, said they would choose Tiggs to be on a deserted island with. He’s the guy you want leading your team when disaster strikes. We need Tiggs on Culver City Council. We can either have representatives who talk the talk or those who walk the walk. It’s that simple.
See you at the polls on the 10th!
Emelie Gerard
Culver City
Reader Comments(0)