Mark Burton, Manhattan Beach City Council candidate, 2026 election questionnaire – Daily Breeze

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Mark Burton

Age: 73

Current job title: Former mayor/council member for Manhattan Beach, former senior assistant city attorney for L.A.

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: Mayor/council member for Manhattan Beach, appointed senior assistant city attorney for L.A.

City where you reside: Manhattan Beach

Campaign website or social media: markburton4council.com

How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower price points, while also preserving local control and the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

With a career in city government, I just don’t believe the council’s current mantra of “there is nothing we can do about it, our hands are tied.” Sorry, that’s not leadership as I understand it. Here is what council can do. First, the state’s density bonus law allows a city to deny a residential high-rise project if the city finds there is a substantial health or safety issue. So, the city should be developing the criteria to make such a finding. You can’t tell me having a high-rise apartment directly adjacent to a home doesn’t create health and safety issues. Second, our city should join with the 150 or so other cities that are small in area yet densely built out to lobby the state for a change to the density bonus law that would permit discretionary review by those cities. Third, the city should request that the California League of Cities and the South Bay Council of Government join in the lobbying effort.

How should the city balance rising costs, paying off debts, such as pension liabilities, and building reserves, all while meeting residents’ needs? Should a solution involve finding new revenue, economic development, trimming the budget, or something else entirely? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

The council needs to create a “savings culture” in city government, rather than the current “spending culture.” Here is what needs to be done, sooner than later. First, the council needs to institute a “hiring freeze” with only our public safety department being exempt. Second, the city departments subject to the “hiring freeze” need to be ordered to identify 10% savings in their budgets. Third, for a two-year period, the council needs stop adding new taxes or fees on our residents and small businesses. The bottom line is it’s time for some “belt tightening” and living within our means.

The public expects transparency from public leaders in spending and governance. How can this be achieved? How can the city do better in this area? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Transparency has historically been a challenge for our councils. In fact, a prior council was successfully sued and publicly apologized for violating California’s open meeting law known as the Brown Act. During my term on council, I was instrumental in that council adopting a “Sunshine Policy and Open Government Initiatives.” When I left council, most of those were discarded by subsequent councils. For instance, settlement agreement must be approved in open session. Recently, a council settled a police abuse case for $1 million; yet, that settlement was never approved in open session. When elected to a second term, I will ensure that the council strictly adheres to the “Sunshine Policy and Open Government Initiatives.” The Brown Act will be fully complied with at all meetings. No more secret meetings.

In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

There are several “biggest needs.” First, council needs to restore its commitment to transparency and open government. We just can’t tolerate “secret” meetings, with decisions being made behind closed doors. Second, council needs be become fiscally prudent. There is no excuse for having expenditures exceeding revenues by $8 or $10 million. Council should institute a hiring freeze and direct each department to identify 5% in savings. Third, council need to enact term limits, two terms maximum. Our residents don’t want career politicians. Fourth, council needs to fight high-rise development. The law allows the city to deny such projects if they make a finding of a significant health and safety issue. Make the finding.

Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

First, I think it is important that a council member to have management experience and experience in local government. While in college, I was promoted to supervisor and then assistant manager at a grocery store. In the L.A. city attorney’s (office), I was a manager as well. Also, I served as president of the MB Rotary Club. Second, in serving my first term on the MB City Council (2013-2017), I demonstrated strong leadership as a council member and mayor. As mayor, my leadership resulted in council having shorter meetings and getting more done. Third, when serving on council, I always listened to our residents and took actions in their best interests. In other words, I knew my boss was our residents.