Community activist Susan Hartley, who lives in Sunset Park, announced Wednesday that she is running for one of the two-year terms on the Santa Monica City Council in the November election.

A member of the board of Friends of Sunset Park, Hartley is a former vice-chair and member of the Airport Commission, a leader of both the campaign to prevent the City from destroying over two dozen healthy ficus trees in downtown Santa Monica and the subsequent successful effort to create the Urban Forest Task Force.

An employee/tenant lawyer, who was a teacher before she became an attorney, Hartley has been actively involved in Vets for Peace Arlington West Memorial from its inception.

Hartley made her first run for the Council two years ago. It was an impressive debut. Thoroughly independent, fearless, outspoken, .she focused on the issues that were of particular interest to residents – explosive growth, traffic, massive developments, the environment, the negative impacts of the airport, and the City’s apparent surrender to special interests. .

The four incumbents won re-election two years ago. The problems Hartley discussed two years ago still plague us.

The Dispatch endorsed her two years ago and we endorse her now.

More about Susan Hartley can be found on her website, hartleyforcouncil.com