Editor’s Note: Story was edited on Oct. 29 to include information on Reiner and NIMBYism at end of story and reader poll.
Rob Reiner and Steve Soboroff came out with guns blazing Sunday night during a Measure R debate that’s sure to be one of the most memorable — and entertaining — Malibu showdowns in recent town history.
A shouting match erupted several times as Reiner dug into Soboroff for accusing him and Measure R proponents of making a “backroom deal” to exempt high percentages of existing shopping centers from parts of the proposal to limit chain stores and give voters the right to head to the polls on any commercial development over 20,000 square feet.
Soboroff made mention of an alleged deal several times throughout the night, an allegation that has also been brought up in campaign mailers, emails and advertisements.
“I’m completely insulted that you keep bringing up this asinine thing about backroom deals,” Reiner told Soboroff. “…To make a backroom deal or any deal you have to get something for it. You made an accusation and that is 100 percent a lie! We didn’t take one penny.”
“You made a rule around the system and you won’t even indemnify it,” Soboroff said.
Sunday’s debate at Malibu City Hall was filled to capacity. Seating was divided down the middle of the room, with “Yes on R” supporters seated on the east side and “No on R” supporters seated on the west side. Members of the media were roped off on the west side. At least six deputies from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station were present, along with three private security guards.
Despite many ground rules on audience decorum being laid out at the beginning of the night, including “no heckling or hollering,” the “Yes on R” side was noticeably agitated with many of Soboroff’s statements and excited to root on Reiner. Hisses, applause and shouts could be heard through much of the debate.
Moderators Steve Lopez and Dave Bryan did their best to corral specific answers out of both participants, though not always successfully.
When Bryan asked Reiner if he believed Del Mar’s Measure B, which Measure R was modeled after, had played out successfully, Reiner said he could not speak to a specific Del Mar project that saw its developer go bankrupt after dozens of public meetings and eight years in the pipeline.
Reiner and Soboroff traded several other barbs, including over whether Measure R’s passage could lead the city into financial jeopardy if developers file suit over its legality.
“What Measure R does because of the loopholes, it opens a Pandora’s Box of issues where constitutional attorneys say instead of the money being spent on parks and schools… is going to be wound up being spent on the lawyers,” Soboroff argued.
Reiner contended that chain store laws have been upheld in court before and no legal suit was filed against the Del Mar law passed by voters in 1986.
But if Measure R passes, Soboroff said he and other developers will have no choice but to take it to court.
Soboroff said he has never been in court and never been sued. The only suit he said he’s filed was against an “airline that gave my wife a bologna sandwich when they said hot food.” Soboroff said he eventually won the $300 case.
Soboroff, who hopes to build a Whole Foods project in the Civic Center, was also pressed on why he and others claim the Malibu Urgent Care and Malibu Twin Cinema are threatened by Measure R despite health facilities and movie theaters being mentioned as exemptions in the measure.
The theater’s lease is up next year, Soboroff said, and Civic Center landowner Jerry Perenchio owns a property on which he planned to build a center that includes a “subsidized” space for a new theater to come in one day.
“He is the tooth fairy,” Soboroff said of Perenchio.
Now, they believe Measure R throws that in limbo.
“Because Mr. Perenchio and myself and the other property owners, by taking years in court to fight through what they’re forcing us to do to defend our constitutional rights, is going to cost so much money that we’re not going to be able to subsidize these tenants,” Soboroff claimed.
“Simply, it’s stated in the initiative, movie theaters are exempt. Passing Measure R doesn’t force the movie theater to leave,” Reiner countered. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Measure R.”
“That’s what I want to be doing,” the actor and filmmaker added sarcastically. “I want to be closing down movie theaters.”
Reiner touts NIMBYism of measure
In response to a question posed by Lopez about a possible “not in my backyard” perception of Measure R, Reiner proudly owned up to the stereotype.
“I would say there’s a lot of NIMBYism. I would say there is NIMBYism for the entire City of Malibu. They care about their community. Not in my backyard!” he said. “You bet. It’s 100 percent NIMBYism. Everybody who lives here is concerned about their way of life.”
Soboroff, who often stated there was “too much for the classes and not for the masses,” was stunned by Reiner’s statement.
“Oh, my God,” Soboroff responded. “Can I use [my extra time] to be speechless?”
