In one case, starting in 2006, Fairfield Residential, a San Diego developer, found some unused industrial land on the west edge of Milpitas, near 237. They created a plan to build 374 condominiums in five story buildings and called the project: Fairfield/Murphy Ranch.
After meeting several times with the developer, the mayor and city council voted to approve the project on October 16, 2007. Shortly afterwards the money started rolling in. One month later, the president, eight vice-presidents and other directors of Fairfield Residental. gave Mayor Livengood eleven contributions totaling $2,850, all on the same day. The mayor voted, then they contributed, soon afterwards.
Three months later, Fairfield directors and employees gave Councilmember Gomez ten contributions on the same day. Added to their contributions in the previous year, he received 21 contributions totaling $6,000. Ten months after the vote, directors and employees of Fairfield gave Councilmember Giordano twelve more contributions totaling $3,850.
Directors and employees of Fairfield Residential, with one project before the city council, gave at least 46 campaign contributions totaling $12,700. This information is all publicly available, on our city's website, in the Form 460 campaign contribution reports.
It's likely there is a connection between the approval of the project, and these campaign contributions. This is not the only time this has happened. Reading closely the publicly available campaign contribution reports, it's easy to see that developers have made contributions over and over again, both before and after their projects are approved by our mayor and city council. Visit our web site for details on the top ten most egregious cases: StopDeveloperContributions.com
Can we trust that our elected officials are voting in the best interest of our community, when this much money is being thrown at them? When they get more campaign contributions from companies than they do from our Milpitas residents and voters, then our voices are in danger of being drowned out.
Our Milpitas city code, introducing the need for campaign contribution limits, declares;
In order to diminish improper influence, whether real or perceived, and the appearance of impropriety, the City Council finds that it is necessary to place limits on the amount of money that may be contributed to a candidate for elected public office in the City of Milpitas.
The code then goes on to limit campaign contributions to $350 per person or corporation.
This city law limiting campaign contributions has failed us. Improper influence, both real and perceived, is currently happening in Milpitas.
To fix this, we have introduced the "Stop Developer Contributions" initiative. The official title from the city attorney is: "Ordinance Restricting Campaign Contributions of Project Applicants."
This citizen initiative will solve this problem by prohibiting our mayor and city council from accepting campaign contributions from companies who have projects before the city and for four years afterwards. This new city code, if passed, will prohibit the city council from voting on a project, then receiving campaign contributions immediately afterwards. This change will limit the corrupting influence of those contributions, and will make city council decisions and elections more fair.
This initiative will limit the influence of developer money in political campaigns and in the decision making process at Milpitas City Hall. It does this by focusing on the core problem; the connection between the vote and the contributions. It only prohibits contributions from developers, their staff, and associated companies. Milpitas residents will still be allowed to make campaign contributions.
This change in Milpitas is urgently needed. We invite you to visit our web site for more information. We are now gathering signatures and need 2,500 signatures to get this on the ballot. Please visit our web site: StopDeveloperContributions.com and email us to help.
By Bill Ferguson
Published in Milpitas Post, July 2, 2010
http://www.mercurynews.com
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