The money story in Santa Clara’s 2020 election has shaped up as a battle between the $3.8 billion San Francisco 49ers and $50 billion Related Companies. While the 49ers are spending their money directly, Related is financing the police union Political Action Committee’s spending. Related has an exclusive development agreement with the City to build an $8 billion mixed use project called Related Santa Clara on the City’s golf course, across the street from Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco 49ers
Jed York has put an additional $1.8 million into the Citizens for Efficient Government and Full Voting Rights PAC, bringing the team owner’s total donations to $2.9 million, which is the second most money spent in a City election.
The most expensive election in Santa Clara was Mayor Lisa Gillmor’s York-funded $4 million campaign to build Levi’s Stadium in 2010.
Related Companies
Related Companies has put another $100,000 into the police PAC — historically the top spender in Santa Clara elections — for a total of $150,000, its biggest donation ever from a single donor. The PAC also reported the return of a $5,000 overpayment to Related lobbyist Jude Barry.
This year, for the first time, the police PAC is putting the names of its donors on campaign literature.
The police PAC didn’t file a financial summary for July through September; instead including this on its Sept. 24 through Oct. 22 report.
Here’s the direct link to Santa Clara campaign finance reporting: https://ssl.netfile.com/static/agency/csc/. When you reach that page, select PUBLIC ACCESS PORTAL.
Candidates’ financial reports under filed under the office they’re running for. Indirect expenditures are listed by committee. fppc reporting screen 2020
For more information on tracking down campaign donations and spending in the Santa Clara election, check out The Weekly’s piece, How To Follow the Money: Peeling the Campaign Spending Onion.
An interesting Fact: The San Jose Mercury News, having no connections whatever to either Jed York or the 49ers or the Related Companies, after interviewing all available candidates, made the following recommendations:
District 1: Harbir Bhatia
District 4: Kevin Park
District 5: Suds Jain
District 6: Anthony Becker
Coincidentally and independently, The Santa Clara Weekly also recommended all 4 of the same identical above candidates. Please notice that Robert Mezzetti failed to make either list.
Davy L., with much respect, I disagree. The “Mercury News” is a desperately dying news source—and cannot jeopardize access to the 49ers locker room, players, and management, especially after the win over the Patriots. Yes, they are selling out their Editorial Page for $$ and have succumbed to Jed York. So, it is not surprising that the Merc News supports the henchmen of Jed York: Harbir Bhatia, Kevin Park, Duds Jain and Anthony Becker. Moreover, the Merc News supports Prop 16 and systematic racism, which is not surprising as Trust-Fund baby Jed York is racial insensitive and failed to bring Colin Kaepernick back onto the NFL football field. Jed York, as an NFL owner, was the most ‘Privileged’ Whyte Male who could make it happen and he did Nothing! Prop 16 will disadvantage hard-working Asian students, and NONE of Bhatia, Park, Jain and Becker have publicly rejected Prop 16!!!
It is clear that this article pits support for Police and Fire fighters against the 49ers (and against Harbir Bhatia, Kevin Park, Duds Jain and Anthony Becker). I bet that MOST Santa Clara residents will Support the First Responders OVER Jed York and multimillionaire football players! If your house is on fire or broken into, would you call a 49er player to help? No! So VOTE NO on Harbir Bhatia, Kevin Park, Duds Jain and Anthony Becker!!!
Santa Clara Weekly provides a vital service in conveying and distilling much information that we Santa Clara residents rely upon to make our voting decisions. But I am disappointed that the title intimates that the “Battle of Billionaires” requires us Santa Clarans to take sides, and burdens the readers to “follow links” to try divine answers (does this mean the article had to be less-than informational for liability reasons?). The TITLE ought to convey that one battle is “Jed York+49ers” vs Santa Clara and the other battle is “Related Companies” vs Santa Clara. The immediate THREAT is Jed York and his lackeys. We must VOTE against Harbir Bhatia, Kevin Park, Duds Jain and Anthony Becker. But know this: the SF Chronicle last year compared the development around the 49er_stadium as “Hudson Yards in Manhattan.” Since then, Hudson Yards has had financial issues (e.g., potential bankruptcies) that might affect SC.
Note to Sam Yodel, kindly check your facts. The San Jose Mercury News is a highly regarded newspaper. It has won numerous awards, including two Pulitzer prizes, Life Style Journalism for General Excellence, and many, many EPpy awards, among others. On the other hand all you are reporting is nothing more than your own idle gossip and your own biased opinion. Personally, I regard you, together with First Responders vs Jed York, Tom E, Juneyt, Ron, SVvoter, etc, as being no more than mere minions for Lisa Gillmor. Both the Mercury News and the Santa Clara Weekly made their recommendations only after interviewing all candidates. Please check their website. For myself, I am voting for Anthony Becker. He will provide us with an independent voice for our District 6. As for Robert Mezzetti, he will only be a puppet for his two main supporters: Lisa Gillmor and Deanna Santana.
Davy L., thank you for your kind response. But I disagree with your premise. You assert as a “fact” a number of awards, which amounts to nothing more than “other opinions.” I respectively submit that awards by opinionated sources cannot be a “fact.” In my view, the Merc News is a dead rag that if they keep throwing their rags on my driveway every Sunday, I will alert the police of “littering.” Our local newspaper is a saving grace! I am sorry to hear that you throw my opinion on the trash heap that is the problems of Santa Clara. To the extent I agree with First Responders vs Jed York, this election is being cast as “US” vs. “THEM,” but actually it is SANTA CLARA against EVERYONE! While I agree with your sentiment, I cannot agree with you on Becker–he has his OWN ballot box at Koni Kai Country Club (no one else does!) so that the wealthy 49er season ticket holders can “conveniently” vote for Jed York’s minion. VOTE NO ON BECKER!
Mr. Sam Yodel: We have some major disagreements. The only “henchmen” (from your previous remarks) running in this election, are those being recruited by Lisa Gillmor. I do not have to mention names, as I am certain you already know. By law, I am allowed to vote only in District 6. For my District, I want my council representative to be fair in representing my District independently in all matters. Robert Mezzetti definitely does not fit this bill. If he is elected, we can depend upon him to do whatever as his sponsor Lisa Gillmor decides. Therefore, I am casting my vote for Anthony Becker. By the way, incidentally and completely beside the point, but since you insisted on bringing it up earlier, I do not consider myself to be a racist, am not a big fan of Jed York or the 49ers, but I am casting my vote for Prop 16.
Davy L., I appreciate the courteous manner with which you convey your sentiments. But I disagree most fervently with your view. How best to move Santa Clara forward is one thing. The other thing reveals more about the credibility of your position and your vote for Becker. What is that thing? First, you are siding with Becker, who is FULLY-supported by Jed York who continues to play WHYTE_QB_Garoppolo over BLACK_QB_Kaepernick. Second, you said that you “do not consider myself to be a racist,” which leaves the door open for others to consider you so. My bellwether test to identify a racist is MLK’s rule: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will NOT be judged by the COLOR of their SKIN but by the CONTENT of their CHARACTER.” Jed York FAILS this test. Proposition 16 legalizes “systematic” discrimination based on skin color. That too, fails the MLK test. Are you sure on your view on Prop16? If you persist, then while you “do not consider myself to be a racist,” your vote will confirm that you are.
Mr. Sam Yodle: Ok, here is an absolute fact: That ballot box you mentioned at the Koni Kai Country Club has no connection whatsoever to Anthony Becker. Your statement is an outright lie. That particular ballot box has been there for many past elections. It is one of several ballot boxes officially sanctioned by our county. As for your other opinion on the Mercury News, please understand this. They have received multiple awards from several well recognized societies in their field. That the awards were received is another absolute fact. How does that opinion (yours) coming from an unknowledgeable person who has an axe to grind, compare? As far as I’m concern, your opinion on the Mercury News counts as nothing more than a big fat zero. As for myself, this election is definitely not about “US vs THEM”, and certainly not “SANTA CLARA against EVERYONE”. This election is more like “Lisa Gillmor and Her Minions vs Everyone”. Obviously, you are one of her minions. Oh well, whatever happens in this election, I am forever grateful that Lisa Gillmor can only serve at most for two more years. I can hardly wait. Right now, my vote goes to Anthony Becker in District 6. As for Prop 16, I disagree with you entirely, but let’s leave that for a later discussion. However, I am getting tired of all your mud-slinging. Please inform me as to which District you currently live in, and which candidate you are voting for in your District. This information will allow me to start slinging some mud back in your direction.
Davy L., I have been courteous in our exchange of ideas, yet you have dragged me down to wrestle a pig in the mud. So be it. We had to lower ourselves in 1861 to eliminate democrat slave owners and in WW2 to eliminate n@zis, so thus I respond. I have NEVER characterized our exchange as “mud-slinging,” but now I know that logic is foreign to you. First. WHY DO ADDRESS ME AS “MR.,” or “MISTER?” How do you not know that I am SAMANTHA… or is it your hatred against females to presume I identify as a male? Do you not know gender fluidity? I continue to educate… Second. You did NOT deny you are a r@cist. Apparently, you fly under the radar harboring stereotypes against people, but please DO NOT treat them differently! Third. You dislike my opinion of the SJ Mercury News. That is ok, a sheep follows its flock—at least you can rest well in a “fluffy” view of the world. I wish only to have a reasonable exchange of ideas with other Santa Clarans, but from you I do not get a different perspective or learn anything new other than recitations of “an absolute fact,” which a 2nd grader can debunk. Fourth. I point to my comments regarding Becker’s favoritism, as a “FACT,” see www.svvoice.com/second-santa-clara-city-council-candidate-suspended-from-nextdoor-app/ (snippet of a comment: “Santa Clara has only six (6)(!) drop-off ballot boxes (4 government-related locations, 1 college, and 1 wealthy country club drop off). That is the point. There may be collusion among wealthy Kona Kai Country Club members (i.e., 49er season ticket holders)”). Fifth. You are a hack—without cogent reasoning of your positions… I am sorry(*).
Sam Yodle: Being called a racist and other names by you, and accused of many other dastardly offences affects me not at all. You have so much anger, so much outrage, so much hate, so much hurt. Always shouting, yelling, bellowing, and screaming. Always insisting, requiring, and demanding that your way or the highway is the only “right” way. You need to “cool” it. People holding such asinine opinions and attitudes such as yours are generally folks I tend to avoid. Bye.
Sam Yodle: Here are my final closing thoughts. I know it won’t change anything. But, if your hero, MLK, were still alive today, I sincerely believe he would be one of the proud supporters of Prop 16. He would understand the necessity and the goodness to giving a helping hand to those people and businesses in need. This law will provide our state the power to correct some of the many injustices our society in the past has place on certain groups of our citizens. Our federal government already has laws similar to Prop 16. It’s time our state does the same. Your accusation of automatically labeling everyone who votes for Prop 16 as being a racist is totally unfounded and completely false. Sadly and unfortunately, I fear Prop 16 will fail. This is due to folks like you and the big bucks being spent against this proposition. However, I do have faith. A similar law shall eventually be passed. You can absolutely count on it.
Ok. Here are some further final, final thoughts. As you are aware, discrimination in our society runs much deeper that just “skin color”. It includes being a female, as studies have often shown that while performing the same duties as a male, they are often paid much less. People are also discriminated for their beliefs or religion, because they’re overweight, because they’re gay, because they look different or have an accent, or have handicaps, or are simply just unlike them in any other way. It might interest you to learn our current State Assembly Member (Kansen Chu) and our current State Senator (Bob Wiechowski) both support Prop 16, as do the majority of our State’s Senators and Assembly Members. Other supporters include Governor Gavin Newsom, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, State Controller Betty Yee, Ro Khanna, Kamala Harris, Anna Eshoo, Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, and others in our state government. But then, of course, none of this matters in the least to you, since you would automatically dismiss each and every one of them, and label each one as being nothing more than “racists”. So dumb! Well, as I mentioned earlier, Prop 16, will likely fail, but I do have faith. I believe people eventually will grow and change for the better. Perhaps, not you. But hopefully, perhaps your children or grandchildren.