Gillmor Subsidiary Earned $780,000 During Years Mayor Didn’t Report Business Ownership

From 2011 through 2016 the Gillmor & Associates subsidiary Public Property Advisors’ (PPA) income was at least $780,000. Mayor Lisa Gillmor didn’t report PPA on her financial interest reports (Form 700) in those years and has said that she receives no income from the business.

During that time PPA was engaged by Alum Rock School District, Pleasanton Unified School District, Gilroy Unified School District, and Evergreen Community College District. The record also shows that Gillmor was closely involved in the business during those years. She made presentations, signed contracts and her name is on the company’s invoices.

Last fall Santa Clara Law School student Brian Exline filed a lawsuit against Gillmor alleging that she violated California’s public disclosure laws by not reporting her interest in PPA in 2011 through 2016.  2018-10-24 Complaint with Exhibits

Alum Rock: In 2010, Public Property Advisors was engaged by the Alum Rock School District as a consultant on land use, leasing contracts, real estate negotiations and bond issues. From 2011 through 2015 PPA received $680,000 in hourly fees and commissions.

In 2010 — the year before Gillmor was appointed to the Santa Clara City Council — PPA received another $270,000 from Alum Rock; making a total of $950,000 over five years.

Gillmor’s name appears on the invoices sent to the district, which were sent by PPA, and her signature is on the contracts.

 

Evergreen Community College District: In 2012 PPA was engaged by San José Evergreen Community College District to handle a land purchase by the college district.

When PPA was engaged by Evergreen, the agenda said “Public Property Advisors (Lisa Gillmor)” and that the “locally owned small business” would be “submitting a woman owned business application” and that PPA was a division of Gillmor & Associates — as are other Gillmor & Associates subsidiaries that Gillmor did report on her Form 700.

In 2013, PPA was paid $64,403 commission on the transaction.

 

Gilroy Unified School District: In January 2012, the Gilroy Unified School District Board approved a not-to-exceed $60,000 contract with PPA to provide information and recommendations about four district properties.

At the Aug. 12, 2012 meeting of the Gilroy Unified School District Board, “Lisa Gillmor of Public Property Advisors provided information related to various real property owned by the District,” according to the meeting minutes.

Between 2012 and 2016, PPA was paid $202,910 by Gilroy Unified: $114,120 in 2012, $22,860 in 2013, $48,290 in 2014 and $17,640 in 2015. In 2017 PPA also received a $308,000 commission on a 2015 property sale for the district.

 

Pleasanton Unified School District: In 2014 PPA signed a contract with the Pleasanton Unified School District for a maximum of $30,000 worth of consulting and a 3.5 percent commission on any real estate transactions. Over the next two years Pleasanton Unified paid PPA $13,500 in consulting fees.

From 2011 through 2015 Gillmor also failed to disclose that she was part owner of Gillmor Properties LLC and Gillmor Children’s LLC, both of which own significant amounts of real estate in Santa Clara and Gilroy. At the recommendation of the Santa Clara County District Attorney, Gillmor amended her filings to add those entities.  Pleasanton PPA Payments 2014-2016

In 1994 the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) told Santa Clara that then-City Council Member Lisa Gillmor had to recuse herself from decisions involving PPA clients. That year Gillmor reported receiving a salary from PPA, but said that her salary didn’t depend on the business’ revenue.