You remember the “famous” stadium audit Mayor Gillmor promised would show all the corruption, money laundering and skimming being conducted by the 49ers?
When the audit turned out to be a bust and no evil doings could be found, she simply commented “Well, we need another audit.” You know what is said about people who keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.
Most likely she and her Council majority will try to unleash another audit during the election cycle, so they can use the 49ers again as their whipping post. “Fool me once…”
What the audit shockingly did not reveal was found in the 49ers own audit. Their audit showed the City of Santa Clara owed the 49ers $970,000 in overbillings. This was for golf course parking fees a year after the 49ers stopped using it. Of course, this is now being disputed by the Mayor.
The Weekly reported on this issue, however, it was not mentioned but once at City Council.
Repercussions and fallout around the stadium have been enormous. Starting with last year’s election campaign, the Mayor and her Stand Up for Santa Clara group berated everything about the 49ers and anyone who worked for them, liked them, had coffee with them or wore a 49ers hat. Then, after trying to tarnish the 49ers reputation as greedy power-hungry billionaires who wanted to run our City, she accused all her opponents as being owned and funded by them. Of course, FPPC reports indicated only a few hundred dollars were contributed to candidates by the 49ers and their employees.
Even after the audit results, the facts and the obvious, she continued her anti-49ers campaign with an enforced curfew on weeknight events going past 10 p.m.
That was what tipped her hand that these were not decisions to benefit our City, but actions taken out of spite. These were not objective professional business decisions. Rather they were personal, vindictive and vengeful intentional acts that have cost Santa Clara millions.
The loss of a few million dollars to the 49ers wouldn’t change their lifestyle in a heartbeat. Shucks, they’re going to be paying their new quarterback tens of millions this year alone. However, the loss of a few million dollars to our City is a big deal. And our Mayor and her Council buddies are directly and totally responsible.
The anti-49ers campaign ripple effect has now started to hurt our non-profits.
Many of you know the 49ers have been very generous to our community, investing millions in our schools and neighborhood programs.
Recently a non-profit supporter approached the 49ers and asked for a $5,000 grant for their organization. The 49ers graciously approved the request. When the organization was told the good news, their board cowered in terror saying, “We can’t accept money from the 49ers, it might make the Mayor mad.”
Are you kidding?
What kind of environment has the Mayor created in our great City? She can spend $700,000 on a new City Manager with a straight face, but hold such power that a lowly, cash-strapped, non-profit group fears they will lose their City relationship if they accept a well-intended donation.
This is a picture that must change.
Yes, our citizens should demand another audit…one that focuses on the Mayor’s activities.