One of Santa Clara’s most undivulged secrets is the Related project, which was once home to Santa Clara’s 240-acre golf course.
In a deal made between Related and Mayor Lisa Gillmor and her council majority at the time, this property has been tied up for years. Until just recently, there had been no rent or lease money paid to the City. Part of the property still sits undeveloped and rent-free.
In addition, the housing, booming new businesses, entertainment district and retail outlets that were promised have not developed.
Whenever Gillmor needs big-time capital for her candidacy or her proposed council cohorts, she simply asks Related to open their checkbook.
Related gets free rent for nearly 10 years and Gillmor and her candidates get campaign funding. It doesn’t appear illegal, but it does raise ethical questions. The city received no money and Mayor Gillmor and her candidate slates received the support of Related independent expenditure committees.
However, there is more. During the Gillmor Council Majority era, her council used a legal but highly controversial law to remove David’s banquet facility from the golf course property.
David’s had been there 20 years and was earning over a million a year. His lease had years to run. Gillmor and her council majority used eminent domain for the first time in Santa Clara’s history and forced him out, paying him a $5,000 token as they said goodbye.
This injured Santa Clara in three ways 1) We lost a terrific restaurant on the Northside 2) Santa Clara lost face and faith in our council and 3) Santa Clara added to its already hefty budget for lawyers. That was only a few years ago and now Mayor Gillmor wants council control again.
The litigation costs and settlement costs are not this council’s fault. They were created and caused by Lisa Gillmor and her last Council Majority.
This is just one reason why your vote is critical and why you need to return Suds Jain, Anthony Becker and Kevin Park to Santa Clara City Council.
Soon you will receive numerous glossy mailers promoting new and old faces for Santa Clara Council. These are Gillmor candidates paid for by Related and the Santa Clara POA independent expenditure committees.
Park, Becker, and Jain, along with Karen Hardy and Raj Chahal, have saved Santa Clara millions of dollars, established stability, returned sanity and recruited quality personnel.
It does not appear that Mayor Lisa Gillmor has ever proven the concept “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it” because she’s working to regain control so she can break everything again.
Other Milestones:
Milestones – The “New” Gillmor Guillotine – Opinion
Milestones – Same Old Tactics – Opinion
View Comments (3)
Oh but Miles they didn't just shut down Davids
they closed the BMX bike track something that helped keep our youth occupied plus a lot of fun
gillmor & watanabe put efforts in for their soccer kids but do nothing for other kids with other interests
@JJ,
The BMX track was the #1 track in the country with millions of economic impact annually. Hundreds of kids weekly flowing through the programs and adults alike. So much that they sent not only riders to the world championships but the venue hosted the USA team qualifiers. Then you get council opinions and accusations all base less and never proven or even charges filed to smear the good group running the program. Program loses its sanction and now is literally dead. Related skates out on the promise to relocate the track and we are shocked that many of the related loyalists are on the same board that ultimately killed the track? It’s all connected clear as day it’s a massive conflict of interest and the council really needs to reconsider getting that venue which was NOT city funded one bit back online. Quit letting Related throw its weight around and cost your constituents alot of good stuff. Restaurant, Golf Course, and BMX program makes you wonder what’s next?
Why hasn't a grand jury complaint been filed about THIS issue???
Although, would they even take it up given that a number of Lisa Gillmor's cronies have served on the Grand Jury??
Hope someone (or many someones!) files a grand jury complaint about Lisa Gillmor's connections to Related and THEIR campaign spending.