By Robert Haugh
She was once a staunch stadium opponent. She supported the weekday stadium curfew to protect the Northside neighborhoods. But she changed her mind about the curfew after a meeting at the 49ers HQ. Who is this person?
A — Patty Mahan
B — Karen Hardy
C — Taylor Swift
D — Deborah Bress
A — Mahan? Nope. She’s been a strong and consistent 49ers supporter. She was a leader of the stadium campaign when she was Mayor. She supported the team’s push to lift the curfew when she was a councilwoman.
B — Hardy? No way. She’s a strong curfew supporter and she won’t take money from the 49ers for her council campaign according to the Stand Up for Santa Clara survey.
C — Swift. Don’t think she cares. She’s played at Levi’s Stadium a few times. She doesn’t have a problem with the curfew. Right now, she cares more about voter registration.
D — Bress? Yup. A lot of people were scratching their heads when she changed her tune about the curfew. Bress was an active leader in the campaign against the stadium with Santa Clara Plays Fair.
So no surprise that at the council meeting on June 6, 2017, Bress supported the weekday curfew. Here’s what she wrote in a comment on this site.
Live with it! You, 49ers, wanted to build a stadium/entertainment venue into an established residential neighborhood with conditions … TOUGH — DEAL with it — the neighbor’s come first.
But at the August 24, 2017 meeting, she wanted to compromise. Huh? Yup. Here’s what she said at the meeting as quoted in the Santa Clara Weekly:
“I’ve never been shy about being against the stadium,” said Council regular Deborah Bress. But “we need to make money on that stadium. We should allow them go past the 10 p.m. three or four times a year.”
Wait! What?
Flip Flop After Meeting at 49ers HQ
For the last year, numerous people have told us about a meeting in early August 2017 at the 49ers HQ. Bress met with 49er VP Jim Mercurio and former Councilman Kevin Moore. Right after that meeting, Bress changed her opinion about the curfew. Hmmm.
We asked Moore about the meeting. He said it was about getting the 49ers involved in “community events.” Hmmm.
Moore is extremely close to the 49ers. A couple weeks ago, he was at the flag raising ceremony for the 100-day countdown to the 2019 College Football National Championship at Levi’s Stadium. The ceremony was in San Jose. No other Santa Clara leaders were there.
In 2017, Moore was employed by LiveNation as a lobbyist to push for lifting the curfew. LiveNation is the concert promoter that stages the big Levi’s Stadium events for the 49ers.
Looks like Moore did some impressive work for the 49ers and Live Nation, even though they lost. The council would not lift the curfew. But Moore apparently got Bress, a loud critic, to flip flop on the issue. Kudos to Moore.
Now Moore is working as a lobbyist for Kylli’s mega-development near the stadium and the massive Mariani development proposal near the El Camino.
From what we can tell, there’s a lot of neighborhood concerns about both projects, especially with traffic. The majority of the council looks like they’ll give both projects a thumbs down. Let’s see if Moore can work his magic again.
But don’t look for Bress to show up to testify for either project. She’s moved to Lake Tahoe where there’s no stadium or stadium curfew.
I wouldn’t call that a flip flop. The issue itself changed. Deborah was strongly opposed to building the Stadium. A significant majority voted for it. It was built. That fact won’t change. What is there to oppose now… an asset to be used in the best interest of the City and its residents? Take a look at the budget projections (debt). Despite of the deliberately misleading communication from the City’s (?) PR, by all accounts Levi’s provides a positive financial benefit to that budget. The 1 hr. curfew extension 3-4 times a year is an option, one that was recognized by Measure J supporters (including current Council members). If there’s any flip flop, it’s there. It’s their right to decline that option, but the personal attack is not warranted. This is a hatchet job, pure and simple. For why?
Jim Mercurio might pay by the word.
How about doing a quiz on former councilman who sells out the city for development projects that destroy neighborhoods and line the pocket of developers.
This story tells me why the 49ers have blown it in Santa Clara. They with work clowns like Moore and Bress instead of legitimate people on the city council. Thank God that we have a majority that won’t give away the store. Keep it up. Don’t give in on the curfew. Don’t give in on rent.
Those two massive developments need to go down, too. We have too much damn traffic and congestion.
Wow! That’s a big u-turn. I can’t imagine what Jim Mercurio has to offer. I guess if you don’t live here, screw them all. After all those years of working so hard, that’s a big belly flop. No need for integrity. As they say, cash is King.
Hopefully she registers to vote in her new town, she wouldn’t want to vote illegally. Perhaps she has an extra room for Becker.
Take a moment and ask yourself why this garbage is showing up TODAY, Thursday … because poor little Liar Lisa is afraid of facing her opponent TONIGHT at the Candidate Forum (the exact same one that she tried so hard to not have happen at all)! She had everybody write all kinds of fairy tales to get the Candidate Forum to go away … didn’t work. Her lies didn’t work …
Hey Robert Haugh … do you think this is the most important thing to write about in Santa Clara? This shows just how tight a leash Lisa has you on … she is painting YOU a fool.
-> How about the CAL-PERS illegal allegation? You’re silent on that?
-> Or the fact that the Chamber auditor didn’t show up at the council meeting and the meeting can’t take place until AFTER the election?
-> Or the plethora of other shenanigans that Lisa is hiding from and delaying until after the election.
-> What about the Forum the City Manager was directed to do to inform Santa Clara voters about the two city measures?
There are loads of critical things that Santa Clarans need to know right now … in a timely manner, but you write about this! You are being a fool and are being a tool too.
What a bunch of sheep and sheeple … you are just believing Robert’s crap … the jokes on you. Just like you are still being snowed that Lisa is doing good for Santa Clara too. Wasting money on a measure that has already been decided in court … $98,000!! Do you like your tax money paying for Lisa’s charm school from the PR agency we, taxpayers are paying for? She’s Squandering millions on an appeal against voting districts … why? LIsa and “her girls” never did answer the “why” the judges decision is even being appealed. And, now Lisa even has PIgPen commenting for her too.
Man, oh man, she sure is desperate. YES the truth is going to keep hurting Lisa and Robert H. right up to Election Day … the dirty that has been done by y’all doesn’t have any place to hide anymore. The public has a right to finally make an informed vote … Santa Clarans aren’t as stupid as Lisa would like them to be … Voters DO remember that Lisa brought us Measure Jed!
Are the comments on this “news” site moderated? I left a comment earlier and it hasn’t shown up?
Here it is again.
Seems to me that Lisa Gillmor and Kathy Watanabe have flipped whole hog regarding the 49ers and the Stadium. Is this post supposed to be news or some type of weird support for particular candidates since all the information here is from 2017?
Suds, I the publisher of this site has a life – 3 jobs, and is a father. This is a part time “job” but is more of a passion than job, since it’s 100 percent unpaid.
There’s this old saying “if you can’t do things right, don’t do them at all” Sounds about right
YOU MEAN LIKE WHEN YOU RAN AGAINST DAVIS IN 2016 AND LOST HORRIBLY???
What a bunch of CRAP! Too bad that Lisa’s mouthpiece, meaning YOU Robert, didn’t take the effort to actually ask ME instead of writing your regular slanted garbage!
Guess Lisa is rightfully afraid of BECKER in the mayoral contest … she is known to do literally anything, including LYING to get her way. Too bad, how sad.
If you taken the trouble to ask. I would have given you the straight scoop Robert! But, then again, why would you start printing the truth now … you are getting worse than the other rag … at least that can line a birdcage — this has ZERO WORTH and is only a waste!
And Howard, you poor little puppet … I didn’t bite on NextDoor so you had to try something else.
For people who really KNOW ME … don’t belevie this BS because it is exactly that BS and Lisa’s desperate, so she’s getting her boy puppets to do her dirty work. Wonder who she’ll be calling into to service her next? She already has “her girls” doing her other stuff, including continually violating the Brown Act. Careful girls — y’all need more fines and violations?
Do not ELECT Gillmor … remember she NEVER has been elected Mayor … this IS the last thing on her ‘Daddy Checklist’ to prove herself.
Don’t keep voting for the same people who are destroying Santa Clara and expect a different outcome … that is called insanity. VOTE for REAL CHANGE and NO Mor Gillmor … VOTE for BECKER because is BEST … anything is better than the double-dealing, lying and problem-maker that Lisa is and has brought and bred in Santa Clara.
BROUGHT in the 49ers as Chief cheerleader for the Measure J campaign. And has NEVER apologized and never FIXED all the contracts she is now badmouthing … you signed them Lisa … why didn’t you fix them When you could have? YOU did carry the water FOR the team and made sure they got what they wanted …. Have you lost all your Red ‘N Gold Cheerleader pictures?
DOUBLE-DEALING … brought developer money TO the Firefighters and Police PACs … making them the same hypocrites as she is … read both of their FPPC 460 forms. The truth is the truth. And, where is the BluPac info Lisa promised to uncover and show us? Oh, another promise not kept. You wonder why Santa Clara is full of rentals and developments … Santa Clara has the best politicians money can buy … Read who bought them and then look at who is building … Bingo!
LYING … Lisa supports LIARS! That was the last straw for me. The whole fiasco about Candidate Forums … the acting City Clerk issued memo saying No Forums then stood up in front of Council and said she never said that, and City Manager said same thing with head nod of the City Attorney (Lisa’s other big buddy) too. LISA did absolutely NOTHING BUT SUPPORT these LIARS!!
ACTS ILLEGALLY … Illegally changed the roles and responsibilities of the elected City Clerk without a vote of the people … this VIOLATES our City Charter and cannot be done and is INVALID. She and “her girls” also support backdoor hiring by City Manager of Deanna’s buddies without following established city policies and procedures too. Jobs not posted and no opening hiring procedure … hires all her buddies too. And starts another scandal about CAL-PERS too.
I could go on forever with all the malfeasance and unethical and illegal use of public funds that Lisa has done or, that has been done during her watch. Santa Clara has been in trouble before for cronyism and all the incestuous hiring … guess the Grand Jury needs to hit them over the head harder this time and maybe hand out fines and jail time!! Same characters and same problems … AGAIN and over and over …
Robert … don’t start something without facts, because I’ll give you facts .., let’s start with THESE and we can go on from here if you are ready … and poor little Howard … still needing to be important. GO Fish!
Ms Bress Thank you for the real transparency that the mayor and council members buzz about but don’t show. “Talk is cheap” I will go look at the FPPC forms you mention.
Yep, you go and do that, John mclmore- oh, I mean Jean! Using your usual ‘quotes’ to get your emphasis across. Lord almighty, give it up John mclmore- oh, I mean Jean! Your a lost cause. Stop trying to take down those that are so totally out of your league. YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMEMT TO YOURSELF and those you are helping puppeteer like ANTHONY. HA HA!. IT IS CLEAR!! ARE YOU SUBSIDIZING DEBRA IN TAHOE TO WRITE THIS GARBAGE MESSAGES?? SANTA CLARA IS OVER YOU AND YOUR BROOD. Move along. move along!!!! MOVE TO TAHOE WITH DEBRA!!! HA HA!!!!
Deborah,
I did not call you because I quoted you directly from what you wrote and said. I also confirmed the meeting with Kevin. I don’t know why you believe this reporting is wrong. But I’ll give you space to write why you flipped on the curfew. Maybe you have good reasons. You can share them. But in that piece I won’t allow you to rant on about Lisa Gillmor or attack other people. You do that already in lots of places. So, please let me know if you want 500 words to make your case about the curfew.
“I won’t allow you to rant on about Lisa Gillmor or attack other people” Because you have such high standards? What a joke
Cause Lisa won’t allow it and she is his boss and to she, he must obey!
“I won’t allow you to rant on about Lisa Gillmor or attack other people” Because you have such high standards? What a joke
Whoa! Jean!!! Hold on there!!!! You sure do sound alot like our ol’ buddy, disgraced COUNCILMEMBER DOMINIC CASHERTA!!!!! Holy moly!!!
Robert,
You should be ashamed of yourself … I hope you are not teaching your child to lie like you are! Shame, shame, shame on you. No wonder you are unemployed and underemployed… you reap what you sow and you are planting crap … you won’t ever reap anything from what your peddling.
Your credibility has sunk to a new low … no one could have told you any of what you wrote, because what you wrote is outright lies! And if you were told it .., them why are you adding “hmmm?” You are a hypocrite and you are a waste of time and space and it is a disgrace that you think that you are “reporting” on anything. You have gotten worse than The Weekly … and I never thought anyone could get any lower than that!
To bad you’re not focusing on delivering information to Santa Clarans that they need to make an informed voting decision, instead of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong and making issues where there are none. Again, had you spoken to me, I would have happily answered any questions you had .,. But you don’t have the guts to actually ASK … you’d rather makeup stuff like a little kid running around trying to look like a big shot on the playground. A real MAN would have asked … but your NOT asking says TONS about you and your lack of confidence when talking to a credible, successful and confident woman. COWARD! Yes, you Robert, are nothing more than a COWARD!
Deborah, I actually have three amazing jobs, and still make time to upkeep this site. Are you saying the others mentioned here lied?
Seems to me that Lisa Gillmor and Kathy Watanabe flipped whole hog regarding the 49ers. Is this article supposed to be a news story or just some type of campaign material since everything listed here is from 2017. Old “news” ?
When Deborah flips, she does it whole hog. She not only opposes the curfew and the mayor is a major mouth piece for the mayoral wannabe Becker. She is all over social media trashing anyone that opposes Becker or supports Lisa. When I ask about Becker’s accomplishments I am told by some that running against the mayor’s ‘machine’ is an accomplishment. Some people think because Trump wasn’t a politician and has had some huge successes that the answer is to not be a politician. But Trump started as an accomplished, successful, experienced real estate tycoon. What does Becker bring to the table? Well, he has people like Deborah carrying his water, that’s something. But we suspect there was another force behind him to oppose Lisa. Wonder what that force is. Could we ask Moore or Mercurio?