By Robert Haugh
Former Santa Clara City Attorney Brian Doyle sent a public letter to the City Council yesterday that says Measure J may have been violated. That’s the law that Mission City voters passed in 2010 allowing the stadium to be built for the 49ers as long as the City’s general fund money wasn’t used for construction or operations.
“The (staff) report sets forth a substantial amount of staff time and travel expenditures that it admits have already not been reimbursed,” wrote Doyle.
“By making these expenditures the City Manager (Jovan Grogan) appears to have violated Measure J. This violation should be investigated and a complete accounting and repayment should be completed.”
Doyle also wrote that the 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup may cost the City revenue.
“Second, the public should be made aware of all of the lost opportunity costs of potential money-making events that will not be able to be held in 2026 by reason of assigning rights to the Stadium to the Bay Area Host Committee and FIFA.”
Doyle raises issues about trusting the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) – the group set up to raise money and pay the cost of the major events.
“Lastly, given that the public safety costs for holding the World Cup must all be run through the City’s budget, there must be an honest, transparent projection of these costs and how they will be paid by the Bay Area Host Committee. Given what the other World Cup cities have discussed, these costs could be expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.”
According to a San Francisco Chronicle investigative report, Doyle is right. Here’s what they reported three months ago:
“Santa Clara stands to lose up to $38 million hosting the World Cup at Levi’s Stadium in 2026 because of deals signed by San Francisco 49ers president Al Guido, the city attorney (Glen Googins) warned City Council members.
According to Doyle, the BAHC is essentially a 49ers organization.
“Why would Santa Clara assign the millions of dollars in rent to be paid by FIFA to a nonprofit with such shaky finances, in the hopes that it could raise enough revenue to then reimburse it for the public safety costs that it must pay if the event is to occur in Santa Clara?” said Doyle.
“At a minimum, if Santa Clara is expected to follow through on the promises made by an NFL team valued at $6 billion, it should receive an ironclad guarantee from that team’s owner that the City will receive the financial reimbursements for its efforts. Demanding nothing less is a betrayal of Santa Clara taxpayers.”
Santa Clara News Online will cover the City Council discussion on this issue tonight.
[…] had previously sent a letter to the City Council that claims Measure J may have been violated. That’s the law that Mission […]
Watching and reading what’s currently happening with our local 49er Council is enough to make any Santa Clara Resident sick to their stomach.
But a change is coming….
Hope to see everyone at the Santa Clara Central Park Pavilion, 909 Kiely Blvd on Saturday Aug 31st from 2-4pm.
Food, Drinks and Ice Cream will be available.
Meet the people who have promised to put the needs of the City and its residents ahead of any group, or any company.
Bob O’Keefe City Clerk
Cory Morgan Chief of Police
Satish Chandra Council D1
Teresa O’Neil Council D4
David Kertes Council D5
Kelly Cox. Council D6
They will answer any questions you have, and if you are really nice to them they will allow you to take a Lawn Sign home to put out for the World to see.
Thanks Burt Field
burt.field@gmail.com
408.687.2622 cell phone, text first if new contact
City Manager Grogan, City Attorney Goggins, and the 49er 5, will most likely not be around by the time the financial disaster tsunami they are causing to citizens of Santa Clara with FIFA and the Superbowl robbing the citizens of tens of millions of dollars of their hard-earned tax dollars. The CM is obviously a pick of the 49ers and every decision he has made regarding the 49ers has financially gone the 49ers way. CA Goggins may be a fine attorney, but he has not been so for the citizens of Santa Clara. In watching city meetings, even both Grogan and Goggins at times look exasterbated at the stupidity and long-winded BS coming out of Kevin Park, Anthony “Jumpsuit” Becker, and Suds. Jeff Rosen really needs to clamp down on the 49er 5’s endless complaining about the Grand Jury process and how the have been “unfairly” singled out. The 49er 5 are, in their own minds, rewriting codified law regarding how and when they need to respond to the Grand Jury report as the 49er 5 obviously think they are above the law. Not only in their lack of timeliness and response to the Grand Jury, but they think they are above the law in just about ALL city business (See “Jumpsuit” Becker et al). They are all unqualified and unethical to hold their positions, including the CM and CA, and are only where they are due to the 49ers stealing our last election. How did our CM and CA review and allow the 49ers to sign the FIFA contract and have the controlling voice over our city?? It is really the “49er 7” and they have made our city council a national joke and has now grabbed the attention of well known journalists from major national news organizations. Thank goodness, as the Silicon Valley raspy Voice and the San Jose Spotlite have writers (no, not at all investigative journalists) doing the bidding of the 49ers and the 49er 7. We will be watching the meeting tonight.