By Robert Haugh
Yesterday there was some good.
The Santa Clara Stadium Authority rejected the 49ers’ push to make the public pay $1.7 million for the team’s new offices and additional money for 24-hour stadium security. That was a win for Santa Clara taxpayers.
But there was also some bad. Buried in the same budget was another costly decision.
The board approved roughly $2.5 million for Seat Builder License sales and servicing. That pays for 49ers’ staff each year, and the cost has been increasing.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor said the board had already asked for a detailed breakdown of that spending last year to find out how much of the work was truly for Stadium Authority SBL activity and how much may have supported other 49ers operations.
“That report was never brought back to this Board,” Gillmor said.
Gillmor warned that approving the spending without the requested analysis “undermines the trust this Board must have in the process.” She also said it raises “serious concerns” that the Stadium Authority may be paying for work that is not actually its responsibility.
Councilmember Kelly Cox also raised issues about the expenditure.
“This is $5 million in potential revenue that’s costing us $2.5 million in operating expenses.
“From a budgeting standpoint, it just doesn’t make sense,” she said.
But the 49er Five (minus Councilmember Raj Chahal, who skipped this meeting) all voted in favor and the budget was passed with a 4-2 vote.
Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez, Councilmembers Suds Jain, Karen Hardy, and Kevin Park voted yes. They all received millions of dollars in independent expenditure contributions from the team to get them elected.
Gillmor and Cox voted no.
“This budget is not just about this year,” said Gillmor.
“It is a signal of where we are headed. And right now, it is foretelling a future where costs continue to shift to the public while the financial return to the City declines.”
I’m sorry but anything related to the taxpayers having to pay anything for the 49ers should have to be brought up and voted on and approved by the city of Santa Clara taxpayers! NOT the people they pay for to win the election. When is enough enough?? The people in charge cannot be relied upon to
Make the right decisions for the taxpayers.
Some of that clown meeting was about marketing this Tidy Bowl.
Councilmember Hardy was giddy about the 3 int’l airports within 1 hour of said Tidy Bowl. And Waymos. And $49 to get into a museum that isn’t open often. Yep, we sure can all see that lost revenue blowing in the wind.
How’s all that jibberjabbering keeping this Tidy Bowl from going under especially after Jihad Beauchman’s spurious presentation? Um, does he always talk that fast? Maybe when trying to yank the wool over the 49er 4’s eyes? I digress.
Councilmember Hardy is running for Mayor so make sure you say the right thing. Don’t rock the Tidy Bowl PAC. With luck the Tidy Bowl has a few dollars left over after FIFA to help you, Councilmember Hardy.
Yup, most likely that $2 Million plus in phony SBL “management” fees will end up as the first installment the 49ers’ contribution to an “independent” committee to support Hardy’s bid for mayor. When will Santa Clara voters wake up to this scam?
The problem is we have more voters that are uninformed. Often we hear people ranting about low voter turnout saying we need more people voting. We don’t need more voters, we need more voters that are informed. And only reading a glossy mailer financed by jed york, isn’t being informed, it is being misled and lied to. Just My Expert Opinion.
The saddest thing about Becker’s continued tantrum us that he believes his pathetic lies are true. Becker now invokes the great Harvey Milk comparing himself to Milk.
Becker is self generating clown.
Last night
Becker reappeared and began a pathetic slew of lies and squeals about his miserable life.
Becker attacked my niece who has been a generous supporter of LGBTQ candidates all over the Bay Area. He now accuses a retired judge of harassing him.
Becker is the only candidate ever to list Jumbo Jacks and tacos on his campaign forms. He has become a wasted joke.
Don’t worry. Jed’s boys – paid for by the stadium authority- will figure it all out if God forbid any of those 5 clowns become mayor.
And some of these people are planning on running for mayor? They don’t seem to be able to do basic math in handling the public’s money.
They don’t care. It isn’t their money.
Uh yesh it’s their tax $$$ and your tax $$$. They don’t care? Say buh bye.