 The Struggles Of Advocacy |
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These pages are compiled of a series of articles that I have written in an attempt to promote understanding and solicit empathy for the plight of those that are less fortunate than we are.
In my attempts of changing my community for the better, I have had to learn the hard way - that it is true - some of the "old guard" that comprise what is loosely called the "leadership" of our local community maintain a strong hold on the prevention of positive growth and the nourishment of positive change. The old guard continues, as those that have gone before have set an example that this is the path to success in local politics and social action. I disagree.
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Muratore And the Money Makers - Part 2
By
Wayne2008
MURATORE AND THE MONEY MAKER'S :PART TWO
Submitted by wayne2008 on Tue, 2009-10-20 21:20. ·
· Politics/Social Action
October 20,2009
As Muratore continues to campaign for the Modesto City Council seat backed by Developer money. I need to ask more questions, concerning his very close connections with these developers.
In regards to the Kansas-Lone Palm reorganization. this is a separate annexation from the 32 acre project Joe Muratore has listed on his company website.
According to records a company called 4701 Stoddard LLC. is developing this 3.55 acre project. This annexation consists of 8 parcels, which include commercial real estate.
Records show 4701 Stoddard LLC. is owned by Paul Draper, the same Paul Draper who was a business partner with Joe Muratore with Centerra Capital Inc. and the 32 acre annexation which Joe has listed on his website. www.benchmarkcres.com
Centerra Capital and 4701 Stoddard LLC. have the same address of 1020 10Th st. Ste. 300. Records show that this Kansas-Lone Palm project has contact information: Joe Muratore.
www.Stanislauslafco.org/info/.../modesto.lonepalm?.120507.pdf
Muratore's close developer relationship with Paul Draper: Centerra Capital/4701 Stoddard LLC.
Ryan Swehla:
Trinity Ventures LLC.
Tuolumne Capital Partner's
EAH.
Should be questioned if Joe will be influenced by developers. I think the answer is an obvious one. YES
A closer look at Ryan Swehla, Muratore's business partner, he owns two other businesses:
Trinity Ventures LLC.
Tuolumne Capital Partners LLC.
1120 13Th St. Ste I
Modesto Ca, 95354
And Joe Muratore's business address:
Benchmark Commercial Real Estate Services.
1120 13Th St. Ste H
Modesto Ca. 95354.
They share the same address and their offices are next to one another. Nothing wrong with that, but it does show how the business and information could be shared, such as Commercial Real Estate.
The State of California also gives another address shared under Tuolumne Capital Partners: Corporation search.
Tuolumne Capital Partners LLC.
Number: 2006158810184
Address:1120 13Th St. Ste I Modesto Ca,95354
1402 Princeton Ave. 95350.
Source: www.ci.modesto.gov Business License Listings (Real Estate: managers). Stanislaus County fictitious Business search(document. 2008-0002250- Sept 4, 2008)www.modbee.com/2098/story/310130.html AT THE PODIUM
www.kepler.sos.ca.gov/list.html
Ryan Swehla had two properties rezoned while he is a member of the Modesto City Council, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Resolution No. 2009-08
Resolution No. 2009-09
Both properties were re-zoned to (P-O) Professional Office Zone(Commercial Real Estate).
No Conflict of Interest was filed in either case, according to my search. If a Conflict of Interest was filed I did not see it.
As a city council member, I don't believe one should be a developer, or in close business relationships with developers. The Past Modesto City Council has already experienced developer influence which the Fair Political Practice Commission has already warned the city council member poses the risk of having a conflict of interests.
Council member Gar rad Marsh, a current council member and he is a developer. Village One.
May 13, 2009.
The California Political Practices Commission advised him to step down from votes on a proposed ordinance that could require builders to set aside an acre of prime farm land for every acre they develop.
The FPPC contends Marsh has a conflict of interest because he is a developer who plans to develop a 14-lot subdivision in northeast Modesto, that would not be subject to the conditions of the farmland measure.
That could make Marsh's property more valuable because it would be less expensive to build there than on land bound by the pending agriculture protections, FPPC Attorney Scott Hallabrin wrote in a letter dated April 22 to city Attorney Susana Alcala Wood.
The city council approved Marsh's development proposal in 2006. He has 12 more months to make it happen without being subject to new building conditions from the city.
Marsh previously developed a 180-lot 49-acre subdivision near Enoch's High School.
"There's nothing wrong with Garrad Marsh being a developer. I think it's great. But he can't be a developer and a city council member making decisions that will impact his holdings", said, chief executive of the central valley California Building Industry Association.
Madison asked Wood to investigate Marsh's conflict of interest in October. She sent a letter to the FFPC asking for advice. Wood plans to follow up with more questions to the FPPC to determine the scope of its recommendation.
By ADAM ASHTON
Source: www.modbee.com/2384/v-print/story/700983.html
Modesto City Council member Garrad Marsh is vice-chair of the Economic Development Committee. And also a Finance Committee member.
Source:www.ci.modesto.ca.us/council/about/chair3.asp
Modesto City Council candidate for District-5 Joe Cataline, has voiced concerns, about not only developers but also business leaders influencing the city council members and "special Interests"
Speaking of Council member Kristin Olsen. Some of her large donor's include Sacramento-Based Teichert Construction, Modesto's Chopra Development Enterprises, Dr. Dana Lenser, Centerra Capital representative Paul Draper, Stanislaus Food Products, Stanislaus County supervisor Jeff Grover'Solecon Industrial Contractors and Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association."
Those large businesses occasionally carry issues before the city council. The housing group, for example, opposes a mobile home rent control ordinance the council adopted in 2007. Olsen was the only council member to vote against the measure.
Nonetheless, Olsen's donors represent a wide spectrum of views and businesses. Slow growth proponent councilman Garrad Marsh gave $150. Land use Attorney George Petrulakis who rarely See's eye-to-eye with Marsh gave her $1000.
Joe Muratore, a real estate consultant, has the most money in the bank among the three candidates vying to represent District-4 which covers the La Loma and Airport neighborhoods.
He also collected $25,879 this year and has $18,150 on hand. He has received checks from in the past three-months from Draper, Attorney Dave Gianelli,Fat Cat night club general manager Chris Ricci and development consultant Dennis Wilson.
Councilman Marsh, and resident Emerson Drake disagreed at the meeting, Drake said, said Developer's " Don't have an Empirical right to build"
www.modbee.com/local/v-print/story/240966.html
Do we need more council members, who are pro-development?
Do we need another Marsh clone, with conflict of interest issues?
Looking at Joe Muratore's business and developer connections, he poses a risk of conflicts of interests, on many issues. So he would have to recuse himself from council meetings if he was to be elected.
Looking at the current city council:
Olsen is pro-developer.
Marsh is a developer.
And if Muratore was elected he is pro-developer. That would be out of the five council members three are pro-developer, and this would definitely cause a problem of unbalance and a major conflict of interest.
With Robert Stanford as a council member he will bring balance to the already wobbly and unstable city council.
Three council members out of five council members would already be tied together in their votes, as each has supported one another's campaigns, and have other connections as well.
Modesto almost has no voice in opposition of the developers money schemes, which cost the citizens millions of dollars for each new subdivision. This is money the city of Modesto does not have nor will have during the current economic crisis. The State of California will also be dipping into the citizens local taxes, next year.
The City of Modesto cannot even afford to keep the Park restrooms open or maintain the Parks for lack of money.
Yet,this current city council has already given over $3 million to buy the property from Muratore's business partner, and another $6 million to another developer called EAH this year.
$9 million to developers why the citizens have less services, less police officers, less city workers. And many more needs of the citizens have been eliminated.
A VOTE FOR JOE MURATORE IS A VOTE FOR THE DEVELOPER'S
A VOTE FOR ROBERT STANFORD IS A VOTE FOR ALL THE CITIZEN'S AND IS A VOICE TO OPPOSE "SPECIAL INTERESTS SPENDING AND DEVELOPER MONEY SHEMES."
THIS BLOG OR COMMENT WAS WRITTEN BY WAYNE2008 WHO IS A PROTESTER AGAINST WHAT HE BELIEVES IS MISMANAGEMENT OR CORRUPTION. WAYNE IS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF THE MENTALLY ILL, AND IS AGAINST RACISM IN ALL FORMS.
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