Mister Mann Tries to Wag the Dog
This in from First District Streetfighter -- thanks very much for the tip and (one of The Remaining) Tom Schultz for the good reporting. Bennett eschewed "fat cats" the other day in the newspaper but is certainly a benificiary with Onnen of the GFR's donation. Both deny knowledge and have plausible deniability only so far as they can say Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce. Connecting the South Coast PAC (SCPAC) to these donations would complete the puzzle. The Chamber Candidate Forum (or is it SCPAC? -- it's really hard to tell when Chamber board members sit on the SCPAC board) is tonight at 7:00 pm at the Goleta Valley Community Center Holiday Inn. Should be interesting...
-- Sara
WAG THE DOG:
-------------------
Investor says contribution not in support of Dworman
THOMAS SCHULTZ, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
October 10, 2006 12:00 AM
New York City investor Stephen Mann, the largest donor in the Goleta council race, on Monday rejected speculation that his $9,000 contribution to a political action committee came in support of New York City investor Alvin Dworman, owner and builder of Bacara Resort & Spa.
Mr. Mann on Friday told the News-Press he gave to a group called Goletans for Fiscal Responsibility because "a change of government is required," adding, he hopes to invest in a subdivision sought by a friend he would not name. A second $5,000 donation to the group came from PCF Capital Inc., a Delaware firm.
Weekend and Monday comment at BlogaBarbara.blogspot.com drew a line from Mr. Mann to Mr. Dworman and his local spokesman, Santa Barbara public relations specialist John Davies. One anonymous blogger noted that online records show Mr. Mann and Mr. Dworman served together as directors of RB Asset Inc., a holdings management firm. Mr. Dworman seeks new construction at Bacara in Goleta. And in recent years he has sought to boost the development potential of a property outside city limits, for new homes on both sides of Tecolote Creek and the Embarcadero housing tract.
Mr. Mann said Monday that he knows Mr. Dworman but was concerned with a different proposal, adding that Mr. Dworman has introduced him to other Goleta area business people. The friend in question seeks to develop vacant land, Mr. Mann said, reiterating that he intends to keep the person's name private.
"We're looking for a little restrained, intelligent growth," he said.
Goletans for Fiscal Responsibility has spent more than $4,600 on slate mailers promoting the campaigns of challengers Eric Onnen and Michael Bennett in the six-person race for three Goleta council seats. Both candidates said last week they were unfamiliar with the committee, its two donors or its two treasurers, who work in Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano.
-- Sara
WAG THE DOG:
-------------------
Investor says contribution not in support of Dworman
THOMAS SCHULTZ, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
October 10, 2006 12:00 AM
New York City investor Stephen Mann, the largest donor in the Goleta council race, on Monday rejected speculation that his $9,000 contribution to a political action committee came in support of New York City investor Alvin Dworman, owner and builder of Bacara Resort & Spa.
Mr. Mann on Friday told the News-Press he gave to a group called Goletans for Fiscal Responsibility because "a change of government is required," adding, he hopes to invest in a subdivision sought by a friend he would not name. A second $5,000 donation to the group came from PCF Capital Inc., a Delaware firm.
Weekend and Monday comment at BlogaBarbara.blogspot.com drew a line from Mr. Mann to Mr. Dworman and his local spokesman, Santa Barbara public relations specialist John Davies. One anonymous blogger noted that online records show Mr. Mann and Mr. Dworman served together as directors of RB Asset Inc., a holdings management firm. Mr. Dworman seeks new construction at Bacara in Goleta. And in recent years he has sought to boost the development potential of a property outside city limits, for new homes on both sides of Tecolote Creek and the Embarcadero housing tract.
Mr. Mann said Monday that he knows Mr. Dworman but was concerned with a different proposal, adding that Mr. Dworman has introduced him to other Goleta area business people. The friend in question seeks to develop vacant land, Mr. Mann said, reiterating that he intends to keep the person's name private.
"We're looking for a little restrained, intelligent growth," he said.
Goletans for Fiscal Responsibility has spent more than $4,600 on slate mailers promoting the campaigns of challengers Eric Onnen and Michael Bennett in the six-person race for three Goleta council seats. Both candidates said last week they were unfamiliar with the committee, its two donors or its two treasurers, who work in Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano.
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 10/10/2006 12:42:00 AM
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17 Comments:
Let's face it, the whole county is for sale to the highest bidder.
McCaw must be coming back around regarding editorial integrity -- even to the point of allowing her reporters to cite anonymous postings on Blogabarbara in a news story.
A Regime Change in Goleta is needed. We need people to support more workforce housing projects.
The news writer can cite Blogabarbara as the source, but cannot publish the local address of a PAC with its funding from Orange County developers?!?!
I'm pretty sure the forum is tonight (Tuesday):
http://www.goletavalley.com/
The candidate forum is tonight! I wrote this too late at night :)
Will edit...
The forum is being held at the Holiday Inn in Goleta, not the Community Center.
The Candidate's Forum is being held tonight (7:00pm), at the Holiday Inn in Goleta. Not the Community Center.
I wanted to apologize for not getting the date and time correct on tonight's forum -- I wrote the post early this morning (almost yesterday) and mixed up this forum with the one being sponsored by the League of Women Voters on the 19th. I will certainly double check on dates and times of any other event that I include in a post in the future.
It appears as if civil decorum is no longer the norm for public discourse. I do not believe that we should blame this tragic development in the public square on any individual. Rude demeanor incites rude demeanor in return; and the war escalates from there. Soon lost to history is the when, the why, and the who of how it all started. My personal opinion of the genisis of this awful phenomenon is the advent of televised hearings. I remember when the hearings of county supervisors and city counsels were not televised; and back then it seems to me that there was a great deal more civility, even between politicians on the opposite ends of ideological spectrum. Once the hearings began to be televised however, it all became a show and everybody on the dias wanted to be the star. Provocative statements, exagerated gestures, and emotional outbursts all play better on TV than the courtly and articulate exchange of ideas. Sadly, rudeness is de rigueur in the public square nowadays. It is no longer a reason to toss anyone from office.
You of course are right -- wasn't paying enough attention this morning. I'm deleting that one and Bill's as he referred to the comment.
Is the Eckster advocating that public government meetings no longer should be recorded on video and televised?
The more exposure the better, regardless of how civil or rude the public officials are.
No, I would never suggest that we try to ladle the televised government meeting toothpaste back into smoke filled back room tube. I was just pointing out that in my experience the meetings were much more civil in the days before local politicians became television personalities. I would agree that the increased exposure has knocked the wind out of the "good old boy" network, which is a good thing. But I find that the resulting grand standing, rudeness, and hyperbole undermines collaborative problem solving and fosters a crudeness of behavior that is off-putting.
eckermann - you're describing the average Santa Barbara resident. There's lots of civility, just not here.
How did everyone get off topic like this?! Isn't anyone conserned about the link between Bacara/Davies and this money?! I for one am sick of people who don't even live in the Goleta Valley trying to manipulate my quality of life for their financial gain. While I'm not happy with the way the incombents have governed over the last 4 years, at least they don't take any crap from New York investors and Santa Barbara spinmeisters.
Let's look at who is behind all of this that doesn't live in Goleta:
John Davies
Kristen Amyx
Jim Knight
Tim Mahoney
Brian Gregory
Mark Ingalls
William Macfadyen
Alvin Dworman
The only person involved in the Chamber/PAC that is a Goleta resident is Marie McQueen and she's a paid shill for the Bishop Ranch!
Let's get real here people. I'm not opposed to people voicing their opinion but these people are trying to sell our community out from under us!
We need to house our citizens, so, we need the construction.
Jose
Jose, who are "our citizens"? There is no legislation to ensure that "our citizens" (City of Goleta? Goleta Valley? South Coast? Workers from Lompoc and Santa Maria?)will be housed in all new construction. Cynthia Brock and the other incumbent candidates wisely understand that we could never build our way out the housing shortage. Rezoning vacant commercial parcels along Hollister in the General Plan is the only way to create more housing without producing more jobs. The Chamber would have all of those Hollister Ave parcels remain commercial (or at least mixed use) AND develop the Bishop Ranch. BTW-The (Goleta Chamber of Concrete's) South Coast PAC's major donors include Mr. Guggenheim who sued our city over mobile home rent control (affordable housing), R.D. Olson Development, a major Orange County developer involved with the Delco (Sares-Regis) site, Montecitan Glynne Couvillian who owns the golf course frontage ag land just across Cathedral Oaks from the "Crown Collection" castles he developed a few years ago(through another large Orange County developer, the same one who has options on the Bishop Ranch. Interestingly, many Penfield and Smith employees found it in their best interest to give generously as well. I'd think it safe to assume that all above named parties have clearly defined goals that candidates Bennett and Onnen should be familiar with.
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