Mayors warn Business Council to avoid politics Mayors warn Business Council to avoid politics (December 09, 2005)

Endorsement of Livermore Measure D was wrong, Hosterman says
by Jeb Bing

The mayors of Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore criticized the Tri-Valley Business Council this week for using public funds to push for approval of Measure D, a Livermore initiative that would have allowed Pardee Homes to have built 2,400 houses on farmland north of I-580.

The measure was defeated by 72 percent of Livermore voters who cast ballots in the Nov. 8 election.

Pleasanton Mayor Jennifer Hosterman said the business group, which receives $25,000 annually from the general municipal funds of the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and San Ramon, is organized as a "think tank" to research and develop strategies for economic growth in the Tri-Valley.

Its housing subcommittee, which looks at housing needs for the area's workforce, studied the Pardee development plan and decided it would add housing needed locally. At the subcommittee's request, Executive Director Tom O'Malley sent a letter to Pardee advising the developer of that report. Pardee subsequently used the Tri-Valley Business Council's endorsement in pre-election advertising.

"As the mayor of Pleasanton, I have an issue with using taxpayer-General Fund monies to fund any entity that is going to become a political animal," Hosterman said. "I think it's fundamentally wrong no matter what the issue is or what side the organization is on."

Appearing together on TV30's "Mayors Forum," the mayors agreed that the Business Council was wrong in sending the letter to Pardee.

"This organization is there to give an opinion and share its views, so I don't have a problem with it commenting on a plan like Pardee's," said Dublin Mayor Janet Lockhart. "But there's a fine line, and when you step over it, there's a problem. So at election time, I think it would be a good idea if the Business Council remained politically neutral."

Mayor Abram Wilson and Livermore Vice Mayor Tom Reitter, speaking for Mayor Marshall Kamena, agreed. They said the Business Council is good in addressing economic issues that affect their four cities, and that they intend to continue funding the organization.

Hosterman said the Pardee endorsement issue will be part of a discussion with O'Malley later this month when she joins Kamena, Lockhart and their city managers to talk about the Pardee letter.

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