Well, I don't know if it's true-- but, it sure would explain a lot of why all projects have been approved in the last few years.
The Mayor originally ran on Responsible Growth and Transparency in his first election. Things seemed to have drastically changed.

Now it seems to all be about Growth. Certainly, if powerful interests are influencing the Chamber, and the Chamber Runs the City-- well, this is what we get. Sounds worse than the "good ole boys club".

I would like to know more. What committees! Who is on them?

Just looking at their website, it appears of the 16 board members, three are from real estate firms, one from Walmart, and one is running for City Council after having been head of the Planning Commission. It's definitely a pro-growth in-crowd that greatly influences the city government, and has been for some time. That's why citizen groups and refendums and initiatives become so important.

The chamber of commerce in Pleasanton true purpose is to keep the pro-growth machine going. The chamber and their political action committee (PAC) contributes to candidates that support more housing; financially, ads and endorsements. They have their own vision plan which is their version of the general plan. While there are some people in leadership at the chamber who truly care about local businesses, most of their leadership is the old boys club that promotes. I believe the only time the chamber advocates for a position at a council meeting is to support a development project (they have NEVER been against a development project), or to add more cut-trough traffic paths. They have been against every local measure that restricts housing developments in the hills, including the main Pleasanton ridge protection that occurred many years ago.

Being they are the largest single financial contributor to campaigns, mostly money collected from developers, they control a lot of the council. They are the biggest special interest group in Pleasanton.

Since they are mostly interested in more development they do not even get involved in issues like pensions and retirement benefits for the city since they want the city employees to support all of their development interests. Sort of like their way to contribute to the city employees. If the city employees push their development plans, the chamber will not get involved in pension and retirement issues (you scratch my back and I will scratch yours).

For me, their support of a candidate or initiative is a litmus test. I will not vote for a candidate that is endorsed by the chamber. Their interest is not commerce but rather development.

I've often wondered how much influence their EDGR committee and BACPAC contributions arm exert over local politics, and I imagine it's considerable. Just look at the results. We need to examine all the candidates' financial filings to see how much they are funding the candidates they like.

res1,
You have confirmed much of what I heard-- but, was afraid to say. Thank you for your willingness to bring these detail into the light of day. Too long, it has been little known. Someone just called me to tell me about the EDGR Committee. They also mentioned BACPAQ Committee. Are these secret Chamber Committees? Who is on them? Maybe, they are elected by the citizens- but, I doubt it.

We need to learn more as to how our City is influenced. I fear special interests have taken over.

I don't think it's the Chamber as much as it is City Staff. We have a Planning Department that loves to plan things! We have a Building Department that loves to build things... Bathroom remodels are not as sexy big apartment buildings. We have an Economic Development Department that looks across the Valley and sees all the fun Dublin is having... Golf courses, arts theaters, big new parks, shiny new shopping centers, cool looking condo projects! So much fun!!!

The City staff has no power. The Chamber introduced Nearon at a meeting several months ago. Nearon said " Costco is here!" The Chamber agreed. Done deal !

Special interests. Chamber wins again.

But did they? The citizens now get to vote on MM.

The Chamber is upset, the City Council is upset. A conflict of interest by the Mayor was disclosed. The Council writes and signs the ballot arguments for Costco, endorsed by the Chamber.

It's time to call it the way it is!

I was at the recent public city council meeting. We have NO VOICE, NO VOTE. I think this sums it up... "We would like to thank over 42 of you who wrote letters to the city's Planning Commissioners, City Council and Staff. The vast majority of you wrote about your concerns with existing traffic problems in the area, you wanted to avoid more residential water demands during this 5th year of the drought and noted that more houses will result in more students in our already overcrowded schools. The Irby Ranch proposal was not popular among our followers. Most of you asked the Planning Commission to reject the project, leave the land as it is currently zoned for commercial use or severely scale back the high-density residential portion in favor of maintaining the charm which Pleasanton is known for. When it was time for a vote, the Planning Commissioners voted 5:0 to approve Irby Ranch in its entirety."

There are issues with city staff also, IMHO. It is called self-preservation. Have you ever seen a government agency/department go away? If we do not have all these developments, we do not need all those people in planning. So the planning department wants development, so they all have a job until retirement.

The BACPAC committee is their political action committee (PAC). For tax purposes the PAC is supposed to be completely separate from the chamber. However, just look at any campaign adds of their PAC and they say "Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Endorses...". In reality, they should be reported to the IRS so they have the tax-exempt status revoked.

The EDGR Committee is the chamber's Economic Development & Government Relations Committee. My guess is their purpose is to tell candidates that if they do not support the development, the candidates will no longer receive campaign contributions. This committee is part of the chamber's vision plan which is their own version of the Pleasanton General Plan.

The city has an Economic Vitality Committee which has members appointed by our representative on the council. So the EDGR is the chamber's committee equivalent of this. All about control. The EDGR Committee is a shadow of the Economic Development Committee. However, their interests are not in the best interest of our city but rather in the best interests of the developers.

Both those committees, are part of the chamber with committee members appointed by them.

So the city has public processes for our General Plan and Economic Vitality. The BACPAC, EDGR, and the chamber itself are a private organization who by creating these committees has said they do not believe in transparent public processes so they decided to compete against the residents of our city. I stress, it is a competition. If not, they would participate like residents and businesses of Pleasanton in the public processes and not have their own shadow committees.

Although not easy to sift through, you can find cotribution reports for the chamber PAC, candidates, and measures online. You can see that many developers, including Irby Ranch, have donated. Thorne received a campaign contribution from then just this year (surprise).

You can also find the 400 investment ownings online. Things that surprised me here, the oldest online filing for Thorne was 2012 and he owned Costba back then and on every subsequent filing. Olson has not released any of his investment holdings. He has all his stocks listed in a single listing as "Personal Investments" and does not break it down. Wonder what he has to hide? Wonder if that filing is even legal since he does not disclose his holdings.

Good point res1. I wonder if the City Attorney would comment on the legality of Olson's filing? Or the FPPC?

Remember Michaela Hertle's coverup of the Mayor's Costco holdings. She said he just learned of his Costco holdings on February 18, 2016. "I attest to this as I was present at the time and witness to the discussion" , Michaela Hertle, Campaign Manager, Jerry Thorne for Mayor 2016.

We have a problem!



Sent from my iPad

Res1,
You seem very knowledgable. I can't find anywhere a list of the people who are on these highly influential Chamber committees. Is this public record, or a secret?

Is there a list of EDGR Members?

How about the BACPAC members?

You stated that they do not believe in transparent public process, so they decided to compete against residents of the city. I believe that the members should come forward to allow us to know who they are. If not, they should be exposed.

I cannot find any place that lists those members. You could call the Chamber and ask for the list and see if they make it available. For Political Action Committees I am not sure if the City Clerk of Pleasanton has that info.

Someone will come forward with the lists - or, we will dig it up.
Secret committees and organizations should not be able to run our City. Decide issues. Fund campaigns.

My guess is that the information in this thread is not known by 99.9% of the citizens of Pleasanton. I have lived in Pleasanton since 1982. I did not know it.

When did the Chamber of Commerce become all powerful? Under whose watch was it allowed? When were secret, special committees established to decide important issues? Who are their members? Who gets to decide?

These Committees are responsible to no one. When this happens special interests will always prevail. Unwanted and unnecessary growth will result. Money will have its influence.

How do we return to the Pleasanton we so dearly loved?

Everybody knows that the Pleasanton Downtown Association runs this city. If they don't want it, it won't happen.

nunya business,

I guess that I am one of the last to learn! I thought it was the citizens who decide by electing officials that make decisions for the citizens. But, I am now learning that these powerful associations like the Chamber decide our elected officials by their influence and campaign contributions. The Chamber and Downtown Association control the decisions of these elected officials.

I am told that the Chamber is funded by large corporations and developers, which are very influential in policies, especially development and growth. They form committees like EDGR and BACPAC which determine our future. Most elected officials, even those with good intentions, are afraid to defy the Chamber and its committees. The City Manger, the City Council most all seem to have the same goal. There is very little deviation in voting. Their vote aligns with growth.

They do not always represent the best interests of our citizens, small busineseeses or community.

Would you agree?

Here is a link to the Chamber. Web Link There are lists of businesses, and I would guess they are listed if they are members. While members on the PACs aren't listed, what their goals are is on the site. The fact they have committees was knowable.

Here is a link for the Pleasanton Downtown Association. Web Link A separate organization from the Chamber I believe, although there could be overlapping memberships.

Just wondering if anyone has called either organization and asked the questions raised here. Perhaps you have a favorite business you frequent and the owner may be able to respond? We lobby as citizens (a variety of referendums and at council meetings) and shouldn't be surprised businesses have similar efforts.

Both organizations have boards and staff members that are listed.

Don't confuse the Downtown Association with the Chamber. The PDA is nothing more than a "homeowners association" for the businesses and property owners Downtown. PDA has no jurisdiction or say in anything outside the boundaries of First St to Peters, and the Pleasanton Hotel to City Hall...

Thanks Kathleen. What are your thoughts about the Chamber representing large corporations and developers? Their influence on the City Manager and elected officials?

Are the EDGR members known? BACPAC members known?

Thank you.

From the Chamber web site:

"Mission Statement
Your Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce is organized to benefit business by:
Creating and promoting economic opportunity
Strengthening and educating our members and the community
Influencing public policy"

So, they are pretty clear about their purpose, and it is not a surprise they represent any particular business, corporation, or developer. They will lobby local government. I have said this is a participatory process and requires citizen vigilance. The person who gets attention is the one in the room at the time, so I appreciate the citizens who show up to hold the council's or the school board's feet to the fire. I believe citizens can and have provided balance to the influence of other organized groups. If we aren't there, elected officials will believe we are happy with their efforts.

I don't know who EDGR and BACPAC members are, but maybe all we need to do is ask the Chamber board or a staff member or Nelson Fiahlo or our city council members. I doubt a group who lobbies our elected officials is unknown. I don't see why it would be a secret either.

Hi, I would like to join in. I agree that our only option is to attend meetings and to join in and to participate: "citizen vigilance" and to show up to hold their "feet to the fire"-- but this, our only option, seems to have no value.

An example is "Costco". People have shown up at the two town hall meetings. The second was a full house at Hart Middle School". Not one person spoke in favor of Costco.

On the April 12 City Council meeting, I think 90% if the people spoke against Costco. Still the Council moved forward, and on July 19, ordered another study, and decided the same night (July 19) to write the ballot arguments for Costco, even before the results of the new study were seen, which by the way, the new study showed a significant decrease in traffic and pollution with the initiative; with alternatives.

The Chamber had already decided a long time ago, and had influenced the City Manager and City Council. In a Chamber meeting at least 6 months ago, Nearon announced "Costco is here". Basically saying, "it's a done deal". As far as the Council's endorsement and votes, they were right.

Citizens showing up at the meetings, speaking, writing emails (at least 42 the council said) -- all against Costco -- has done no good.

The Chamber is the answer to my question: WHO RUNS PLEASANTON.

I have not followed the Costco issue closely as I had my eyes on an elementary school to be included in the bond. Did the council publicly discuss Costco prior to the meetings you note, Lisa? The reason I ask is, most of us don't check council or board agendas for EVERY meeting. Even I haven't done that. It takes that level of involvement to see these topics coming. It can come up once at a regular meeting and then disappear for months, and we are surprised there were task forces, etc. busily working behind the scenes. We often don't see it coming until the press is covering it.

And all of us are busy with jobs and family and all that entails. I can understand why we believe they are elected by us and should be responsive to us, the citizens, first. But there's a lot to balance in what electeds believe we want/need/is good for us as a community. It's why councils might not do citizen forums on things like Costco well in advance of a decision process or boards find themselves believing portables are good enough for our children and teachers. And when it is only one or a few showing up to help reshape their thinking, you become the village crackpot(s). Been there.

No, the Council did not publicly discuss the Costco issue prior to April 12. There were only two townhall meetings held by staff--one in Oct'15 and the second on November 12, 2015 which I attended. The project began in April 2014.

It's a rather big issue for the Council to assume to know what the citizens wanted. The JDEDZ (SEIR) study showed an additional 12,000- 15,000 cars daily. Unacceptable and unavoidable pollution and air quality.

It's what the Chamber wanted, but the citizens-- I don't think so.

@Lisa S. and everyone,

Many of us in Pleasanton love the idea of a Costco at the proposed site.

Lisa S,
I don't think that you can say the citizens presence is of no value. It did flush out Mayor Thorne's conflict of interest on July 19. He admitted owning Costco stock. Then two days later, a big coverup blog appeared by his campaign manager, Michaela Hertle:


a resident of Downtown
on Jul 21, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Regarding Mayor Thorne's recusal from the EDZ discussion, I would like to clarify in response to comments in this thread... In preparation for filing his nomination paperwork to run for re-election this week, Mayor Thorne was required to file an additional FPPC Form 700 with the City Clerk on Monday. This form is generally filed only once a year in January. Mayor Thorne's retirement brokerage account is managed by a firm that purchases stock assets on his behalf. He is only notified of his holdings via statement each six months. The Costco stock holding was new and unbeknownst to him until Monday morning. He immediately took steps to notify his broker to not purchase this stock again, let the public know and recuse himself from the EDZ discussion at the Council Meeting the following day. I attest to this as I was present at the time and witness to the discussion. He did the right thing and notified the public within 1 day of finding out himself.

Sincerely,
Michaela Hertle
Campaign Manager
Jerry Thorne for Mayor 2016

The Mayor had reported the Costco ownership since 2014, on form 700 filed in April of 2015. It was reported twice. Costco and Costco Wholesale. (Page 7 and page 14).

Had there never been 'citizen vigilance" at the meetings or holding their "feet to the fire", this would most likely never been revealed.

If you believe their mission statement, I have a bridge to sell you.

Having followed Pleasanton politics for a long time, I can tell you that their main purpose is to support more development in the city and only support candidates who do the same. I believe their PAC started around 2006 but cannot remember the exact year. Since then, you can look at all their endorsements on the council/mayor and SURPRISE, those who supported additional housing were the only ones that were endorsed. They then use their PAC to advertise for their candidates. They are the single largest special interest in Pleasanton.

res1, I guess supporting candidates is how the Chamber best influences public policy.
Val, understood we know about what was happening because of those who sent up the flares.
BobB, Something will end up at that site. For Costco, I am most concerned about the loans.

Kathleen ,
You are not concerned about the loans? Did you know that on April 12 , Gerry Boudin said the City would borrow $6 million from Costco at 4% interest for 30-40 years? If the payments are to be kept at about $300,000 per year, it will need to be close to 40 years. The total payments would be over $12 million.

Yes, something will go there- but alternatives would have to pay their way. No borrowing. I don't understand your position on the loan. I know that you are pro Costco, and I respect that. But not concerned about a subsidy of this size to Multi- Billion Dollar Company.

Are you a member of one of the Chamber Committees?

JJ, I clearly said I am most concerned about the loans. I'm not pro Costco; haven't been there in years.

Kathleen
I thought you said "not concerned about the loans." I'm glad that I re-read your blog! You "are most concerned about the loans"!
Me too. Please disregard my statement about pro- Costco and questioning your possible position on a Chamber Committee. I highly doubt anyone on a Chamber Committee would be concerned about the loans. For the Chamber, it is seems to be growth at all costs.

You have my respect for being concerned about the subsidies and loans to Costco. We all should be!

I have to laugh...
JJ gets 12 "likes" for a post complaining about another post that he clearly did not read accurately and has to apologize for later...
8 more likes for the retraction!
JJ for Mayor!
Hell... JJ for President!!!

I "liked" JJ because he said:

"You have my respect for being concerned about the subsidies and loans to Costco. We all should be!"

I like this statement! ..,. Subsidies to Costco: NO WAY!

The Chamber And its Committees will not like this statement; the City leaders who are influenced by the Chamber will not like this statement; Costco will not like this statement; Nearon, the developer, will not like this statement.

In addition to the Chamber, the Rotary, PPIE, PTA, and all the other alledged do-gooders are suspect special interest groups too.

Pleasanton Citizens for Resposible Growth...interesting! A (new?) coalition requesting documents regarding Costco. I wonder if this will include meetings with the Chamber of Commerce?

If so, we may soon know the answer: WHO RUNS PLEASANTON?

It may also answer why the City leaders, including Mayor Thorne, have been ignoring the citizens who have written emails, who have attended the few meetings that were scheduled, and who have spoken against Costco. Ignored requests for transparency in negotiations with Costco.

I just read that Mayor Thorne's Campaign Manager signed the ballot argument. Are you kidding? After revealing a conflict in interest with Costco stock ownership on July 19, his campaign manager signs the ballot argument in favor of Costco on August 18.

Wow! Is this bold or what? Is he just saying, I don't care about the laws; the FPPC. ....I will do what I want!!

That "conflict of interest" sounds pretty small to me. Looked like a small holding in a fairly broad portfolio that he may well not even have known about.

As someone who moved to Pleasanton 12 years ago not because it was some kind of quaint little town or something, but because it was closer to work and finally big enough to be worth living in, I welcome Costco to Pleasanton.

BobB,
The FPPC rules are the same; large or small. Mayor Thorne knew the rules. It was not until he was about to be called out, that he admitted the conflict.

I shop at Costco too- but would rather drive 8 miles. (6 miles in my case); not have the borrowing; not use our reserve fund; have diversified retail on a Johnson Drive instead of a Big- Box.

I respect your opinion, if you want Costco on Johnson Drive.

[Removed because it is a duplicated from another thread]

Gina,
Thanks for re opening this thread. My comment which was deleted yesterday questioned who made the decision on Julie's filing?? I know Karen Diaz. She has always been extremely helpful. Unless directed otherwise, I think she would have assisted Julie, and avoided this mess.

Could she have been told, "give no help"? If so, it begs my question : WHO RUNS PLEASANTON. Who makes these decisions.

As others have stated, we need competition for elected offices.

res1's explanation on 8/19 at 12:28 is the best explanation that I have seen.

An excellent blog by "Georgia Native" in the counter article "Who Runs Pleasanton Simplified".

Please read this. We need knowledge. Or, Pleasanton will continue to be run by special interests who want growth, and try to justify more growth to pay for the growth (and pensions) which they already approved. It will only stop, if we stop it!

Follow the money!

Flightops agrees with "Georgia native". Love the comments under Who Runs Pleasanton Simplified. "Living here over 40 years and have never seen such a screwed up mess!!" ..."we might as well annex to Dublin..."

I couldn't agree more, and admire the succinctness.
What have we allowed to happen? I have been told that the Chamber took over around 2006. Pleasanton changed from "planned progress" to "money rules". Have I asked before, how many projects have been declined since then?

Considering the subject of this thread and many comments, how fitting that the first City candidate forum for the November elections is being held by the Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Bay East Association of Realtors public affairs director.

Considering the recent approval of 3 story homes downtown, the demolition of an 1895 home, ripping out a heritage oak in addition to growth, growth, growth- and the $11 million subsidies offered to attract Costco-- I somehow find this very fitting.

I wonder which candidates are favored by the Chamber of Commerce and the realtors?

Could it be Jerry, Jerry and Herb?