Letter: PAC spends $60,000 on Collins, Laine
To the community,
[On Oct. 28] I attended the LTCC and South Tahoe (California) Chamber’s candidate forum. This forum is designed to allow one-on-one exchanges between members of the public and the candidates.
Bruce Grego
I learned a few things from this forum. Brooke Laine openly declared that she sought the endorsement of the Nevada-based chamber, but was unaware that she would be slated with Jason Collin. She claimed to have protested to the chamber’s political action committee (PAC) that she is not running with Jason Collin, but they told her that they can do what they want and she can’t stop them. Jason, on the other hand, seems to welcome all the money that the PAC is pouring into his campaign.
The PAC that is supporting these candidates is the political action committee of the Nevada-based chamber. The PAC that is trying to hijack this election for Jason and Brooke has spent nearly $60,000 based upon the most recent financial disclosures. From the information I obtained at the forum, most of the other eight candidates will spend less than $2,000.
Jason also disclosed that “around $20,000” has been spent to file and pursue the lawsuit against the loop road Measure T. Jason sought to prevent this measure from being placed on the ballot and undermine the will of the people; a judge ruled against him. Jason refused to say whether he will continue to litigate this suit after the election, and refused to disclose the individuals and/or groups that paid for his lawsuit against the South Lake Tahoe voters concerning Measure T.
How can we vote for candidates that are willing to be supported by a PAC or too naïve to understand the impact of such support?
We need to elect independent candidates who will vote their conscience on behalf of the citizens of South Lake Tahoe. Equally important, we need elected officials that appreciate the full consequences of their decision-making upon our community so we can avoid such decisions that lead to Project 3, the “hole”.
Let’s not allow powerful well-funded PACs to take over our city. Vote for independent candidates and vote yes on Measure T.
Bruce Grego, South Lake Tahoe
Publisher’s note: Below is financial documentation provided by the letter writer:
Document 1, Document 2, Document 3, Document 4, Document 5, Document 6, Document 7, Document 8, Document 9, Document 10, Document 11 and Document 12.
The STATELINE situation just keeps getting better…N0t.
Dear Kae,
I stated in my article above that $60,000 was spent by the PAC and I based that on the information I had at the time. However, yesterday afternoon I obtained the full recipient committee campaign statement of the Tahoe Chamber Independent Expenditure Committee.
According to the statement, expenditures made to date to are $34,509.58 and outstanding debts total $24,010.30.
The earlier documentation Form 496 showed $13,651.14 as cumulative expenditures in three different separate categories for Jason Collin and Brooke Laine, each. I viewed this as $13,651 x 6 in total expenditures. Why there is an inconsistency regarding form 496 as opposed to 460 I cannot explain.
However, whether the actual dollar amount is what I stated originally or a sum less than, it is still a substantial sum and the point of my letter has not changed.
We should not allow well funded PACs to take over our city.
If anyone wants a copy of form 460 or form 496 for this PAC you can call Kim at El Dorado County Elections at 530-621-7490. Or if you call my office at 544-7575, you can stop by and pick up a hard copy.
This information, on forms 460 and 496 are very difficult to obtain let alone interpret. The way some report or don’t report (Jason Collin) makes it smell. Thanks Bruce.
That Brook Laine protested this at least gives her some credibility. I am sorry to say that the same can not be said for Mr Collins. For the Nevada Chamber it seems a cheap deal. Invest money to get the loop road paid for by California to benefit Nevada businesses (likely at the expense of California Businesses and certainly, at the expense of tax payers).
Why is it that Nevada is allowed to pay into a California election? Why is it that special interests can sue to stop tax payers from voting on how their monies are spent and how their town is managed? I know, it is naive to think this hasn’t always been the case. The good news is that we the voters have a choice in this…
A vote for Mr Collins is plainly a vote for Nevada special interests. Remember this when you vote your conscience. Remember that his argument in his suit is that voters are not informed enough to make these decisions. This election is your opportunity to remind him of how informed you are.
On a side note, I hope the Collins family is healing after their accident. I wish them good health but sadly can not give them my vote.
Mr. Grego is against well funded candidates unless they would be supporting him. Mr Grego had no problem taking contributions from business when he needed for his election.
A little sanctimonious.
The way the ads for Brook Laine and Jason Collin are presented is DECEPTIVE.
The ads are presented as if the two candidates are in fact running ‘together’.
They are separate candidates and people should know that clearly.
It is unfortunate that there is a group of people in the SLT community who state that they’re the only individuals who REALLY care about SLT and its local businesses and residents. They constantly make accusations that SLT and its businesses are being victimized by anyone who is not in lock-step agreement with them and they submit that “if you’re not with us then you’re against us”. Being against them also means that you must be against any type of success for SLT and for SLT’s businesses and the only way to really prove that you care about SLT is to agree with them 100-percent and do whatever it is they tell you to do.
When someone has said or done something that they haven’t liked they’ve have no problem stating in a public meeting that that person will have consequences to pay for their actions; they’ve conveniently overlooked when one of their own evicts two long-time established local businesses that were run by local residents so they can make improvements to their storefront property, increase the value of their asset, and make things better for themselves [which is wholly within that owners right to do]; they think it’s acceptable for one of their own like-minded cohorts to run for City Council when that person is married to the President of a Chamber of Commerce thus enabling that Chamber’s influence over the City; or to go before the City Council and tell them that the City should change certain sign policies since that would be to the benefit of that person’s business. These people say that their objection to the Loop Road [and to certain candidates running for City Council] is because SLT small businesses would be displaced, it would displace low-income residents, and that the state of Nevada is manipulating everything to control and destroy SLT, CA. [The current plan would displace 4-businesses and they would receive relocation assistance, and the affordable housing component calls for construction of new, affordable housing prior to construction of the realignment of Highway 50, and those people would also receive relocation assistance].
I don’t believe that this huge concern that these people say they have for others who are less fortunate than themselves is the authentic driving force in their mission. I suspect that it will be at least a few years before the real reasons becomes evident, at which time the actual purpose for their hypocrisy should be clarified.
Nov 8th…this is N0t a rehersal. The S*** is going to hit the fan
4 mer, The group of people you reference are not the people that use their REAL NAMES is it?
pierini:
Yes, they do have names, but I think you know exactly to whom I’ve made reference. If you want me to specifically identify each person I will do that, but remember it is you that will be requesting for me to publicly state the names associated with those individual circumstances.
If this is leading to yet another one of your “you’re not using your real name” diatribes, get over it. When you start demanding that everyone else who posts on this site who doesn’t use their first and last names must adhere to YOUR rules, then you’ll have some credibility.
4-mer, You can name all of them, you have my ok.
Gee, thanks Lou.
John Cefalu addressed the SLT City Council regarding Jason Collin’s initiation of a lawsuit at which time he said that Mr. Collin’s was employed at Barton Hospital and that he [Mr. Cefalu] was on the Barton Hospital Board of Directors and that Mr. Collin’s would have “consequences to pay” for his actions; John Cefalu and Mike McKean purchased a storefront investment property on Harrison Avenue and then evicted the two long-time businesses of Rude Brothers Bagels and Stand-Up Paddle [both owned by local individuals] so they [he and Mr. McKean] could make improvements to their investment which would be to their personal financial benefit [that’s one-half the number of businesses that will be displaced by the Loop Road project, those Loop Road project displaced businesses will receive relocation assistance, and like I said before, what Cefalu and McKean did is wholly within an owners right toward furthering their own personal financial gain]; Duane Wallace is the President of a Chamber of Commerce, his wife is running for City Council [and I suspect is the candidate which that Chamber endorses], and were she to be elected that would enable his Chamber to have influence over City business which is the same influential misconduct of which the TahoeChamber.org is being accused; and you went before the City Council and requested that they change their sign ordinance because that would provide a business benefit to your pawn shop.
I do not believe the authenticity of the huge concerns that you, Mr. Grego, or your other vocal leader cohorts in opposition to the Loop Road project are claiming for the least fortunate in our community, or that you are all so worried about the poor being displaced along with four businesses. There is something else driving this and the real reasons won’t be recognized for years.
I don’t buy your invented altruism for the poor and needy that’s being used as a way to influence the public.
Mr 4 mer, That’s all you have? Really?
pierini:
It’s enough to show a bullying, self-serving mindset by people who talk out of both sides of their mouths. That’s called being Janus faced.
Scott Ramirez, thanks for your insight about Brooke Laine. I have known her for about 30 years and have always found her to be independent and tireless in working toward what she believes are the best interests of our community.