San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales brokers illegal $11 million "back room" deal

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

San Jose mayor and advisor blasted in civil grand jury report

INQUIRY SAYS COUNCIL MEMBERS DECEIVED INTO VOTING FOR $11.25 MILLION IN PAYMENTS TO CITY GARBAGE COLLECTOR

By Aaron C. Davis and Rodney Foo

Mercury News

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/11886727.htm

San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and his budget and policy director, Joe Guerra, appear to have violated city rules -- and possibly state and federal labor laws -- by brokering an $11 million ``back room'' deal with city garbage haulers and then concealing the arrangement for nearly four years, the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury reported Monday.

The report, which sent shock waves through City Hall Monday, also alleged that Guerra attempted to build up funds to pay for the secret arrangement by orchestrating a series of rate hikes to consumers. It said both Gonzales and Guerra ``concealed and misrepresented'' facts to the city council last year to ``dupe'' them into approving the $11 million for Norcal Waste Systems, its subcontractor California Waste Solutions, and the Teamsters Union.

``These acts, in apparent violation of San Jose's City Charter, ultimately cost the City of San Jose $11.25 million,'' the report stated. ``The Grand Jury has serious concerns about the deceptive conduct of the Mayor and others.''

Gonzales and Guerra attacked the grand jury's findings, calling the report sensationalized, inflammatory and agenda-driven. ``This `investigation' demonstrates a reckless disregard for fact, a remarkable ignorance about government operations and decision-making, and a breathless bias against the City and the Office of the Mayor,'' the mayor said in a statement.

[MaryBear]

1. I lean in favor of Ron Gonzales

He's another pull em up by their bootstraps guy, with an activist Dad.