Category:

CYNICAL, SELF-SERVING ATTEMPT TO MISLEAD

6/1/2014

The headline here is a quote from US Representative Jared Huffman talking about ERIN CARLSTROM and NICK CASTON's mailer.

Erin Carlstrom, a new city councilperson in Santa Rosa, spent a couple of months trying to figure out how she could move up in politics--she toyed with the idea of State Senate, then County Supervisor, and then settled on State Assembly. She's working with her husband, Nick Caston, (see posts about Accountable Development Coalition and Michael Allen, his cohort, for info on him) to position herself to slurp from the crony trough. Caston is a new boy on the block, a political consultant who cut his fangs on a few projects (Keep Napa Napa) and showed that he could draw blood.

Now Caston and Carlstrom have cooked up a project to enrich themselves by stylin' as 'protectors of the coast' and putting out a political mailer 'Vote The Coast'. Caston solicits political candidates to pay him to put them on the mailer. Carlstrom is on the mailer, of course, and paid her husband to be on it. So did Gary Wysocky---another wannabe crony.

Here's what the Marin Independent Journal's Dick Spotswood had to say about this yesterday:

Marin IJ: EXCERPT
Spotswood: County campaigns obscure candidates' plans
By Dick Spotswood

Posted: 05/31/2014 07:39:24 PM

Erin Carlstrom, the Santa Rosa councilwoman running as a Democrat in the Marin-Southern Sonoma 10th Assembly District, was just "endorsed" by "Vote the Coast."
In a widely-distributed ad, "Vote The Coast" appears as a warm and fuzzy sounding environmental organization. That could be a big deal in the green-friendly 10th District.
In reality, the original Vote the Coast organization is long defunct. Carlstrom, acting as the attorney, formed a new corporation called Tidal Voice Inc. It then trademarked the abandoned "Vote the Coast" name. In short, Carlstrom endorsed herself.
The stunt didn't impress Rep. Jared Huffman, a long-time environmentalist and supporter of Assemblyman Marc Levine. The San Rafael Democrat described Carlstrom's "Vote the Coast" advertising as "one of the most cynical, self-serving and shallow attempts to mislead voters that I've ever seen."

This may be one “endorsement” that backfires on the recipient.

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_25868585/spotswood-county-campaigns-obscure-candidates-plans
__________________________________
ENDORSEMENT: MARC LEVINE

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ENDORSEMENT: SUNDSTROM

5/6/2014

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Anyone who is paying attention to local politics knows that Gary Wysocky is bad news. He's known as a bully, manipulative, and is unqualified for the Tax Collector/Treasurer/Controller position he is running for.

How did Wysocky get to be 'president of the Junior College Neighborhood Association'? He bullied the elected president, Kay Tokerud, and hounded her out by gathering a group of minions to take over the board. Then they appointed him to her position. Right after that he ran for Council as 'Your Neighborhood President.'

What does he say qualifies him to be Tax Collector/Treasurer/Controller for Sonoma County? He's a CPA, big deal. He's been 'running' for the Tax Collector position the entire time he's been on the Santa Rosa Council, beginning most of his comments with 'I'm a CPA'. He says the county needs a 'fresh pair of eyes'. Having two eyeballs doesn't qualify you to run the county.

He says he's a watchdog but he's more like a lapdog. He appointed Michael Allen to the Planning Commission---Allen went on to be fined for a serious conflict of interest violation and Wysocky continued to endorse him.

What else? The position was vacated by Rod Dole (who went to run the Ygrene private venture that he'd been pushing as an elected official---cozy) and the county took applications for an interim appointment. Wysocky applied but was rejected as being unqualified. He didn't even get an interview he was so unqualified.

Who was considered qualified out of a wide field of head-hunted financial officers, auditors, fund managers, CPAs, from all over the nation? David Sundstrom.

Sundstrom is highly qualified, is doing the job admirably well, is liked by staff, is fearless in looking into county issues, is not a crony---this is who we want in the Tax Collector/Treasurer/Controller position.
We endorse
DAVID SUNDSTROM for Auditor /Controller/ Treasurer/ Tax Collector

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Exposing Michael Allen--video

11/14/2013

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This video exposing former Assemblyman Michael Allen was created by a campaign manager for his opponent, Marc Levine. Based on our reporting of Michael Allen to the Fair Political Practices Commission for corruption, he was unseated after just one term in office. There is some justice after all...

Take a look:
http://vimeo.com/73723263

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THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

11/28/2012

1 Comment

It looks like Michael Allen has lost. While we can regret that he was ever elected to the State Assembly in the first place, we can rejoice that voters recognized his sleazy behavior and rewarded him by giving him the boot. Perhaps it took Marin County voters to recognize that a man who threatens his opponent and takes money to vote shouldn't be (re) elected.

That was the good.

The bad is that Erin Carlstrom and Julie Combs were elected to Santa Rosa City Council. Erin will undoubtedly show her self-serving dog-eat-dog ladder-climbing colors when tested. Julie, who has anger management issues teetering in balance with toadying supplication, will demonstrate her community skills early. And Gary Wysocky, who was the target of someone calling themselves the 'Anyone But Wysocky' PAC was barely re-elected.

Because Susan Gorin moved into a supervisory seat her position on the City Council is now open and it's unclear who will fill it. So it's 3 to 3 on the council now with the so-called Business Friendly faction pitted against the Progressives. The next closest vote-getter, Don Taylor, restauranteur, is not the shoo-in, though one would expect that the next highest vote-getter would be. Not in this town though. The progressives want the majority and they'll bloody faces to get it. They'll ride their bikes over anyone who gets in their way. Even if Erin, who pretended to be a cross-over candidate so that she could latch onto voters who wouldn't have chosen her, even if she swings with the Biz Friendly she'll be sharpening her teeth on someone. Did someone make a contribution to her war chest? Was it Herb Williams perhaps?

People who are just out for money and power are much easier to deal with than those with an ideology. They can be bought. Maybe that's what we'll see with this new council. As a friend's father said when he saw the writing on the wall "Enjoy the ride."

Oh, and the Ugly? Having to see Gary Wysocky as Mayor if the Progressives get the majority.

1 Comment

Got Gas?

6/3/2012

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Take a look at the Climate Action Plan about to be passed by the Santa Rosa City Council on Tuesday, June 5.

We dare you.

One thing you'll find is that you'll be 'incentivized' to get rid of your gas appliances and 'switch' to electric. Here's what Kay Tokerud had to say about it in the Santa Rosa PD blog:
I read through Santa Rosa’s Climate Action Plan that goes before the city council at their next meeting. What jumped out at me was a recommendation and/or mandate that all gas appliances be changed to electrical appliances. That would include cook stoves, furnaces, dryers and water heaters. This one piece of their plan could run households or businesses thousands of dollars to make this change including the necessary electrical service changes which would be required whenever anything electrical is added to an existing system. This could easily add up to over ten thousand dollars.
This plan has Electrical Unions written all over it. Electricians would get a lot of work. Only in Sonoma County/Santa Rosa would the government try to force people to do very expensive changes to switch to a much more costly fuel to power their homes. Michael Allen received the maximum amount allowable from every electrical union in California in his last race for Assembly. This requirement has Michael Allen written all over it. He ought to make this a campaign disclosure now that he's running again... he should keep running over the state line.

And to top things off, this recommendation is coming at the same time that Sonoma County wants to set up their own green power company. Natural gas is very plentiful, cheap and clean burning. It’s unbelievable the amount of contempt that our elected officials appear to have for their constituents when they would try to make us switch to a much more expensive power source for our homes and businesses.

Michael Allen has been lobbying for mandates for a few years now, first it was mandatory inspections and retrofits for Santa Rosa (our group successfully pushed back on this), then he was involved in another bill, SB730 when he worked for State Senator Pat Wiggins that failed that would have essentially forced every building owner to put in solar hot water, and now he’s very likely involved in this climate action plan in some way.

Michael Allen is a union rep and will represent his unions over the general public every time. Maybe it’s time to investigate his activities again. The last time he ended up paying a fine to the Fair Political Practices Commission for serious conflicts of interest. Why would anyone want to vote for him? Will you?

VOICE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE Climate Action Plan -- GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. TUESDAY JUNE 5. 4 PM. BE THERE. SPEAK OUT.

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Change Agents in Santa Rosa

12/9/2011

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According to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Michael Allen recently assaulted an opponent, Marc Levine. They're both running for 10th District Assembly. Michael Allen is the incumbent in the 7th District but redistricting removed him from his district, so he shopped around for one he thought he might win and picked the 10th. Marc Levine is a San Rafael Councilperson. He made a comment at a Democratic meeting (they're both Democrats) that he has lived in his district for a long time. Michael Allen, according to the PD, 'stormed out' of the meeting. But he came back. Later he grabbed Levine by the elbow, hard, and told Levine that if he ever said anything like that again, Allen would 'kick his ass.'

Ok, what a story, right? The headline could read "Michael Allen Shows True Colors." On Watch Sonoma County, the PD's online comment site, I commented about this. And Michael Allen's attack dog came out after me. And referred readers to a nasty piece of yellow journalism that the PD did on me when i reported Michael Allen to the FPPC last year for a conflict of interest.

I looked back at the link, just for nostalgia's sake, and read the comments that attacked me and my partner, Kay. As I read the viciousness I marvelled that so many people were willing to be lapdogs and operatives. So many obedient toadies were willing to attack me---why?

Did they get appointed to the Community Advisory Board or another commission? Did they get a few bucks via a small contract? Did they just get flattered about how important they are to the 'community?' They've gone to their trainings.

It's so easy to be a good german. How far will they go? Do they know themselves? Maybe they'll threaten to kick someone's ass. Maybe they'll do it.

We won't make it easy for them. Have they forgotten? This is America.

1 Comment

A few good men...

2/18/2011

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From the Watch Sonoma County website comments on Michael Allen:

Villager with Pitchfork
February 17, 2011 at 6:04 pm
The bottom line is that the entire thing was a farce from beginning to end.
Sonoma County Water Agency ‘hired’ Allen to do a job that:
1) Did not need to be done since the City was planning to rezone that site anyway
2) Allen had absolutely NO experience in doing
3) Was a totally ridiculous exercise in sky-gazing since the building is not adaptable for residential uses. It’s an office building.

WHY? Why did SCWA pay Michael Allen $95,000 and try to get another contract through the Supes for ANOTHER $75,000?

That FPPC filing and investigation was not only on Michael Allen. Both Randy Poole and Mike Thompson of SCWA were named as well. What happened to the investigation on Poole and Thompson?

Were they funneling money to Michael Allen for his campaigns? He was running for city council and for Assembly during the term of the contracts.

Why did they want Michael Allen in office? Was it because the SCWA wanted to be the lead agency in the solar water heater legislation proposed by Sen. Wiggins while she was ill with dementia and Michael Allen and Sean McNeil were playing in her office?

SCWA was going to make a lot of money on SB 730. Proposed by alzheimer-ridden Pat but probably written by Mike and Sean, it named SCWA as the lead agency. It was going to make it MANDATORY for every home in Sonoma County to have a solar water heater. How much money would SCWA have made on that? Would Poole and Thompson have benefited financially? Professionally?

Senate Bill 730 was pulled on the day that Michael Allen was reported to the FPPC.

Don’t believe it? it’s all true.
Go to http://www.SantaRosaNeighborhoodCoalition.com for details.

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MICHAEL ALLEN FOUND GUILTY BY FPPC

2/2/2011

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The Fair Political Practices Commission has found Michael Allen guilty of conflict of interest charges and is in the process of fining him. He is guilty of lobbying the City of Santa Rosa for land use changes to a parcel owned by SCWA. His campaign slogan of 'Our Values Our Voice' is a farce, as is his appointment to the Assembly Ethics Committee.

Those who thought we had some sort of vendetta against Michael Allen should ask themselves now why they would defend someone who is guilty of vote selling and secret lobbying. The FPPC doesn't investigate, find guilty, and fine innocent politicians.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON MICHAEL ALLEN.

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What are your values, and who will be your voice?

10/16/2010

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Michael Allen is running for 7th District Assembly with the slogan: Our Values, Our Voice. Really? What are our values?

Let's put it together here. What has Michael Allen been investigated for, and why is he under investigation now?

We have documented proof, his own contracts and invoices, showing that he was paid to influence the City of Santa Rosa while he sat on the City Planning Commission. This is a violation of the law of ethics and a serious conflict of interest as written in the State of California's codes. Take a look: Generally, a public official must not contact staff of his or her agency for the purpose of influencing a decision in which he or she has a financial interest, including contacts on behalf of a business entity, client or customer. (Regulation 18702.3(a); Rumansoff Advice Letter, No. I-94-045; Holbert Advice Letter, No. I-90-080.)

Unfortunately it takes the FPPC about two years to complete their investigations. By the time they have completed their investigation Michael Allen may be your assembly person. Will you elect Michael Allen to represent you in a position of trust?

But there is more.

While he was working for the SCWA and paid to influence the city of Santa Rosa, he was also employed by the State of California as Sen. Pat Wiggins' District Director, a job that pays about $60,000 a year. His own invoices for the time he was under contract to SCWA show that he was working for SCWA during the week, during working hours, and presumably, during the same time that he was charging time to you and me, the taxpayers, while he was employed by Pat Wiggins. Your values?

But there is more.

The Sonoma County Grand Jury has investigated Michael Allen (and Nick Caston's) behavior on the city of Santa Rosa Planning Commission. At the time that the Lowe's project came to the Planning Commission for approvals Allen and Caston were chair and vice-chair of the Accountable Development Coalition, a group Allen started to use as a pressure group for developers who wanted to get their projects approved or block other projects from being approved. Allen and Caston said that they had no bias against the Lowe's project but they were lobbied by their own group at the Planning Commission meeting and voted against Lowe's, as their group had demanded.

(Note: The Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition has no interest whatsoever in the Lowe's project.)

What did the Grand Jury say? That there were serious ethical problems on the Planning Commission, and Allen and Caston should have recused themselves from voting on the Lowe's proposal.

YOUR VALUES? YOUR VOICE? Someone commented recently that we seem to be abnormally interested in Michael Allen. That we appear to have a vendetta out against him. We don't. We don't know him, and have never met him. If he didn't want the attention he shouldn't have done the deed. What is more important than being able to trust your politicians? If you KNOW that they are corrupt why would you vote for them?

We've also heard from people who were actually angry with us for not letting them know about Michael Allen sooner. We have done everything we can to let the public know about this investigation by the FPPC, and the Grand Jury investigation information was sent out as an insert in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. The reports were in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, the Napa Valley Register and other papers. Michael Allen has been very quiet about it. Will you be?

YOUR VALUES? YOUR VOICE? This November 2 some of us will be voting for a Republican for the first time since we registered to vote (Democrat) at age 18. Doris Gentry for Assembly.

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Thank you for your attendance at last night's Candidates Forum

9/17/2010

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We held a forum last night for Santa Rosa voters to meet the 'other' candidates for 7th District Assembly since Michael Allen, the Democratic candidate, has been reported to the FPPC for alleged conflict of interest violations. Doris Gentry, Republican, and Kathryn Moore, Libertarian, answered questions from the moderator, Rosa Koire, SRNC, and the audience. All came away favorably impressed by the knowledge and commitment of the candidates.

We have had over 25,000 visits to this website in the eight months it's been up, and appreciate your comments and requests for information. The SRNC is committed to grassroots activism and providing assistance to you in having your voice heard on issues important to you.

Thank you.

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CYNICAL, SELF-SERVING ATTEMPT TO MISLEAD

ENDORSEMENT: SUNDSTROM

Exposing Michael Allen--video

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Got Gas?

Change Agents in Santa Rosa

A few good men...

MICHAEL ALLEN FOUND GUILTY BY FPPC

What are your values, and who will be your voice?

Thank you for your attendance at last night's Candidates Forum

Eyes on Santa Rosa

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