City Council Candidate Campaign Disclosure

The Press Enterprise is running an article that discloses some of the donations that city council candidates have received... http://www.pe....

The Press Enterprise is running an article that discloses some of the donations that city council candidates have received...

http://www.pe.com/..../PE_News_Local_S_scandidates23.41ec7c0.html

Here are some quotes on the candidates mentioned...

The top fundraiser has been Darcy Kuenzi who gathered $35,582 in campaign contributions as of May 22, according to records from the Riverside County registrar of voters.
Jerry Stamper, who owns Rancho Plaza Realty Inc., a residential property management company, reported taking a $6,476 loan and getting $7,250 in contributions.
John Denver, a Realtor, reported taking out a $2,000 loan and receiving $4,453 in donations. Denver's largest contributor was $1,000 from a Santa Ana developer.
Darci Castillejos, who owns and operates the French Valley Café, reported getting $325 -- $100 from her own business and donations less than $100 each that totaled $225. She also took out an $850 loan.
Wallace Edgerton, the only candidate to have previously served on a City Council -- Long Beach in his case -- said he did not feel the pressure to raise campaign dollars like he did when running for council in the much bigger city of Long Beach. Edgerton borrowed $600 for his current Menifee campaign.
The PE article goes on to give more details.

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  1. INTERESTING...but not surprising on some of the candidates. Stamper 'takes a loan'...from whom??...why didn't it say 'took out a loan' like it did for another candidate...anyone could 'take' a 'loan' from anyone. AGAIN, as suspected conflict of interest since he is president of the Menifee Lakes Master Assn and Avalon is the contracted management agency for MLMA; how much better could Avalon have it for promoting itself in the association mgmt business than buying its future in the area. Any candidate accepting any kind of favor from a contractor who works for him and depends on his keeping said contractor is breaking the law of integrity and in that contractor's pocket. Did the 'loan' he 'took' come from another contractor who works for MLMA??? Wake up people in Menifee Lakes and ask questions - we're a large voting community and every contractor in the area knows it !!

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  2. Let me see if I get it: #1: Jerry Stamper is president of the Menifee Lakes Homeowners Association. #2: Avalon, his contributor, is the hired contractor who is paid to manage the association of Menifee Lakes Homeowners, presidented by Stamper. #3: Avalon dishes out big dollars to elect their man, whom they rely on for renewal of their contract with the association. whew...sure sounds like a conflict of interest here. Jerry Stamper's livlihood is 'property management' (rentals and real estate). Do we want someone who obviously is ready to be bought by someone who is looking to further their business of homeowner management in our little area? Now I'm really confused....is the other contractor, the lake manager, who in actuality is paid by Menifee Lakes homeowners as Avalon is, (yet also under the ruled board of JS) have JS in its pockets??? JS apparently has heard that historically the one with the most advertising buys his way in. Exhorbitant advertising and flooding the area with their name and face does NOT speak experience and good values of interest for the community, it just reeks of who is willing to fork out the moolah to buy a candidate. A thought just hit me; it just worked out this way: THREE strikes (noted above) should strike him out!!

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  3. Darcy Kuenzi really IS a developer's candidate! Well, Darcy Kuenzi, Jerry Stamper and John Denver have been permanently scratched from my list.

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  4. Send a statement to the developers that Menifee is owned and operated by the residents. Vote against anyone whose war chest comes from DEVELOPERS or special interest. And send a message to the Chamber of Commerce that business interests are 2nd to the interests of the community.

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  5. that's all well said, BUT how do you accomplish all this; i.e. sending messages to the developers, etc after their tokens gets elected?? Its almost June 3and not much time left to counter the in-pocket candidates....help !

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  6. I just appreciate Steve for his upfront, not-out-to-impress site which affords the public to have an input into whats going on around here. Its the only place I know of that honestly lets us deal with our thoughts and gets the word out. THANK YOU MENIFEE 247!!

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  7. Rancon, I'm sure has more people in their pockets than we can imagine. I don't agree that Menifee is owned and operated by the residents. Its appearing more and more that Menifee is owned by the banks and realtors on homes in default ! One of the most visible voter-sects in the area is Menifee Lakes. Lets not forget that Mr. Stamper jumped on the wagon with Jim Roach and Rick Savard to get on the Menifee Lakes Master Assn board, again with posters flooding the area and profane, vile mudslinging that would put a mudwrestler to shame. Only to then appoint THEMSELVES as President Stamper, Vice President Roach and CFO Savard. Roach lives off 15+ rentals he owns in Sun City, Savard touts himself as a 'mortgage finder'....NOW does that shout 'takeover'of a board or what? One of their FIRST actions was to cancel all security for the Menifee Lakes Homeowners EXCEPT for around the lake, their pride and joy; using the excuse that the association does not have to have a security for the homeowners. Yes, once again, publicity and recognition of seeing a name everywhere is liable to get the vote of the unforewarned. Jerry Stamper is not for the people...he's a seasoned user who is out to be used for a price.

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  8. Well now rationalize it out: They had to keep security for the lake to keep out ALL other residents in the area from taking a stroll around their precious lake. Is that community minded enough for you? That lake is open to a public Newport road, looks inviting, yet don't you public people step foot inside it ! If that's the way they feel about that lake, let them fence it off so as not to mislead Joe Q'Public to think he could sit by it!! There are 1853 homes in menifee lakes, yet that's their way of saying to heck with protecting the area, let us protect the lake. Again, so much for community minded candidates.

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  9. The more I read the more I like Wallace Edgerton. How can I find out what other candidates he supports. He seems like a smart guy and I would value his opinion.

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  10. If Wallace Edgerton is hiding something as trivial as his age, what else is he willing to hide?

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  11. Well, at least I am not the only one who sees Mr. Stamper for who, or rather what he is.

    For Avalon Management to give Mr. Stamper a $5000 donation, larger even that Ms. Kuenzi's largest donor, knowing that their contract for Association Management at Menifee Lakes is up for renewal/ reconsideration in the next couple months is a blatant transgression of the basics of integrity.

    Mr. Stamper is the President of the Board that will make the determination about that contract. Concern over the very appearance of wrong doing should have precluded Mr. Stamper from taking that donation.

    Board members are NOT to benefit personally in any manner, let alone financially, from any contract with any vendor while they are members of the Board. Mr. Stamper and Avalon each know this.

    It appears to even the most uneducated to be a bribe plain and simple. Now I am not accusing, only observing.

    I would venture to say that if it was Jim Roach or Richard Savard that was running, either would receive the same donation from Avalon.

    And if Jerry Stamper was just a free spirit running for City Council, Avalon would care less; certainly not enought to donate $5K.
    At least this is what it appears like.

    No one could possibly be brazen or ignorant enough to assert that Mr. Stamper is not "benefitting personally" from his relationship (Professional and Contractual) with Avalon.

    Someone should report them both to CAI and to the Atty General for at the very least "campaign irregularities".

    As for who the other contributors, or "lenders" might be.... one can only speculate. There are certainly other vendors who would benefit from Stamper's support as the Board President. Certainly the lake manager (Jim Durante of Water Resorces) The associations attorney (Peters and Freedman) or the landscape maintenance contractor would appreciate Stamper's support when their respective contracts come up for renewal. That does not mean that they are making donations, or loans, but until there is some clarification as to where the rest of the money came from; given the substantial donation from Avalon, someone should probably look into it.

    It does seem that cloud of suspicion surrounding the Menifee Lakes Board continues, even after the successfull recall of the Board in 2006. Perhaps another recall effort is in order?

    localgal

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  12. My fellow citizens,
    I would like to pledge the following:

    *Fresh Perspective- I do not belong to any special interest, commission, or boards. I am not beholden to any special interest, nor do I owe any special favors. I made the decision to become a candidate to represent the residents of Menifee Valley. I believe in our community and understand the kind of leaders we need should work to build on our community’s strengths, and not let personal ambition add to our community’s troubles. I have made the decision to step forward as a ‘CITIZEN LEGISLATOR’, I pledge to represent my fellow citizens by taking responsibility and not to be intimidated by accountability.

    *Responsible Growth- I believe responsible growth should encompass focus to encouragement of quality business locating to our area. Growth should not outpace available city infrastructure (sidewalks, streetlights, and good roads). Growth should not outpace available city public service (public safety departments) and they services we are able to provide. Growth should also not be unnecessarily slowed, I pledge to be proactive and work with local business owners to make Menifee a positive atmosphere for business to flourish, to bring investment to our city.

    *Integrity- I pledge to be the bearer of high ethics by holding myself to the highest moral and ethical standards. All business will be conducted with complete transparency while giving assurance to my fellow residents I will always remain accountable for my actions.

    YOUR SUPPORT FOR MY CAMPAIGN WILL BE APPRECIATED AS YOU VOTE ON JUNE 3. I WANT TO ASSURE YOU YOUR SUPPORT WILL BE WELL PLACED IN A TRULY PRINCIPLED CANDIDATE, WHO WILL REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY WITH HONOR AND PRIDE.

    ReplyDelete

Readers are invited to leave a comment to contribute to public dialogue. Comments will be reviewed by a moderator and will not be approved if they include profanity, defamatory or libelous comments, or may otherwise be considered objectionable by Menifee 24/7 editors.

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