Yup – I’m at it again. So far, I’ve only filed 5 lobbying complaints, all of them related to TIF applications or anticipated applications. In all cases, the parties aren’t even registered and so haven’t submitted expense reports.
Our current ordinances are so full of holes for people to slip through, its really hard to even file a complaint. However, when it comes to TIF, the ordinance is very, very clear.
MGO 2.40 (3)(k) Provided that the City gives notice of the registration and reporting requirements under this Sec.2.40 to the person seeking City assistance or approval, the exemptions in Sub. (i)1. and 2. are not available with respect to any lobbying activities or expenditures incurred:
1. In seeking direct cash assistance from the City in the form of a loan, grant, TIF funding, or similar assistance (not including for this purpose the provision of goods or services directly to the City or a City agency) in an amount greater than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in a calendar year;
Because these are folks that are seeking money from the City of Madison and the new Economic Development Director wants to just give TIF away without having any criteria – in fact, thinks of TIF as playing poker with the taxpayer’s money – I feel it is even more crucial than ever that we get to know what is going on. What I’ve noticed lately, is that these folks asking for money don’t ever show up to any committee meetings. But clearly, they must be having communications with someone as they go through the application process. However, there is no reporting of that.
So, who are the lucky 5? What poor defenseless people am I picking on now?
– Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer
(Mediafire download Complaint, Application – Google Doc Complaint, TIF Application)
– Danisco
(Mediafire download Complaint, TIF Application – Google Doc Complaint, TIF Application)
– Orbitec
(Mediafire download Complaint, TIF Application – Google Doc Complaint, TIF Application)
– Marcus Hotels & Resorts
(Mediafire download Complaint, TIF Application not filed yet according to TIF Coordinator Gromacki – Google Doc Complaint, TIF Application not yet filed.)
– Pelliteri
(Mediafire download Complaint, TIF Application – Google Doc Complaint, TIF Application)
(Please let me know if you can’t get to these documents – I know City Staff was having trouble with the mediafire files, so I did Googledocs as well.)
If these folks are sophisticated enough to make it through a TIF application, they should be sophisticated enough to figure out how to register their lobbyists and fill out the expense statements.
My great fear here is that perhaps the city staff are not doing this:
Provided that the City gives notice of the registration and reporting requirements under this Sec.2.40
If so, I’m beyond pissed. And you should be too.
My other fear is that the City Attorney will summarily dismiss the complaints for lack of information. However, I did use the format of the form he created and if it isn’t enough information, he needs to amend his own form to tell us what he needs to not dismiss the case.
The other loophole I see they might use is that for Orbitec, the money went to Madison Development Corporation, due to some scheme cooked up by staff that isn’t entirely clear as they don’t know what will happen in a few years. But clearly, they didn’t just think up that scheme without talking to representatives of Orbitec. And Madison Development Corporation wasn’t registered either, and I suppose they might use the loophole of “staff asked us”.
I filed these on Thursday and I haven’t heard anything from the City Attorney beyond the fact that he received them. Tho, their practice in the past was not to notify me of the results of the complaints, I got to read it in the paper with everyone else. So I’m not sure I will hear anything.
Finally, for those of you wondering, yes, there will be more complaints, but probably not more than 20. Just the biggest projects and most obnoxious scofflaws. I could file hundreds of complaints if I wanted to, but if I overwhelm the City Attorney’s Office they won’t look into the complaints and just dismiss them. And yes, I should have Edgewater done by tonight – that complaint was complicated as I personally have extensive information to provide.
