Our Emerald City 2007 municipal election is once again front-page news this morning, with Scott Schwebke reporting the final financial disclosure tallies for the mayoral and council races. To nobody's surprise, Boss Godfrey raised and spent more money on the mayoral race than all other candidates in all other Emerald City races combined. As we all know, when it comes to spending, Boss Godfrey plays second fiddle to no one. For those unfortunates who didn't find a Standard-Examiner hard-copy on their front porches this morning (as your blogmeister did,) we incorporate a few of Ace Reporter Schwebke's pertinent paragraphs as follows:
Enemies? We believe that may be a bit of an overstatement. Let's just say that almost half the voters in Emerald City apparently believed a reckless-spending authoritarian like Boss Godfrey is unfit for elective public office. That doesn't however mean any of us are enemies.OGDEN — Mayor Matthew Godfrey says he spent a record $181,948 in last month’s general election to fend off opposition to some of his controversial initiatives so he could win a third term.
“There is an old saying in politics that ‘Your friends come and go, but your enemies accumulate,’ ” he said.
“I have eight years of enemies who haven’t liked any of a number of my projects. I had to spend a lot more money to get my message out.”
Godfrey goes on to clumsily cherry-pick a few of his projects which he believes to have raised the lumpencitizens' hackles this year:
Godfrey said The Junction, an entertainment and retail development at the former Ogden City Mall site, and the Ogden River Project, which calls for the construction of businesses and residential units on 60 acres near downtown, are among his pet projects that have drawn the most criticism.Noticeably absent from Godfrey's "issues list" is of course the gondola/landgrab issue, the radioactive problem that caused a near civil war in our formerly bucolic community over the past several years. Except for fancy footwork on Boss Godfrey's part, this politically toxic issue probably would have scuttled Godfrey's re-election campaign entirely -- yet Godfrey fails to recognise it as having been a "problem" issue. We suppose however that it's OK for Boss Godfrey to ignore this pesky issue, and to continue to live in his world of self-delusion. The voters of Emerald City had the opportunity to give Godfrey a dose of true reality in November after all... and Boss Godfrey's "mushroom vision" prevailed (fair and square) by 449 votes.
Further down the article, Ace Reporter Schwebke (forever the Godfrey apologist) attempts to put Boss Godfrey's extravagant campaign war chest into context. "It's just peanuts," Schwebke suggests, compared to the massive monies frittered away by candidates Becker and Buhler in the Salt Lake City mayoral race:
However, those amounts pale when compared with the recent Salt Lake City mayoral race between Ralph Becker and Dave Buhler.Being the curious type, we went back to the official Weber County election data, did a quick calculation and determined that Boss Godfrey spent approximately $25.10 per vote, a few pennies more than the prevailing SLC mayoral candidate Becker, who reportedly spent $24.26 per vote. Godfrey's campaign spending wasn't necessarily over extravagant therefore, at least when taking into consideration the standards of our big-city neighbor down south. Nevertheless, (so long as we're keeping it all in context) we'll make the point that candidate Becker's unsuccessful opponent Buhler actually outspent Becker (per vote) -- on a relatively equal financial playing field -- whereas Godfrey outspent Van Hooser by nearly a 3 to 1 margin -- on a financial playing field that was anything but even. And we can't overlook Godfrey's own proud admission: "Godfrey said the amounts raised and spent by his campaign are the most ever by a local candidate."
Becker raised $683,201 in campaign contributions and spent $668,580; Buhler raised $489,952 and spent $485,682.
We think former Republican National Committee Chairman Richard Richards said it best at last week's WSU Government Ethics Symposium: "Money is the mother's milk of politics."
We'll also briefly mention another story appearing in this morning's Std-Ex. Ogden's only downtown independent bookstore is now calling it quits. Pat Ortega, who has owned and operated "The Bookshelf" on Washington Blvd. for 27 years, is liquidating his inventory and accepting an "offer he can't refuse" from (surprise of surprises) a Friend Of Matt Godfrey (FOM.) And the FOM in question...? None other than G-Train Wilkerson herself!!!
Soon all downtown properties will be owned by "Friends of Matt," we suspect, and our whole downtown area will be littered with nothing but cute & trendy restaurants and boutiques. But remember... if you need to buy books... we have our own Weber County Forum Bookstore in our left sidebar.
That's it for the moment. Consider this another open topic thread.
Update 12/16/07 3:25 p.m. MT: Charlie Trentleman has a touching article this morning, regarding the closure of "The Bookshelf." We incorporate here his opening graphs:
After The Bookshelf is closed, there’s going to be this moment when I stand outside, pound on the glass and yell, “Books! Books!”You can read the rest of the article here.
If you are familiar with the movie “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman does the same thing, for the same reason, at a church door. It is a last-gasp attempt to stop agonizing, gut-wrenching loss.
OK, he is calling “Elaine!”, played by actress Katharine Ross, who is, I’m pretty sure, not a book. Other than that, the parallel is complete.
I’ve been in Ogden 29 years. The Bookshelf, between 24th and 25th streets on Washington Boulevard, has been here 27.
It is something one assumes will never go away –– then Pat Ortega, the owner, gets this silly idea he can sell the building and retire.
Really, Pat, isn’t the world cruel enough?
44 comments:
Godfrey's spin is impressive. The real explanation for the escalation in fundraising/spending over the last 8 years is that he operates on the principle of quid pro quo. Those who have benefited from his decisions over the last 8 years are expected to pay up. Those who seek his help over the next 4 years are also expected to pay.
I also note that Godfrey has $80,000 left over, which will apparently be spent on future elections. Let's hope he blows it all on a quixotic run for governor. If that money stays in Ogden, either for his run for a fourth term or for his annointed successor, it'll sure discourage others from running.
The good news in the campaign spending article is that money still plays a pretty minor role in the city council races. Eccles outspent Wicks 3:1 and still lost. Petersen outspent Gochnour almost 2:1 and still lost. And Johnson outspent Aardema 14:1 but won by only 66 votes.
Good point, Dan. Money "talks" indeed, but as demonstrated in the last election, it doesn't always have "the last word."
Does anyone have a link to the candidates' final contribution/spending disclosure documents?
ogdenlover,
The disclosure documents are not online, but you can get them by going down to the city recorder's office and paying 10 cents a page. I have copies of the first two sets, but not the new ones that were just submitted last week.
Boarded up buildings all along Washington, and Sue Wilkerson pays top dollar to close a functioning business, to put in "shops". Wow, now that's a business plan.
And how long will it be before the old Wells Fargo building has a giant "available" sign, now that WF has moved across the street?
I keep hearing there is a debt crisis in this country, with banks reluctant to lend even to each other. But it appear Wilkerson at least, has no trouble finding a bank to lend her money.
It's hard to feel bad for the banks. Trouble is, in the depression of 2008-9, the money that is lost will be the bank depositors' and the taxpayers', not the bank fat cats who approved the dumb loans to over-extended, living -on-debt incompetents like Wilkerson in the first place.
Why would Wilkerson go to a bank? Is Matt angry with her?
Ogden Lover, it's simple, they go to the bank armed with a letter from the City Economic Development Dept. that states how many Millions the Administration is going to give them as tax increment or other RDA credits and borrow based on that. Get ready for the next big wave of city development debt, only FOM's with property along Washington Blvd. need apply.
As for the final reporting for the election, here's a few tidbits, I haven't had time for a thorough examination yet.
First off, Schweke gives a look into something that was discussed quite abit after the last reporting,but doesn't remind the reader about it. R&O, did give lying little matty $10,000, the $7,500 shows up on this report.
On the future benefactors watch list we can look for the following to appear with their hands out. The most obvious gadi,$10,000. Ogden City Plaza Investors,$5,000. An outfit I assume by the south state address to be in SLC, Vuegar Inc. $3,000. A Mr. Jeff Clark, $3,500.
There was 1, $10.00 contribution as well as 1 $20.00 contribution, thus reafirming that lying little matty was a candidate of the people.
Also of interest on where the money spent went, Monica, Jason and Jeanne Godfrey all recieved some cash and so did one Pat Allen.
The one most curious one that caught my eye was $800.00 paid to a Jeni Terry. Was this the terry involved in the voter challenges?
Godfrey talked quite a bit during the campaign about how one of the next big projects would be the east side of Washington. As far as I know that's not an RDA area so I wonder what the city's role is supposed to be. Does anybody know?
Bill, those are indeed some juicy tidbits. I'll be interested to see the full reports!
The other thing that should have been noted, and was not, is that campaign costs are always much much higher when TV spots are involved. No TV buy for the Ogden mayoral race, therefore, no excuse for spending that kind of money.
Mono:
Why in the world would the Mayor be interested in buying TV time when he has his own personal TV station, paid for by the taxpayers and cable subscribers?
ON the Bookshelf and Ms. Wilkerson:
I am sorry to see it go, just as I was sorry to see Cross Western Store just to the north go. But nobody put a gun to the Bookshelf's owner. He got an offer, evaluated it in light of his prospective future in the book biz, if a big box came to Ogden like Borders or Barnes and Ignoble, and made a business decision. So did Ms. Wilkerson. If she guessed wrong, she'll lose money on the deal. If she didn't she'll profit. Sorry, guys, I hold no brief for Ms. Wilkerson and her embarrassing efusions in favor of Hizzonah at Council meetings, but I'm hard put to criticize her for this matter. She made an offer, as she had every right to do. The owner could have said no. He didn't. And one more indy bookstore bites the dusts. It's happening all over the country, sad to say. Ms. Wilkerson didn't kill off The Bookshelf. Competition from Amazon.com and from the big box stores probably had more to do with it than anything else.
Republican County Commissions like to play games with our tax dollars. So they send the little old lady, which is the current County Assessor to go and jack up the entire home assessments in valley, because of most of them don’t vote republican anyway. Then the Republican Commissioners lower the tax rate, for entire people who live below the valley. Knowing that if they didn’t lower the tax rate, their ring wing wacko constituents that live below the valley, will revolt against them.
All three Republican Commissioners live below the valley and had their taxes cut also. (Rob Peter to Pay Paul)!
Then they claim they gave us a Merry Christmas!!!
Well I get mad when someone pisses on me and tells me it’s raining, and then claims that they prayed and it stopped raining.
Wake up… Vote for the Democrats next time. They won’t lie to you about jacking up your taxes. They’ll hold a truth and taxation hearing before they jack up your taxes. And they’ll tell you why and what the money is for.
Mean while my taxes still went up of a total of $85.00.
Way to go…Republican County Commissioners Dardon, Bishnoff and Zagmaster.
Merry Christmas to you too….
It is clear from their actions that Bush Republicans are more interested in blocking progress than doing the work Americans hired them to do.
(In voting for the version that passed the House of Representatives, Utah's Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson said the bipartisan energy bill will lead to savings at the gas pump for Utahns and a bright future for the renewable energy industry in Utah.
(“For the first time in more than 20 years, the fuel efficiency standards in our vehicles will increase. That provision alone will save Utah families between $700 -$1000 a year at the pump by the year 2020. Utah is blessed with abundant renewable resources, especially solar, wind and geothermal. The federal incentives for renewable energy included in this legislation will benefit businesses and homeowners alike,” said Matheson.
(Republicans Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon voted against it.)
curmudgeon:
And I suppose you think insider traders do nothing wrong when they buy stock just before a merger offer is publicly announced.
Weren't you listening when Godfrey repeatedly said, during the campaign, that the east side of Washington was going to be "our" next downtown project? Wilkerson is not working alone, and one of her partners is Godfrey. I don't know exactly what support he's offering her, but there has to be something. My guess is it has to do with parking behind the building. But it could be a lot of other things.
People who say, "Oh, it's all just free enterprise, and I'm for free enterprise" fail to realize that free enterprise is not what is going on.
As Dan mentions, from the corporate fat cats who loot their companies and are accountable only the the board of directors who they've appointed to the Sue Wilkersons who ply their sycophantic skills so the government will toss the public gold their way, free enterprise has nothing to do with it.
I say Hooray for free eneterprise, may it rest in peace. We hardly knew ye.
Interesting front page this morning, One slum lord handing off to a new lying little matty hand picked wannabe future landlord,(I hope it's not slum) and the collateral damage affecting only the poorest of our people.
I can't help but wonder if these actions were timed to take place, post Kennedy's visit. There Kennedy name so associated with social justice, fighting for the poor and all that right wing greedy neocons despise.
Interesting that the City secured 2-1 the property available then handed it over to gadi.
Concerning the great national debate on Mitt Romney and the prospect of a Mormon becoming president, I submit here the most clear and concise statement I have yet seen on the subject. It is a letter to the editor in this morning's Tribune. It should be seen and understood by every clear thinking voter in the United States. It is short so I will copy it here:
"Anyone who thinks we should not be concerned about having a Mormon for president should come to Utah and see how the good Mormon legislators and the Mormon church handle separation of church and state."
Seymour J. Winter
Bountiful
Kirby also had a very interesting piece in today's tribune - I highly recommend it. I swear I don't know how that guy gets away with some of the things he writes, especially here in the heart of Zion!
The key sentences were:
"........the candidate casually mentions that the driving force in his life is a profound belief in a cosmic walrus that sets the world spinning each new day with the force of its benevolent flatulence.
As the average American voter (Christian), your response would be laughter followed by incredulity. In parts of the country, you might even be legally entitled to assault the candidate.
After all, the real god is a shape-shifting entity, born of a virgin, who cured blindness with spit and busted out of his tomb after being lynched - a god you periodically honor by ritualistically eating him so that he won't kill you when he comes back."
Bill,
I'll bet that this property stays vacant for the next several months while people could still be living in it. Nothing like throwing people out into the cold when they don't have resources to cope.
Well you can bet your sweet ass that the little prick Godfrey doesn't give a rat's ass about these people facing the cold streets this holiday season.
Merry Christmas to all Godfreyites, you cold hearted bastards.
My question is WHY GTrain Wilkerson -- no longer a PART OF THE SILENT MAJORITY, who encourages people to join the ranks of the moronic and brain-dead, idiotic, freakish ahole GONDOLA FREAK loser Reich, and therefore be a hero rather than a zero -- would covet the bookstore building when there are several unoccupied structures due north, across from the Jackass Center. Why this property? Are onions involved? What kind of chicken-shit role are Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey, his Forehead and his joke father-in-law, Addled Ed, playing?
More good.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
How does Gadi vacate property, then leave it vacant for two years? Does he have that kind of cash, or cash flow, or do the banks let him buy the land but make no payments for two years?
How can capital sit like that for two years with no income being produced?
Something is wrong.
An Ozboy, you missed the main point of Kirby's article, which was that religion is a reason to be intolerant of others. This, after he just spent the entire article ridiculing religions, and getting paid to do it. The man is a big mouth, and a hypocrite.
Danny:
I'm tempted to agree with you, but I find, here in OTown, that the majority of Mormons (including me) are the greatest of hypocrites; Kirby is one, too, but at least he has a sense of humor about himself. Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey is a proven liar, cheat and thief, yet parishioners still cling to the fragile notion that because of his priesthood and the fact that he does not cuss or drink a reeb, he is imbued with a sense of godliness, when in fact he represents the worst of humanity. Same goes for his moron father-in-law, evil henchman Patterson (Geez! West Valley City, of all places, shitcans his ass for moral problems, yet OTown takes him in and coddles him like some sort of elfish Weintraub), Uncle Lurch Montgomery, Short-deck, Wayne Peterson and many soldiers in his brave and famed Squirrel Patrol, and so on. Mr. Integrity is a former bishop. That fact alone speaks to horrific and detestable contradictions within the Mormon faith. You can lie with impunity, skirt the boundaries of legality in regard to the administration of a public office, cheat and steal from the tax base, slap your wife around, and you're A-OK. But if that little ahole prick drank a beer, he's sinned. Sorry, but this is a joke. Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey: a paragon of Mormon virtue.
Beg to differ with you danny. It appears you are the one that missed Kirby's meaning. I'll give you a hint, think satire.
And since when is the property surrounding the Jackass Center a "retail" development?
Bonnie Lee, the point is, that Kirby is not a satirist, but a hypocrite - a big difference. And whether one or the other, he is rather lacking in talent, if you ask me.
Contrast his paid remarks to the extended unpaid ones of poster Jason W., above - where he releases an unedited, fact-laden stream of consciousness, skillfully detailing a huge problem in our society, and perhaps even the main problem.
Which is what keeps brining me back. When WCF posters are at their best, they are the best there is.
Except for a very narrow LDS view, I find it hard to see where you think Kirby is a hypocrite. He is very consistent in his skewering of things ridiculous in the LDS religion, all religions and in man kind itself. He certainly has the funniest, and most twisted, sense of humor, of any one writing in Utah media today.
If you didn't get what he was saying in today's article, then he was probably writing about you.
As far as Jason is concerned, I agree that he can be very funny and twisted himself. However, I constantly detect a real undercurrent of mean spiritedness, hatred born of self contempt and fueled by alcohol in his rants. He is a very good writer in spite of that.
Jeeze, talk about amateur on line psychoanalysis!
Geno:
Today, my rants are fueled by ginger ale and fancy-pants coffee. As far as mean-spiritedness that evidences self-contempt goes, well, I think you're a hair off-base, in that I think THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE and I love me, but I hate childish self-important morons who love GONDOLAS and onions.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
I couldn't help but notice the contrast between the article on Mayor Godfrey and the astounding amount of money he raised and spent on his campaign versus the fact that the city owned Marshall White Center was struggling and possibly discontinuing the sub for Santa program for lack of funds.
If Mayor Godfrey was any kind of decent human, good Christian or moral Mayor, you would think he could spend a fraction of the energy he did raising money for politics, and raise a very little in comparison for the poor kids of Ogden.
His rich friends who profit so much from the city contracts and insider deals are very generous when it comes to giving money to him to remain in power. However, when it comes to giving a very little to the truly needy in Ogden they are every bit as stingy and cold hearted as Mayor Godfrey.
This alone says a lot about the man and his friend's character and where their hearts really are.
I for one am ashamed that a person of this lack of integrity is actually the mayor of my town.
Would some one please link the article in today's Standard about the Adam project for us non-subscribers?
I am assuming it has to do with Adam aircraft, which as I recall is a beneficiary of our tax dollars in a big way.
Jason, ask the Brothern in West Valley what they think of patterson. He was behind the E-Center, the Multicultural Center, and after they threw him out of town they had to raise property taxes sixty some odd percent to cover the government subsidised ventures he brought to them.
Does it sound like a pattern happening here?
Sara, Godfrey the Grinch had the Miracle tree removed from the Municipal Building after discovering that it was sponsored by the Firefighters.
It was placed there to help out the less fortunate during Christmas. But Mr Grinch (Godfrey) would rather play politics than help his fellow man. It was removed because he hates the firefighters for never backing him for his election, re-election bids.
The citizens did elect a Grinch for mayor.
Well Geno, I have to say I went and read a few Kirby columns. They were pretty much the inane, self-absorbed ramblings I expected. But hey, if I had to do that for a living for years and years, I'd probably be just as useless by now myself. On the other hand, the man got me to click on the SLTrib site. And after all, getting people to look at the publication is the SOLE job of a print journalist, so I guess he earned his pay.
Andy, as far as Adam Aircraft, they are a company that is way behind schedule, making planes that are far more expensive than the competition. They tout they have orders in hand, but they represent only a tiny fraction of the market.
They are doomed. The money Godfrey has thrown them is a goner. But I can almost hear him say, "Well, at least SOMEBODY wants to invest in Ogden." With friends like these . . .
Trouble is, when you hear him say SOMEBODY, the SOMEBODY is the taxpayer. Get ready for a front row seat for one of the greatest debacles in history: The US economy, and debt-laden, irresponsibly run Ogden as the poster child.
And oh, if you want to read a good column, try this one. Witty, informative, skillful. All the things Kirby and his kind, are not.
Click here
According to the EDC office, OTown is "clustering" aircraft industries; according to the onion-reeking Geigers and Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey, we are clustering "high-adventure recreation" aholes. Which is it? And what is high adventure? Is that when elfin John Patterson puts on track suit pants and waddles into Moore's Family Restaurant for some pork, that lilly-livered ahole? Or when Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey tackles a drunk and stoned retarded kid who lives next door? Or when Short-deck high-adventure hijacks someone's campaign signs? Or when THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE eats a purple onion, rather than the de rigeur? How about a high-adventure GONDOLA ride from Addled Ed Allen's house in South Ogden to GTrain's Jefferson Ave. Lift Reich headquarters? GTrain is the only proud flier of the Lift Reich red idiocy left in OTown. Lift nuts, GTrain! You moron! Heroes & zeroes! Climb on board the GTrain!
More good.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
Jason W.,
Please send me over some of your ginger ale.
Dan:
You wrote: And I suppose you think insider traders do nothing wrong when they buy stock just before a merger offer is publicly announced.
Just want to point out that you heard the Mayor say Washington was next for intensive development. So did I. So, presumably, could have the owner of the Bookshelf. I don't see how that constitutes insider trading. Sorry. If it develops that Ms. Wilkerson got some kind of under-the-table committment from the Mayor [he has done things like that in the past, e.g. the Reid severance payment for example] before the Council acted on it, that would be another matter. But the Council would presumably still have to act on it.
From what we know so far, doesn't seem to involve "insider trading". And no, I don't think insider trading is OK. It's a crime, for which people go to jail.
Danny:
It's Canada Dry; I like that, or on occasion Sioux City Sasparilla. Then, two tequila shots.
THE SKI IS BIFURCATED AND SPINNING
I want some of that stuff that Jason is drinking.
Curm:
I'll bet you a six-pack (winner's choice: ginger ale or microbrew beer) that Sue Wilkerson knows more than Pat Ortega about Godfrey's plans for the east side of Washington.
danny
I read the link you provided and didn't find any thing funny about it. In fact it is actually pretty scary stuff! Clever writing for sure, but awfully depressing.
I think Kirby is pretty funny and have been reading him for several years. He touches on serious subjects but always with his own brand of twisted humor. Not for everyone, as your contempt for him proves. As the old saying goes: "different strokes for different folks"
It seems to me that the people that are the most vocal in attacking and condemning Kirby are the good practicing LDS folks who are too thin skinned to accept his satire which often goes to the silliness in the LDS church. I am surprised that he hasn't been X'd for some of the stuff he writes. Instead, he apparently is a practicing Mormon. There also seems to be a dichotomy here in that his greatest fans also appear to be practicing Mormons - with a sense of humor about it all.
And Sara, I agree with you on Mayor Godfrey. It is very sad that he can raise so much money for his personal causes, and spend so much of the public money supporting his friends, but can't be bothered to make sure an important humanitarian cause like the Sub for Santa, or the Marshall White Center itself, is well funded. This is just one of many examples of the contempt he seems to have for the minorities and poor of our community.
Daren,
I don't have contempt for Kirby. (I.e. I don't despise him, nor do I hate Godfrey.) I just find the former to be a vapid loud mouth, and the latter to be arrogant and ill informed, among other things. It ain't "condemning" to say hey, I think that guy has BO of the mouth, or just BO for that matter. It's an observation, not an attack for Pete's sake!
As far as the article I hyperlinked above being depressing, if it is actually prophetic, wouldn't you rather know, than not? Or would you have rather spent the time watching sweaty, scantily clad men bounce a ball around for three hours for Larry Miller?
Daren
Dumbest fool on the forum?
Wow, thanks pal, I have finally gained some recognition around here!
A winner at last, even if I have to share the honor with Jason and possibly Danny.
Daren, unfortunately the dumbest posters don't make the blog. They can't follow insrtuction, they wind up posting anonymously and get deleted.
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