Publication Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Councilman again accepts free Stanford tickets
Councilman again accepts free Stanford tickets
(April 13, 2005) Gift amounts to $158.80
by Bill D'Agostino
Palo Alto City Councilman Bern Beecham again accepted free tickets to sporting events from Stanford University in 2004 -- despite criticism last year that such freebies created a possible conflict of interest.
In a form filed with the state on April 1, Beecham reported accepting gifts to a football game and a basketball game, worth $158.80 total, last February and September.
In 2003, Beecham and Councilman Vic Ojakian reported accepting free tickets to various Stanford sporting events. Both serve on a committee that negotiates with Stanford.
Ojakian did not report accepting free tickets from Stanford, or any other gifts, in 2004.
Last year, ethics experts expressed discomfort with elected officials accepting such presents.
"The argument is not that a public official can be bought for $100 or $200 but that the familiarity it breeds and the impression it gives can interfere with the public officials doing their job," Kirk O. Hanson, the executive director for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, said last April.
Beecham said he goes to the events to meet with officials -- including other city leaders -- with whom he wouldn't normally meet, and that there was value in having such gatherings outside City Hall.
Asked why he didn't reimburse the university for the tickets, Beecham said he wouldn't go to the events if he had to pay for them. "It's not worth it to me," he said.
"My policy has always been that I will talk to anyone who asks, "he added.
The gifts' value is below the limit that would prevent Beecham from legally participating in issues related to the university. According to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, an elected official has an "economic interest" in any person or group that gives them gifts worth $360 or more.
The Stanford/city committee recently hammered out a deal for the university to develop soccer fields at the corner of El Camino Real and Page Mill Road for the city. That agreement, which also guarantees the university rights to develop other properties in the Stanford Research Park, is coming before the City Council for a final approval on May 2.
Last year, Mountain View became embroiled in a similar controversy when one council member revealed all City Council members received, as part of an agreement with media giant Clear Channel, free tickets to concerts at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Council members decided to keep the perk, even though they oversee Clear Channel's agreements with the city.
Two other Palo Alto council members reported gifts on their legally mandated forms. Vice Mayor Judy Kleinberg received ballet tickets and a free dinner, worth $200, from local real estate developer George Marcus.
Councilwoman Yoriko Kishimoto received a ticket, worth $200, to an award dinner in October from the American Electronics Association, where Kleinberg worked at the time.
Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.
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