Peterson Is “Promising” More “Dedicated Senior Housing” West Jordan this time…
Dear Neighbors:
We just found this article in the Salt Lake Tribune, Friday, November 2, 2007. Looks like Peterson is promising more “dedicated….. senior housing” but in West Jordan this time. These guys are really something else.
I really appreciate everyone’s comments about Wal-mart. I don’t think one good thing has been said about them. I just don’t know what to do about it at this time. If we decide to fight it it will take lots and lots of work - are we ready? I called the City and asked when the next Council meeting is and they told me November 20th. It might be a good meeting to attend.
Thank you all.
Melba Taylor
Pay to play?: West Jordan needs campaign finance reform
Tribune Editorial
Article Last Updated: 11/01/2007 10:26:10 PM MDT
We can’t prove that West Jordan City Council members Rob Bennett and Mike Kellermeyer are in Peterson Development’s pocket. We can’t prove that the men solicited bribes in the form of campaign donations. Nor can we prove that the company paid up, and the move paid off.
But it certainly appears that way. And when it comes to maintaining the integrity of local government, appearances are everything.
Typically, Kellermeyer and Bennett balk at approving high-density housing requests. But within days of receiving campaign contributions from the Salt Lake City firm, the pair did what one council member described as “a 180-degree turn,” and voted to approve 65 additional housing units on a 50-acre section of the company’s 300-acre Stone Creek development in the city.
According to campaign contribution disclosure forms filed by the candidates, Bennett and Kellermeyer each received $1,500 from Peterson Development during the Aug. 28 to Oct. 23 reporting period.
Ryan Peterson, a vice president with the company, denied that the donations amounted to bribes, stating that the councilmen had requested the firm’s support, and the company complied because the men “have been fairly straightforward and fair across the board when we’ve gone to the City Council.”
Bennett and Kellermeyer concur that nothing untoward occurred.
“I’ll take money from any place …
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,” the undiscriminating Kellermeyer told The Tribune. “It doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to buy my vote.”
“There is no campaign donation that would ever influence my vote,” Bennett said.
The pair said they made an exception to their low-density dogma because the extra units they helped the council approve in a 4-3 vote will be dedicated to senior housing, and seniors won’t increase commuter traffic, or flood West Jordan schools with more students.
We’ll have to take them at their word. And it should be noted that there’s no law prohibiting developers with business pending before the council from making campaign contributions. And there’s no law keeping council members from accepting them. But there should be. The appearance of impropriety is so great that the council must take immediate steps to restore the public confidence, and its own reputation.
The solution is obvious. Bennett and Kellermeyer need to return the money. And the council should enact an ordinance prohibiting elected officials from accepting campaign donations from individuals or companies with business pending before the council.
