Group claims Glazer won’t disclose client list, Glazer’s campaign says he’s done so on publicly required forms

By Allen Payton

Steve Maviglio, spokesman for Working Families Against Glazer for Senate, a union organization opposing Orinda Mayor Steve Glazer who is running against Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, in the special 7th State Senate election on May 19, has stated in a news release, this week, that “Glazer has made transparency a cornerstone of his candidacy. He has a ‘Transparency Pledge’ on his website and notes ‘voters…should not be left wondering what sort of promises any of us made to secure that position.’”

Why then, when asked by the Contra Costa Times for an article that appeared over the weekend, did Glazer refuse to disclose his clients?” Maviglio asked. “Is it because voters will discover that what puts food on his table is that he’s a political consultant (his website doesn’t mention it)? Is it because they’ll connect the dots and discover that he earned $15,000 per month as a political consultant to JobsPAC, a political action committee, the same PAC that has put $906,290 toward electing him to the Senate?”

Maviglio offered some examples of Glazer’s clients and projects.

In 1998, Glazer managed and was the spokesperson for the campaign supporting two Marin County measures that opened up Black Point Forest, the longtime site of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, to build 53 luxury homes and a golf course. According to Maviglio, the measures, A and B, allowed developers to cut down mature oak trees to make way for the 238-acre development project. Project opponents claimed it would destroy natural habitat and that the developer promised to set aside 64 acres for a wildlife reserve and replant trees to abate the damage.

In 2003, Glazer acted as the political strategist for New York-based mall and supermarket developer Newman Development Group as the company proposed building a big-box Lowe’s store in the town of Cotati in Sonoma County. The measure allowing the store (Measure B) passed by 34 votes in November, and following another unsuccessful initiative [to stop the project] in November, 2004, the store was built and became part of Cotati’s largest development at the time.

Beginning in 2007, Glazer worked as a consultant for the Gold Rush Land development in Amador County. The development project plans included the creation of 12 neighborhoods, of nearly 1,350 homes, a golf course, and community tennis courts on 945 acres within the city of Sutter Creek, a small town with a 2,000-plus population. The project also included assessments for a new fire station, a new water treatment plant, and land for a new school site and a library. The project was anticipated to more than double the population of the town and be completely built out over 20 years.”

So, what other clients is Steve Glazer hiding?” Maviglio asked. “It’s time voters get an answer.”

In response, Glazer’s campaign spokesperson, Jason Bezis simply stated, “Steve has filed Form 700 for all his years of service on the city council (2004 to date). Per the law, they provide the disclosure of his clients over the past 10 years.”


One Comment to “Group claims Glazer won’t disclose client list, Glazer’s campaign says he’s done so on publicly required forms”

  1. Mr. Glazer’s spokesperson is misrepresenting the disclosure on Form 700.

    While Glazer reports on a Form 700, it says he did work for Jim Stearns Consulting but not the true nature of his work. Same with Capitol Strategies. Both are clear examples of him reporting his “client” — while hiding who he was really working with.

    This is what he refused to disclose to the Contra Costa Times — and to voters.

    Which raises the question: what is Steve Glazer hiding?

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