| April 1, 2004
Folks,
Just as I was starting to write a rejoinder to City Councilmember Terry Goodman's last email, I received the following email from Overland Park, KS, City Council Member Neil Sader in response to my article, "3/30/2004 - Final Destruction By OP Of Neighborhood Begins". So I switched to it, because it was much shorter.
Update: Mr. Sader has since written a gracious apology acknowledging his mistakes: His largest group of campaign contributors is in fact, Polsinelli and its attorneys. As Mr. Sader points out, in my original email I had miscalculated the exact amount Polsinelli contributed to his campaign (it was not $1,250, it was $1,100). I had sent out a correction 75 minutes after distributing the original letter based on having found the error myself.
City Councilmember Neil Sader's Email
"Bob:
In your article dated March 30 you implied that the Polsinelli firm was my largest single campaign contributor. This is wrong.
The two contributions I received from attorneys at Polsinelli were not among the largest I received. Further, I did not receive any from the firm itself. Each of the two contributions were for $250 - one half of the legal limit. I received a number of contributions for amounts above $250. I do not know who is spreading this false information, but I would appreciate your verifying these statements with me prior to publishling wrong information. I'd be glad to answer your questions on this or other subjects at any time.
Your courtesy is much appreciated.
Neil Sader"
My Response
"Neil,
In fact, you received:
I am the person "spreading this false information", as you so erroneously call it. In order to jog your memory, I have published on NeighborhoodNet the images of the Campaign forms your Treasurer turned into the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission that document the above. Just click on the above links. Click here for the first page from the Feb 19, 2001, report, signed by your Treasurer.
The combined total of $1,100 represents 4.8% of the $22,859.11 of your total campaign contributions in the 2001 Overland Park City Council election. Together, Polsinelli and its attorneys are your largest contributors. As you know, Polsinelli represents many developers before your City Council, such as the Wal-Mart near my neighborhood for which you voted and the Target now asking to re-zone office to commercial on 97th Street.
More Fun Facts About Your Contributions
There is a 17 way tie for second place among those who individually contributed the maximum legal amount of $500 that a single individual or company can contribute, including such companies as Block and Company, Inc ("Commercial Real Estate Broker"); Phelps Engineering ("Engineering Company"); Lionsgate Golf Developers ("Real Estate Development"); O'Donnel & Son's Construction Company, Inc ("Construction Company"); etc The quoted occupations are from the form your Treasurer turned in.
I note that you collected more by far than any other candidate, even though you were running unopposed. Congratulations.
Here are some other accurate statements about your campaign contributions:
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Over 50% of your contributions come from development special interests (if I throw in other large corporate interests it is over 70%)
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Less than 5% comes from individuals who live within your own Ward and who are not directly tied to such large corporations and developer special interests as those listed above
- 25% of your funding is from outside Overland Park, although at least in Kansas.
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Over 1/3 of your contributions come from out of state contributors, in fact from 10 other states spread across the nation from Florida to New York to Texas to California.
There Is Nothing Illegal Or Unethical About These Contributions
As I so clearly stated in my article and state whenever I mention these figures to people, there is nothing unethical or illegal in these special interests contributing this money, nor in your accepting it. However, these developer related contributors clearly believe you (and others to whom they make such contributions) will represent their interests well on the City Council. And the evidence is that they are right.
But What Does It Say About The Candidate?
Citizens in the voting booth should ask themselves, "Will a candidate such as Neil Sader (or Jim Hix or Tim Owens or Terry Goodman), who developers so obviously support, represent my interests, the interests of a home owner or resident like me, when the next large landowner/developer submits a development application. Are the people and corporations who reside outside of Kansas really backing a candidate who they think will best serve Overland Park? Why is it Neil Sader depends for over half his money from contributors outside of the City?".
Oh, and no, Neil, I will not be passing information by you for approval before I publish it.
Sincerely,
Bob Phillips
NeighborhoodNet"
Sader's Apology
"Bob:
You are correct regarding the Polsinelli check I received for $500 and the check from Lonnie Shalton. I apologize for the error. I think the figure you used after you miscalculated on your first email, the 4.8% of the total figure, is a representative figure.
Neil Sader"
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