May 11, 2008

Annual financial statements range from ordinary to wow

By Banks Albach / Daily News Staff Writer

Each spring, politicians statewide file statements of economic interest - forms that can prove either terrifically interesting or decidedly dull.

In Atherton, for instance, Council Member Charles Marsala, Vice Mayor Jerry Carlson and former Council Member Alan Carlson, all checked the "no reportable interest" box - and the interest stopped there. Council Member Kathy McKeithen only reported earning between $10,000 to $100,000.

Mayor Jim Janz, on the other hand, reported considerably more earnings, including partnerships in two law firms - Sideman & Bancroft of San Francisco and Tomlinson Zisko of Palo Alto - each worth between $100,000 and $1 million. He also is the director and chief financial officer of Matched CareGivers Inc., a home health care operation in Redwood City worth more than $1 million. Janz also owns the land at 2825 El Camino Real, according to his statement.

In Menlo Park, Council Member Kelly Fergusson was well ahead of her colleagues with roughly $1,600 in gifts last year when she served as mayor. The gifts included five sets of fundraiser dinner tickets, a volunteer luncheon, two football tickets from Stanford University and two art show passes.

Council Member John Boyle came in second with $250 in football tickets from Stanford and a $250 golf tournament entry fee from Wells Fargo of Menlo Park. Council Member Richard Cline and Vice Mayor Heyward Robinson both took football tickets from Menlo Park resident David Speer, for $100 and $50, respectively. Robinson also received $50 in football tickets from resident Art Owen.

Boyle's income is drawn almost exclusively from venture capital firms and entities, totaling several hundred thousand dollars, while Cline and Robinson own stock in several large companies, including Amgen, Oracle, Bank of America, Appliance Media and Taser International, and AT&T, Texas Instruments, Starbucks, Bank of America, Motorola and Nokia, respectively.

Fergusson also worked as a civil engineering consultant for a church in Sunnyvale and Byrd Development, a Palo Alto real estate developer. Her husband works for Stanford University as a computer network security specialist, earning between $10,000 and $100,000 per year.

Mayor Andy Cohen checked the "no reportable interests" box.

In East Palo Alto, gift giving didn't happen in 2007, according to statements of economic interest filed by its council members. Mayor Patricia Foster, Vice Mayor Donna Rutherford and Council Member Peter Evans all reported no special income or gifts. Council Member Ruben Abrica reported no gifts and only listed his income as an instructor at De Anza College. Council Member David Woods listed his real estate business, Platinum Homes & Estates, along with a rental property in East Palo Alto that brings in between $1,001 and $10,000 annually.

The only slightly charitable item was a loan made to Council Member David Woods from Curtis Gaspard for between $1,000 and $10,000, with 20 percent interest. Gaspard is a real estate developer who has been involved in several East Palo Alto projects.



E-mail Banks Albach at balbach@dailynewsgroup.com.