Regional
Regional Op-ed: Save Clover Valley: Vote No on Measure H on Feb. 5
Author: Save Clover Valley
Published on Jan 30, 2008 - 7:37:08 AM

ROCKLIN, CA. -- Developer Rick Massie and the owners of Thunder Valley Casino poured an additional $375,000 into the Yes on H campaign since Jan. 1, and are poised to spend roughly $40 per voter, about 10 times as much as the grassroots Save Clover Valley No on campaign, the most recent FPPC campaign filings show.

Massie, who is backing Measure H, which would result in the development of Clover Valley and would add an additional 14,000 cars per day on Rocklin streets, wrote contributions totaling $325,000. The United Auburn Indian Community, the tribe that owns Thunder Valley Casino, kicked in an additional $50,000, making this the most expensive political campaign ever waged in the 114-year history of Rocklin.

To date, the Yes on H campaign has spent over half a million dollars, virtually all of it coming from the developers and the casino owners.

"The developers and the casino owners are quite literally trying to buy this election," said Rocklin resident and Save Clover Valley Chair Elaine O'Deegan. "They will spend whatever it takes to deceive the public and push a terrible plan that will hurt Rocklin, increase traffic by 14,000 cars per day on our streets, and destroy Clover Valley. Voters will not be fooled."

The developer's campaign has spent half a million dollars already, and showed another quarter of a million dollars still in its war chest, as of the Jan. 19 FPPC filing deadline. With the Placer County Election Department predicting turnout for this election to be about 70%, the Yes campaign's expenditures equate to roughly $40 per likely voter.

The Rocklin grassroots citizens' group, Save Clover Valley, reported raising just under $9,000, mostly in donations of $100 or less from Rocklin during the same period. To date, the Save Clover Valley NO on H committee has raised just over $70,000 and is on pace to spend roughly $4 per likely voter.

"Our community support continues to be phenomenal," said Rocklin resident and Save Clover Valley Treasurer Linda Hall. "We might be David fighting Goliath, but people are helping in every way they can. One man donates $10 to us every month."

Disclosures show that the Yes on H campaign is being run almost entirely by people and businesses outside of Rocklin. In consulting fees and salaries alone, the Yes Campaign has spent well over $100,000 on outside firms and individuals, including salaries for 41 paid campaign workers (all but one of whom live outside Rocklin).

Conversely, the Save Clover Valley Committee was formed last June and gets its support almost solely from individuals. The committee has received hundreds of contributions, over 80% of which are for $100 or less, and the overwhelming majority from Rocklin residents.

Last September, volunteers for the Coalition collected nearly 5,000 signatures – twice the number required – to qualify Measure H for the ballot. This is the first referendum to qualify for the ballot in the history of Rocklin.

For more information about the Save Clover Valley Coalition and the NO on H campaign, visit saveclovervalley.org or savingclovervalley.org or call 916-435-3828

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