On Sept. 28, TurlockCityNews.com broke a story about the City of Turlock sending an insert created by the Citizens for Yes on Measure B in the September utility bills.
The City could face consequences for sending out the inserts, which include the website http://www.fixturlockroads.com/ and some “educational” information taken verbatim from the website.
After TurlockCityNews.com broke the story, Fox40 had questions for the City of Turlock and City Manager Roy Wasden, who approved the inserts before they were sent in the bills.
When first asked about the inserts, Wasden told TurlockCityNews.com that both the Measure B insert and the Measure A insert, which was also included in the bill, were educational and only gave factual information about both measures.
“Both items were educational and detailed what each of the proposed measures do,” said Wasden.
However, Wasden admitted to Fox40 that he would liked to do things different.
“I would have liked to have given it greater scrutiny. There were some time tables that didn’t allow for that. That’s where we’re at,” Wasden told Fox40.
The City could have to repay the cost of preparing and distributing the inserts, even though Wasden said the inserts did not use City dollars.
“There’s still a fair market value to that communication,” said political attorney Brian Hildreth. “What would it cost the opponent of Measure B to send out a mailer opposing it?”
Hildreth added that the official who approved the insert could be held liable for the costs.
“The public official that approved the communication can be held personally liable to reimburse the government for the expense of the communication,” said Hildreth.
The Fox40 report that aired on Sept. 29 can be seen here at this link – FOX40 News Video: Some Turlock Residents Say City is Trying to Tell them How to Vote
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King Wasden got caught again and now he’s trying to back peddle hoping to hold onto his $248,000 a year job! Be done with this man and his court. Citizen deserve a City Manager who is honest and ethical and a grass roots rally should begin to demand his resignation
Mayor John Lazar and City Councilmember Steven Nascimento are behind this with the other Democrat Councilmember Forrest White. That’s why they all support Mike Brem because he supports the lies and is trying to cover them up to get the road tax passed by voters who trust the government.
Any coincidence that Brem’s campaign and Yes on Measure B committee both didn’t show their campaign money and both are tied to the illegal mailer sent by the City of Turlock ran by Lazar, Nascimento and White? Those three are also trying to sneak in the city manager contract for $1,000,000 deal before the new council gets elected to expose all their secrets and lies to the public.
We need Mayor Soiseth elected and hopefully he can get the most successful mayor Turlock ever had in Curt Andre to help him out too. Turlock needs help and Soiseth is the one to start the changes needed.
What is the city paying a overpaid attorney for? If this is illegal she should have stopped it.
Without this Measure B tax, Wasden can’t get his $40,000 raise that he believes he’s entitled to after doing nothing but shady dealings, on top of his already huge $248,000 salary, thanks to Shady Pants Lazar. Others in city government won’t be able to get their huge raises that are also undeserved. I mean seriously, what do these people do that deserves this outrageous salary? They certainly don’t actually work for that money. The tax monies to maintain the roads already exist, they have been pilfered by these criminals in government giving themselves raises while the people trustingly sleep. If you vote for measure B, especially after this news, you are either working in government and about to benefit from it or you have lead poisoning.
I read on Modbee.com that this is a non issue because Mayor Lazar said the inserts were information. He is on the committee to pass the road tax so I’m sure he knows what the facts are unlike this website.
I believe Mayor Lazar and not this trash TMZ site and why I am voting Mike Brem for Turlock Mayor.
Only in Turlock does a city manager give a raise to police before they approve their contract to only have the police reject the contract smh Now they want to give him a pay raise after he sent political raid tax campaign material in the city bills
I heard that the mayor said the Modesto Bee said this was a none issue. Can someone confirm that? I would think of a Sacramento TV news channel and Sacramento political attorney think it than it probably is. Please advise with an update Tcn.
Good for the Turlock City Council for not kicking the contracts down the road to the next council. They are our elected officials and a decision needed to be made. Why would these decisions be delayed for some folks who have yet to be elected? I think Wasden’s salary is a little excessive but he seems to be doing a respectable job despite what you few TCN conspiracy loonies think.
Mary Jackson, John Lazar, and Steven Nascimento forced this on people and all chose Mike Brem to challenge Gary Soiseth just because Curt Andre told Lazar he couldn’t run and shouldn’t tax the people of Turlock any more when he squandered all taxes already paid.
This is clearly wrong but don’t you think voters are already fooled into paying more taxes. What is the punishment for this?