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Grossman gives gift to group led by new SLO councilman

November 17, 2014
Gary Grossman

Gary Grossman

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Developer Gary Grossman, who is seeking approval for a contested residential development on a San Luis Obispo ranch, has donated $5,000 to an organization headed by the soon-to-be swing vote on the city council.

During recent electoral campaigns, Grossman gave maximum contributions to Mayor Jan Marx and Councilwoman Carlyn Christianson, both of whom are supporting his proposed high-density residential development on the ranch currently owned by Ernie Dalidio. Grossman also donated much larger sums to Marx and Christianson’s political allies at the county level, as well as to the half-cent city sales tax measure that they supported.

Marx and Christianson, along with Councilman John Ashbaugh are supporting a plan to override a decision made by the county airport commission to restrict Grossman’s development plans for the Dalidio ranch. In order to override the airport commission, four of five council members must support the decision, and so far, the council majority has not mustered a fourth vote.

But, project opponent Kathy Smith is leaving the council this month. She is being replaced by newly elected Dan Rivoire, the executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition.

Recently, Grossman donated $5,000 to a bicycle coalition initiative to build countywide pedestrian and bicycle trails, according to the organization’s Connect SLO County website.

“This incredibly generous donation will allow the Bicycle Coalition to continue our focus on proving to decision makers that local residents desperately want more safe places to bike, walk, stroll and play,” Rivoire said in a statement about Grossman’s contribution.

Rivoire’s first council meeting will take place on Dec. 2, during which he is expected to vote on the override plan. He has already voiced support for the override, which would give Grossman the final vote he needs to get his project over an initial hurdle.

Sources say Grossman has already spent approximately $6 million in down payments on the Dalidio Ranch. He was supposed to have closed the deal, but Grossman has extended escrow multiple times while he has sought further approval for his planned development.

If the council were to reject his plans, Grossman could lose the down payment money he has spent.


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LOL. This just proves that Ernie Dalidio was a fool. He should have followed the actions of good of Kelly Gearhart (gary grossmans role model) and just paid the prostitutes. Gearhart had property adjacent to Dalidio on 101 and wanted to put in a car lot. Save San Luis thought it was great for the SLO image once Gearhart gave them 25,000 to shut them up. Marx and the rest of the Save San Luis whores never said a word. Now Grossman is pimping them and they are falling all over themselves to do his bidding (Assbaugh was an actual embarassment in his pandering). Yet it is clear that the good citizens of SLO have the combined intelligence of a box of rocks as they continue to re-elect these people again and again. Thank you sir may i have another.


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Ernie’s mistake was he thought that a project could be brought forth and delt with without greasing the pigs,that may have been a mistake but he kept his intregity.

He’ll still come out in the end,he’ll sell the property,pay the taxes and go one his merry way and enjoy life with out having to deal with anymore jerks.

Now all that needs to be done is keep the property in open space and farming to defeat the pigs.

By the by why didn’t the city step in and by this property as open space as that is what measure why and gee are for.


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I remember back in the 1970’s Howard Jarvis was travelling up and down the state promoting Proposition 13. As he did so he had the opportunity to meet with local elected officials and observe how they ran things in their respective counties. After the campaign for his initiative was over he made the comment that San Luis Obispo was the crookedest county in the state in terms of cozy relations and sweetheart deals. Sounds like we still are.


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Yet another reason to be thankful Caren Raywas not elected.

The people you associate with says a lot about you.


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Pigs at the pay to play trough. Our politicians create regulations at astounding rates and then they sit back waiting for the wealthiest of our society to fill the trough with cash and gifts to get their project approved with exceptions to the regulations they created. Professional politicians need to be removed from government completely, not sent to another agency to continue there path to taxpayer funded wealth.


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The North County Sour Grapes is just a diversion from addressing the SLO sucking straw that drains the Salinas River into another housing project. Shame on those who slander the land owners who protect their reasonable use of their water rights.


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For heaven’s sake. Couldn’t Grossman wait a few weeks so it isn’t quite so obvious that he is bribing a new SLO City Council member?


Talk about brazen.


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Well, he asked Adam to pimp his project proposal by passing out a few medallions, but Boraha’s is refusing to make any more….so he had to revert to cash.


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Uhhh this donation was not just made, it was made a while ago during the Bike Coalition’s Connect SLO County Campaign. How is donating to a countywide nonprofit’s initiative to create more pedestrian and cycling infrastructure a bad thing? I do appreciate and understand the need to be aware of these types of interactions, transparency is important. But SLO is FINALLY is about to have a City Council member who is not an old retired person… so yeah, he has a job and its for a nonprofit, and businesses and people in our community are going to support that nonprofit – and we the people need and want them to!


I think its hilarious that Cal Coast News continues to focus on this. Like when *gasp* he received a little over $1,000 in donations from developers during his campaign … He’s been bribed! He’s a crook like the rest of them! Scandal! Sooooo what about the other $12,000+ in donations he raised from individuals like young professionals and families? I mean, they seem like the ones who really bankrolled his campaign so why aren’t you worried about their “bribes?” Once again CalCoast “news” has extrapolated controversy and scandal where there is none.


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Let’s be upfront on this, Marx who assisted the Copeland’s in their illegal activities against Dalido and his project and this Grossman character are evil bedfellows. Anyone that Marx supports is evil and many people fall in that line. She is an attorney, can’t run a household but thinks she can run a City with honesty and integrity. Two words this County lacks on so many fronts.


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Nothing would make me happier than Grossman losing his millions on this project. Dalidio pocketing the deposit money and then going ahead with his own development already approved by the county and one that passes muster on the airport commission requirements. Screw SLO City, screw the Copelands and Marx, screw Grossman, and go Ernie!


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More corruption and graft in San Luis Obispo and the county. They don’t even try to hide it they are so bold. The entire council should be recalled.

Good reporting by Cal Coast.


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You know our society is in deep trouble when the crooks don’t even hide their dirty deeds. Open bribery is the new status symbol. And, these are people WE elect. San Luis city council needs to be next on the election radar of CCN. Bring out the big flashlight and expose the Roaches. There’s plenty.


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I believe it’s called “Greasing the wheels”.


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Some call it “Buying your Elected Official”


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Or the palms…..


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