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The Morning Mayor Show KMPH 840 AM Daily at 10 The valleys only local news and talk radio START SPREADING THE NEWS February 2, 2008  The Sabatino Report Zagaris supports Measure M and Measure E, for him it’s all about ME For Zagaris it makes sense to support Measure E, He doesn’t want building houses in the County to compete with his holdings within the City. Measure M allows him to reward his minions on the Council with $250,000 in pay if he can get you as a voter to approve. Mayor Jim Ridenour supports Measure M and is seeking contributions for Modesto Citizens for Accountability to “make him more accountable” with an annual salary of $88,000 per year. Maybe a little “arm twisting” Mayor? Councilmembers are also raising money. A Yes Vote on Measure N- District Elections makes it more difficult for Zagaris control The Zagaris Political Machine took over the Stanislaus County Democratic Committee in 1985. Within a year Zagaris apparently decided that the Democratic Committee was not worth controlling and moved on to the Republican Central Committee. Well, maybe they controlled both. The following is an example of how the present system works without District Elections. In the 1985 city council election Zagaris sponsored a slate of Richard Patterson, Patrick McGrath, and Carmen Sabatino. With Sabatino in the race against Dick Lang enough votes were drawn away from Jim Knox so that he lost to the Zagaris candidate, Pat McGrath. Having objectively taken over the City of Modesto, as predicted by former Mayor Peggy Mensinger, George Petrulakis wrote a new constitution for the new government and called it Measure M Zagaris and Petrulakis are calling in all kinds of political chips to make sure Measure M succeeds. Neither the Democratic or Republican Central Committees had a meeting with Measure M on the agenda to be voted on, and yet Zagaris has their endorsement. The Stanislaus County Taxpayers Association has endorsed Measure M but it has never had a meeting because it does not exist. The Stanislaus Taxpayers Association might exist but has not had a meeting to endorse anything. Modesto police and fire endorse Measure M even though it is not in their interest or in the best interest of public safety. And now the matter of State Senator David Cogdill Cogdill is making automated phone calls endorsing Measure M and telling us about the other endorsements. His son, David Cogdill Jr., served on the Charter Review Committee by appointment. This is the same Dave Cogdill that the Zagaris political machine twice put on the Modesto City Council. Once by election and once by appointment. His committee work lowered the building fees in Village 1 to increase Zagaris profits at the expense of the citizens of Modesto. Zagaris asked the Council to make the fee reduction permanent. How much money are we talking about? Homes that once sold for $450,000, now sell for $200,000 to $250,000 and there is still profit. Cogdill lowered the fees to “save” the housing market. Figure it out. Zagaris and his industry claimed they could not afford fees needed for the cities roads, parks, and other services. In fact, water and sewer rates, Comcast taxes, and other charges have had to be increased to make up for what Zagaris and his friends did not have to pay in fees. Where did the money go? Zagaris is quoted in the Modesto Bee that Mayor Sabatino was “political roadkill”. He was so right, but he failed to have Sabatino convicted to a jail term. Zagaris pleaded with Judge Franklin Stephenson that he not be forced to testify at the trial. Soon Zagaris and George Petrulakis will be asked to discuss tampering with the Grand Jury process, tampering with elections, and the efforts to change the constitution of the City of Modesto for benefit and profit of Mike Zagaris and not for the citizens of Modesto. We recommend Yes on N and E. The Morning Mayor Show With host, former Mayor Carmen Sabatino KMPH 840 AM daily at 10 209-527-8484
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Politics 
