Everytime my wife and I drive by the Gallo Center for the Arts, we have a ritual where we curse the plumbing. From the very start, the Gallo family has tried to extort money from the taxpayers, to fund their oppulent dreams of having a performing arts center named after themselves downtown.

As a result, Stanislaus County sold it's tobacco tax revenue, which was supposed to be spent on healthcare for the needy, in order to come up with $15 Million to donate to the project. Ever since, we have seen our health care clinics close one after another throughout Stanislaus County for lack of funds.

Former Mayor Carmen Sabatino was approached by Ray Simon, and Reagan Wilson at the time to also come up with $15 Million ot the taxpayers money. When Mayor Sabatino informed them that Modesto did not have the money in it's budget to give away, Simon and Wilson offered for Stanislaus County to pay the interest on the $15 million until Modesto could come up with the money, if Modesto would just agree to come on board. Mayor Sabatino held firm, and Modesto did not agree to gift $15 Million of the taxpayers money that should be spent on essential public services. Modesto eventually paid approximately $ 1 Million dollars to complete street improvements in front of the Gallo Center.

Now the Gallo Center, wallowing in debt and cost over-runs, is asking Modesto to donate $5 Million to $10 Million of our tax dollars to finish their project. This is money that Modesto simply does not have. Modesto had to dip into it's reserves deeply in order to balance it's current budget. Where the heck does the Gallo family think Modesto is going to come up with this sort of cash? I think it is inappropriate for any of our tax dollars to be spent for this private project. The Gallo family certainly has the resources to pay for their own project. The private donors to this project, who will be the ones that actually use this project, should be responsible for it's construction. The vast majority of Modestan's will never step foot into the facility. We have a very low ratio of law enforcement personnel per thousand population. This issue needs attention, not the fluff fluff project downtown that is having financial problems.

I urge the Modesto City Council to put the residents of Modesto first, and to reject any further public financing of the Gallo Center. You have the responsibility to spend our money wisely. It is never wise to finance oppulent private projects with tax payers money. Hire those law enforcement and fire department personnel, fix our roads, and do the other essential things that will make Modesto a better place to live.                                Administrator 

Comments (2)

We Are Not Going To Pay, imo written by Mod Steve on October 26, 2006 Great Comments Top Cop! on't mean to critize, but lets leave the Gallos & the "Arts Center" out of it for now, imo. Reason being is there is no way the City of Modesto can come up with that sort of cash, that The Bee is reporting, it needs. We can't even fix our own streets, the Bee would have you think. This story is simply a diversionary tactic by The Bee, imo....to try to get people's minds OFF measure K. The REAL issue right now is defeating K! The Gallos have always been very good to Modesto & any problems with the new Art Center's cost will probably take care of themselves, imo. But I respect your comments. What I am wondering about is WHY several freind's of mine letters to the editor of The Bee against "K" are Not getting printed?? It almost wants me to have a drink of some "Night Train"! HELL NO, WE WON'T PAY!!!!! written by topcop on October 25, 2006 The site administrator has it exactly right. There is no reason for us taxpayers to pay millions for a private interest business which it all it is. If so, I want a couple of million to build a facility at taxpayer's expense and I will rent it out for profit too. The Gallo's learned well from several of our county stupidvisors and council bumblers about how to get into the taxpayers pockets. No names necessary. If the shoe fits, put it on. The benevelent Gallos have already announced a giant increase in the rates to use their private facility, even before the boon-doggle is finished. It is pricing several organizations out and back into the Modesto High Auditorium. So be it. It will be less money in the Gallos pockets. Heaven knows how many souls they have sent to skid rows across the nation with one of their finest quality wines, "NIGHT TRAIN". The Gallo wine empire has enough ill got gains to pay their own way. NO MORE TAX MONEY FOR THE GALLO BOON-DOGGLE!!!!! NO ON KEATING, THE DEVELOPER'S PUPPET AS SUPERVISOR!!! NO ON PAT PAUT, DONALD PANOZ'S PUPPET TRYING TO WEASEL HER WAY BACK INTO THE OAKDALE CITY COUNCIL WITHOUT MEMTIONING BEING OUSTED BY THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS TIRED OF HER DECEITFUL WAYS!!!!!! NO ON K UNITL A PROPERLY STRUCTURED AND THOUGHT OUT BALLOT MEASURE IS PUT ON THE BALLOT!!!! GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS THAT ARE DYING DAILY TO ALLOW CERTAIN REPROBATE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY (NO NAMES NECESSARY AGAIN, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE)TO CONTINUE THE EGREGIOUS CONDUCT THEY ARE PERPETRATING ON THE TAX PAYING PUBLIC!!!!!!

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