What the News & Record's Allen Johnson chose not to tell 72,649 Sunday circulation recipients before the primary; Skip Alston, Alma Adams, Earl Jones, Yvonne Johnson and the Simkins PAC

"There is an obvious pattern to the George Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC endorsements.

Being a PAC member seems to help.

For the May 6 primaries, the PAC endorsed former County Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston, a PAC member, over incumbent Gladys Robinson in the Democratic primary for the N.C. Senate District 28 seat.

It also endorsed 12th District congressional candidate Alma Adams, a PAC member, and House 60 candidate Earl Jones, a PAC member.

And it endorsed Lisa Johnson-Tonkins for clerk of Superior Court; her mother, City Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson, happens to be vice chairwoman of the Simkins PAC.

The PAC traditionally has endorsed in elections and typically includes its selections in a mailer to African American households. In the past, it has helped to increase black voting power and to amplify black voices in local politics.

Today, its luster and credibility are fading, and it may have only itself to blame. It seems more self-interested and self-serving.

...When asked about the endorsement process, Alston said: “I’m not going to get into that.”

And when asked whether his involvement in the PAC poses a conflict of interest, Alston said, “No.”

...Politically, it seems almost incestuous.

If the PAC values its integrity, it should reveal all of its members, as well as specify which ones were involved in the endorsement process. And it should make it clear whether any, such as Yvonne Johnson and Alma Adams, did or did not recuse themselves from the endorsement process because of family ties or because they themselves were candidates.

...In the long run, the PAC seems to be losing influence and has had its endorsements challenged and contradicted in the black community...

http://www.news-record.com/blogs/thinking_out_loud/article_1eb67396-cc0b-11e3-b2dc-001a4bcf6878.html
.
.
Allen wrote on his blog instead, probably attracting no more than a couple of thousand page hits.
.
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Prior restraint or prior censorship eliminates certain material from being published or communicated to its fullest extent.

In Greensboro, North Carolina, the paper of record has prevented controversial information from being disseminated to the public.

I believe “Freedom of the Press” is the right to be free from prior restraint.

I believe Greensboro's News & Record has failed our community by not reporting some of what they should have, but chose not to, or reported what should have been widely disseminated as online blog posts which very few saw, or buried important topics where few would read them.

In this case, Mr. Johnson chose to mislead Greensboro's African American community by not informing them of important information via the newspaper directly before many vote for or against Simkins PAC members.

In this case, I believe the News & Record, by not pointing out these facts to its in print, newspaper circulation, has manipulated the election in favor of the Simkins PAC.

Skip Alston using the Simkins PAC, which Yvonne Johnson is a member, to personally profit

GN&R's Allen Johnson on Skip Alston

"Alston created a ruckus by threatening City Council members who opposed his clients’ proposal with political retaliation through his association with the Simkins PAC, a powerful African American group that endorses candidates."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/gn-allen-johnson-on-skip-alston.html

Yes Weekly on Skip Alston Pressuring City Council Members with the Simkins PAC Endorsement

"Greensboro City council members Nancy Vaughan and Marikay Abuzuiater felt “threatened” by former Guilford County Commission Chair Skip Alston during his group’s bid to take over plans for a community co-op grocery store in District 2, the most surprising thing was that people were surprised at all.

...The vehicle for Altson’s leverage, councilmembers said, was the Simkins PAC, the influential east Greensboro PAC that has ushered the political careers of many black — and white — Greensboro politicians.

...The PAC, over which Alston, a voting member, wields considerable influence, still plays a vital role in choosing candidates that can be counted on to a least give lip service to the perennially underserved precincts in the east.

...it seems that the self-interests of individual members of the PAC get in the way of the larger interests of the African-American community.

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/yes-weekly-on-skip-alston-pressuring.html

John Hammer: "City [of Greensboro] Wants To Know Where Its Money Is" from Guilford County, with a little Skip Alston hotel history

"...Alston threatened Knight and Vaughan about what would happen if they didn't support the federal funding for a proposed hotel on South Elm Street.

...both Vaughan and Knight said they felt threatened and also believed it was highly inappropriate for Alston, who was the real estate broker of record in the deal, to be bringing up a private business deal in which he stood to make a lot of money...

...At that meeting, Alston told Knight that if he didn't support the hotel that Alston might remove him from the dais for the upcoming opening of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum..."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/john-hammer-of-greensboro-wants-to-know.html

Allen Johnson: "Alston, a member of the powerful Simkins PAC, is not-so-subtly suggesting political payback if they don’t go along with his group’s proposal. "

The PAC endorses local and state candidates, and Alston is one of its leaders. [Treasurer]

“I believe there was the implication that if we didn’t support them there’d be negative consequences in November,” said Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan, who plans to run for mayor. “Those words were not directly used, but they were implied.”

Another council member, Marikay Abuzuaiter, gave a similar account.

“He said I seriously needed to think about voting for the project with his developers because I needed to think about the election in the fall, and the Simkins PAC would be very upset if I didn’t vote for his developer. It was pretty devastating.”

...in 2010 Alston was accused by Vaughan, then-Mayor Bill Knight and then-Councilman Danny Thompson of using similar tactics as a broker for investors who wanted to build a new downtown hotel...

...Alston flatly denies any threats, implied or otherwise.

"You name me one person that’ll come to me and say that” he said last week.

How about two? Vaughan and Abuzuaiter held fast, even following phone calls from Alston challenging what each had said. “I’m still not going to lie about it,” Abuzuaiter said. “It happened, and I was shaken up by it. Why would I cook something up? I was so upset I called the city attorney.”

Added Vaughan: “I stand by what I said.”


The city tentatively has agreed to sell the center for $490,000, plus to provide a [forgivable] $2 million loan (a sweet deal) to Alston’s clients..."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/allen-johnson-alston-member-of-powerful.html

Highlights of Googling "Skip Alston"

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/highlights-of-googling-alston-and-ruco.html

If Commissioner Alston commingled funds with Real Estate Broker Alston, and Deena Hayes shares the same voting district...?

"Members of the Greensboro City Council say Melvin “Skip” Alston threatened them with a recall election if they reconsider federal bond financing for a luxury hotel in which he has a direct financial interest."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/if-commissioner-alston-commingled-funds.html

Civil Rights Museum / Simkins PAC related links

Yes Weekly on Skip Alston Pressuring City Council Members with the Simkins PAC Endorsement

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/yes-weekly-on-skip-alston-pressuring.html

I believe Yvonne Johnson should have been recused from deliberations and voting on the Civil Rights Museum issue

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-believe-yvonne-johnson-should-have.html

GN&R's Allen Johnson on Skip Alston

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/gn-allen-johnson-on-skip-alston.html

Allen Johnson: "Alston, a member of the powerful Simkins PAC, is not-so-subtly suggesting political payback if they don’t go along with his group’s proposal."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/allen-johnson-alston-member-of-powerful.html

From the City of Greensboro's Internal Audit Division; Civil Rights Museum Financial Review

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/from-city-of-greensboros-internal-audit.html

Dear Steve Bowden, Chairman of the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/dear-steve-bowden-chairman-of-george-c.html

Rhino Times Skip Alston Propaganda Piece; Roy Carroll must be proud

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/12/rhino-times-skip-alston-propaganda.html

Yvonne Johnson, Skip Alston and Robbie's self dealing vote for Skip's $150,000; Simkins PAC and money for family members

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/yvonne-johnson-skip-alston-and-robbies.html

Self-dealing Skip Alston Style?

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/self-dealing-skip-alston-style.html

How to purchase a Simkins PAC endorsement, by Nancy Hoffmann

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-purchase-simkins-pac-endorsement.html

On Robbie Perkins' dishonest campaign flier

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-robbie-perkins-dishonest-campaign.html

How Greensboro, North Carolina Works; Skip Alston, Robbie Perkins, Roy Carroll, Renaissance Center, Simkins PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-greensboro-north-carolina-works.html

Concerned Citizens of Northeast Greensboro; Ralph Johnson / Jim Kee / Robbie Perkins / Skip Alston / Simkins PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/concerned-citizens-of-northeast.html

John Hammer on the Simkins PAC, Purchased Endorsements, and Greensboro's City Council Election results.

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2011/11/john-hammer-on-simkins-pac-purchased.html

The International Civil Rights Museum's 2011 IRS tax form 990 and what looks like a bailout for BB&T and wealthy investors, with what looks like some pretty important unanswered questions

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/05/in-international-civil-rights-museums.html

Zack Matheny Speaks About Simkins PAC “Promise”; Posted by ryan [Shell] on January 15, 2008

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/zack-matheny-speaks-about-simkins-pac.html

If the Simpkins PAC’s Skip Alston and Steve Bowden received $750 from Don Vaughan in 2008...

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2010/10/if-simpkins-pacs-skip-alston-and-steve.html

Zack Matheny Speaks About Simkins PAC “Promise”; Posted by ryan [Shell] on January 15, 2008

"I had a quick face-to-face meeting with Zack Matheny yesterday afternoon which allowed us to talk about everything from jobs to Greensboro politics.

One of the politics questions I asked Matheny had to do with an anonymous letter that referenced a promise everyone indorsed by the Simkins PAC had to make in order to receive the PAC endorsement. The letter said the following,

“The Simkins PAC board members required a promise not to fire Mitch Johnson and to support the civil rights museum in order to receive their endorsement (emphasis mine)… Newcomer Zack Matheny is being coached by Perkins and Wells on how to vote after they get their orders from Jim Melvin.”

My question to Matheny was pretty simple, “Did you make any type of promise to the PAC that Johnson would not be fired and that you would take action to financially help the civil rights museum?”

Without taking anytime to mull over the question he responded by saying “There is no validity to that whatsoever!”

A BB&T, wealthy investor and Carolina Bank bailout for Skip Alston's Civil Rights Museum and the Simpkins PAC

"The International Civil Rights Center & Museum still wants $1.5 million from the city, but it has a new plan for using it.

Museum leaders say city money — $750,000 this year and lesser amounts in the following two years — will help stabilize the struggling 3-year-old facility."

Does more money up front mean the museum is running low on cash and is in dire financial straits, partly caused by Skip Alston's participation?

"City Council members got the details of the museum’s revised request at a series of meetings Thursday."

Back room deals?

John Newsome of the News & Record attended the meeting, along with Skip Alston, Earl Jones etc...

"Council members might vote on the money at their next meeting, which is Aug. 5.

With the city’s help, the museum “will be able to generate enough funding to carry us through this year and the next two,” said Melvin “Skip” Alston, the chairman of the museum’s board of directors and a former Guilford County commissioner. “We just need a little bit of breathing room this year.”

Did Skip pull the Simpkins PAC endorsement extortion in the "series of meetings?

"The museum ...got about 57,000 paying visitors last year, far fewer than the 200,000 its leaders projected. Annual revenues have sagged by more than half..."

Were Skip Alston's attendance projections relatively bogus?

The museum didn't live up to it's goals.

The museum is failing under its current leadership.

"The museum is running a monthly deficit of about $150,000 despite cutting staff to five full-time positions. Alston said loan interest payments and facility depreciation accounts for all but roughly $30,000 per month of that."

BB&T syndicated the museum tax credits for investors.

The tax credits were most likely purchased by wealthy investors and packaged tax credit funds.

"In May, the museum asked the city for $500,000 a year over the next three years to help students come to Greensboro and see the new program. Council members wanted more details about the proposed grant and the museum’s finances, and the request never came to a vote.

Museum leaders laid out their revised request Thursday. Among the details:

The museum wants $750,000 this year, $500,000 in 2014 and $250,000 in 2015.

$100,000 would go toward paying off a loan that comes due next month." [Carolina Bank]

If the investors and BB&T are bailed out by Greensboro's taxpayers, the failed leadership will remain in place.

"...Since 1995, the city has given the museum $975,000 for planning and building repairs."

John Newsome
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If BB&T and wealthy investors are not bailed out and free market capitalism reigns via Greensboro's City Council not continuing to hand out taxpayer money to those who control votes in East Greensboro via Simkins PAC endorsements controlled by Skip and friends, the museum goes under, declares bankruptcy, eliminates the debt and comes out clean without Skip and Simkins involvement/control, which means the museum could most likely survive as viable enterprise.

The Museum has not submitted audited financial statements.

I propose letting the museum go under, let BB&T and the investors take the hit, remove Skip from the equation, and leave behind an ethically clean Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, preferably connected to the City of Greensboro Historical Museum, which should also in part include the Carolina Theater, as the blacks only section still exists above the balcony.

Nancy Vaughan suggested a similar package deal including the Greensboro Science Center.

George Hartzman
https://www.facebook.com/Hartzman
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The International Civil Rights Museum's 2011 IRS tax form 990 and what looks like a bailout for BB&T and wealthy investors, with what looks like some pretty important unanswered questions

Allen Johnson: "Alston, a member of the powerful Simkins PAC, is not-so-subtly suggesting political payback if they don’t go along with his group’s proposal. "

"...Melvin “Skip” Alston’s involvement as a broker for investors seeking to renovate a near-derelict shopping center on Phillips Avenue made citizens in that northeast Greensboro community visibly wary.

Some say they simply don’t trust Alston, the former longtime county commissioner who was known for his hardball politics.

...The city tentatively has chosen clients represented by Alston to resuscitate the center and eventually own it.

Complicating matters are allegations from some City Council members that Alston, a member of the powerful Simkins PAC, is not-so-subtly suggesting political payback if they don’t go along with his group’s proposal.

The PAC endorses local and state candidates, and Alston is one of its leaders. [Treasurer]

“I believe there was the implication that if we didn’t support them there’d be negative consequences in November,” said Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan, who plans to run for mayor. “Those words were not directly used, but they were implied.”

Another council member, Marikay Abuzuaiter, gave a similar account.

“He said I seriously needed to think about voting for the project with his developers because I needed to think about the election in the fall, and the Simkins PAC would be very upset if I didn’t vote for his developer. It was pretty devastating.”

...in 2010 Alston was accused by Vaughan, then-Mayor Bill Knight and then-Councilman Danny Thompson of using similar tactics as a broker for investors who wanted to build a new downtown hotel...

...Alston flatly denies any threats, implied or otherwise.

"You name me one person that’ll come to me and say that” he said last week.

How about two? Vaughan and Abuzuaiter held fast, even following phone calls from Alston challenging what each had said. “I’m still not going to lie about it,” Abuzuaiter said. “It happened, and I was shaken up by it. Why would I cook something up? I was so upset I called the city attorney.”

Added Vaughan: “I stand by what I said.”

The city tentatively has agreed to sell the center for $490,000, plus to provide a [forgivable] $2 million loan (a sweet deal) to Alston’s clients, Renaissance Center of Greensboro, which would in turn renovate the center, lease part of it to the co-op and donate additional space to the community.

Either way, here’s hoping the impasse, and Alston’s overly aggressive tactics, don’t jeopardize prospects for the co-op’s success.

[Alston] should stop threatening people.

Alston reminded a caller last week that he’s not an elected official anymore.

But, make no mistake, he’s still a politician.

Allen Johnson

Another Guilford County Real Estate Metric that does not comport with the County's 2012 Real Estate Tax Revaluation

I received this in the mail at a "Property Update Report" from a Realtor D. J. McGarrigan.

This clearly shows Guilford County "Average Cost Per Square Foot" was lower
in December and January 2012, than December and January 2011.

I have asked for and not received this information request from Guilford County:


"Please provide the electronic edition of the instruction manual
of the computer software
used for 2012's Guilford County real estate tax revaluation."

The following is from a "Letter to the Editor" to the Greensboro News & Record
sent on October 15, that the "Editors" appear unwilling to publish.

Of the 12 North Carolina counties that revalued in 2012, 5, including had a NC State "Sales Ratio" as of January 1, 2011 which indicated real estate tax assessments were overvalued.  Real estate prices fell in Guilford County during 2011.  Rutherford County lost about 12% more than their 2011 Sales Ratio values on 1/1/12, Cabarrus County lost about 5.5% more, New Hanover County lost about 3% more, and Cherokee County's values fell 26%.  Guilford was the only North Carolina county in 2012 whose real estate values were supposed to fall by the state's metric that didn't.  

Residential homes now valued at $250,000+ increased in value by an average of $9,981.20.  Guilford County's 2012-13 proposed budget pre-real estate revaluation included a 9.5 cent tax increase, but instead of falling about or more than 3.72% as the 1/1/11 Sales Ratio and house prices during 2011 suggested, Guilford County's values rose 1.5% and tax rates decreased slightly. 

Both Mecklenburg and Guilford Counties used the same revaluation software, and in May, 2012, Mecklenburg moved to "independently" audit their 2011 Real Estate Revaluation after numerous complaints of over valuation.  Those I spoke with who sell the software.said tax directors/counties interpretations of the reval law vary widely, and that all counties don't incorporate the same information, meaning results may vary.  I implore the News & Record to investigate this information before the Editorial Board publishes endorsements for contested commissioners races. 

George Hartzman

I sent this letter to Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis, Manager Brenda Jones Fox, Budjet Director Michael Halford, Commissioner's Chairman Skip Alston and all commissioners, edpage@news-record.com, Greensboro News & Record News Editor Jeff Gauger, Editorial Page Editor Allen Johnson, Doug Clark, Publisher Robin Saul, Margaret Banks, Amanda Lehmert, Joe Killian, Richard Barron, Travis Fain, the Rhino's Scott Yost and John Hammer, Triad Business Journal's Mark Sutter and Matt Evans, Phil Berger, Alma Adams, John Blust, Marcus Brandon, Pricey Harrison, John Faircloth, Maggie Jeffus, Don Vaughan, Stan Bingham, and Gladys Robinson.

Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis replied with the following:

Ben Chavis Oct 17  

George, 

Mecklenburg used a different software for revaluation from us.   

We do have the same Billing & Collections software as Mecklenburg. 

Ben Chavis
Guilford County Tax Director
336-641-3379

To which I replied and have not received an answer:

Thank you for your response Mr. Chavis; 

Who's software did you use? 

How many other NC counties use the same software? 

Who's software did Meck use? 

Why did residential homes now valued at $250,000+ increased by an average of $9,981.20? 

I have asked the county for the instruction manual of the software you used, and it has not been provided. 

Of all the possible information that could have been included in the revaluation assessment, what was included, what wasn't and why? 

How different is the data used by Guilford County, to the other NC counties that revalued this year? 

Why won't the county detail the home sales that were not included? 

How many distressed home sales were counted for real estate below $250,000, compared to above? 

What variable broad based assumptions are included in the reval software? 

Is the software issue the only issue/fact with which you disagree? 

What data points could have been utilized but were not? 

How did Guilford County go from a 9.5 cent tax increase to a tax decrease?

By the way:

Mr. Hartzman,

Here are the NC counties that currently use the NCPTS software:

Wake
Wayne
Pitt
Harnett
Guilford
Orange
Randolph
Catawba
Mecklenburg
Henderson

Please let me know If you have any questions.

Judy Rhyne
NCACC

The following graph from UNCG's Don Jud looks like the one above.

http://www.uncg.edu/bae/cber/tbi/apr12/index.htm
Sixth Graph Down

This is me explaining this, again.




Our local news outlets and elected officials appear to be unwilling to investigate and/or report news that may directly effect a great deal of Guilford County homeowners.

Amanda Lehmert and Joe Killian have received contact information for the expert who looked into the raw data provided by Guilford County and have chosen to not follow up.

If Guilford County residents vote in commissioner races, while this information remains investigation by our local press, I believe the outcome of the election will have been manipulated by the Rhino Times and the Greensboro News & Record.

Please contact Guilford County, your elected representatives and our unaccountable press for answers.

Simkins PAC is in Bed with Action Greensboro Illegally

The George C Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee 3rd Quarter reports reveals a relationship that behind the scenes has been talked about but now is there for all to see .

To see the 3rd quarter report click on the title above or CLICKHERE , then click on the Simkins PAC then proceed to the report.

The treasurer for the Simkins PAC is non other than Melvin "Skip" Alston Guilford County Commissioner as reported in TRIADWATCH, Mr. Alston needs to understand North Carolina Laws and how they work in regards to campaign contributions.

If you can see the 3rd quarter report it shows that Action Greensboro gave $5,000 to the Simkins PAC.

Action Greensboro is a member of the
Greensboro Partnership, and is united
with Greensboro Economic Development
Alliance and the Greensboro
Chamber of Commerce to form
a more powerful, unified voice
for economic development, urban
livability, and business growth.

Under North Carolina General Statute

§ 163‑278.19. Violations by corporations, business entities, labor unions, professional associations and insurance companies.
(a) Except as provided in subsections (a2), (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this section it shall be unlawful for any corporation, business entity, labor union, professional association or insurance company directly or indirectly:
(1) To make any contribution to a candidate or political committee or to make any expenditure to support or oppose the nomination or election of a clearly identified candidate;
(2) To pay or use or offer, consent or agree to pay or use any of its money or property for any contribution to a candidate or political committee or for any expenditure to support or oppose the nomination or election of a clearly identified candidate; or
(3) To compensate, reimburse, or indemnify any person or individual for money or property so used or for any contribution or expenditure so made
________________________________________________________

The Action Greensboro $5,000 contribution to the Simkins PAC was reported under line 6 which is contributions from indviduals. Please explain how Action Greensboro is a contribution from a indvidual? It is also illegal for a professional association, corporation or business entity to contribute to a political committee. Please explain how Action Greensboro gave $5,000 to the Simkins PAC?Action Greensboro is a 501c-3 organization, can a not for-profit organization give to a PAC?It is also a limit of $4,000 to give to a North Carolina registered PAC, How can Action Greensboro give $5,000. These are the questions that need to get answered.

TRIADWATCH will be sending a letter to the North Carolina Board of Election on this issue and to see the legalities of this contribution to this Political Action Committee.

This cozy relationship between 2 powerbrokers in Guilford County has been talked about for a long time but to see Action Greensboro give money to the Simkins PAC either by mistake or out in the open for everyone to see, shows all the citizens of Guilford County the foxes who are guarding the hen house.

__________________________________________________

3 other post on this issue

Guarino CLICKHERE
Hogg's Blog CLICKHERE
Billy the Blogging Poet CLICKHERE

_______________________________________________________

UPDATE,
A letter has been sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections on 11-14-08 to answer questions on this questionable contribution of Action Greensboro to the Simkins PAC.

Who Are The Usual Suspects on The Greensboro Downtown Consolidated Plan Core Group?

Donald Patterson from the Greensboro News & Record has a article on September 7, 2009 with a title."Plan Will Set Priorities for Downtown" CLICKHERE . In the article this was said"The group is working through a 15-member team that includes Mayor Yvonne Johnson and Melvin “Skip” Alston, chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners"

Below the fold you will see the list of who is actually on this 15 member Downtown Greensboro Colsolidated Plan Core Group ,with a slew of the "USUAL SUSPECTS" on this core 15 member group. Could we just rename the City of Greensboro, BRYANBORO or MELVINBORO or SIMKINSBORO and be done with it. It is also nice to see that the most politically connected developer in town gets a prime seat on this core group in Roy"Can I Offer You A Plane Ride" Carroll.

________________________________________________________

Downtown Consolidated Plan Core Group:

The Core Group will be responsible for managing and directing the planning process. Members represent major economic stakeholders will thoroughly examine and develop specific draft proposals and recommendations. The group will also serve to lead advocacy efforts to implement projects from the plan into the future. The Core Group will generally meet on a monthly basis.

DGI Staff - Ed Wolverton
City Planning - Dick Hails
Elected Official (City) – Mayor Yvonne Johnson
Elected Official (County) – Skip Alston
Professional – John McClendon
Bryan Foundation - Ed Kitchen
DGI Chairman - Michael Schiftan
Property Owner – Roy Carroll
Community – Ralph Johnson , on the Greensboro Zoning Commission Board
Moses Cone Hospital – Mike Roskelly
VF Corporation – Frank Terkelson
Downtown Resident – Afrique Kilimanjaro, Carolina Peacemaker
Action Greensboro - April Harris
County Planning – Les Eger
City Manager/Econ. Development – Andy Scott
Neighborhood – Mac Sims , East Market Street Development

Support Staff:
Action Greensboro - Cecelia Thompson
City Planning - Mary Sertell
City Planning – Mike Kirkman
GDOT – Adam Fischer

In addition to the Core Committee, the Downtown Consolidated Plan will involve a larger (30+) Advisory Committee representing an expanded list of downtown related interests.

There will also be multiple community meetings (with direct mailings to all downtown property owners and other advertising means) and potentially some smaller focus groups addressing specific downtown interests or geographic areas.

The development of the Downtown Consolidated Plan was authorized earlier this year through resolutions adopted by both the City of Greensboro and Guilford County. Additional suggestions on public involvement for this process are welcomed. Additional questions may be addressed to Dick Hails (373-2922), Mike Kirkman (373-4649) or Mary Sertell (373-4769).

This information below the fold was sent to me from Cindy Briggs in Public Affairs Department for City of Greensboro with a Freedom of Information Act request for this information.

Action Greensboro Did Give Illegally to the Simkins Political Action Committee

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has came down with a ruling in the inquiry from Keith Brown to the campaign contribution of $5,000 from Action Greensboro to the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee.

To see the official letter from the State Board of Elections click on the title above or CLICKHERE

To understand the history of this issue Triadwatch has a post back on January 25, 2009 called "Letter of Inquiry to the State Board of Elections on Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro" CLICKHERE

Here are a few of the questions that were sent to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

#1 Is the maximum contribution $4,000 per cycle?

YES

The Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro violated North Carolina General Statute 163-278.13 where the maximum amount that can be given is $4,000 per cycle.

#2 Can a 501(c)3 non profit organization like Action Greensboro give to a PAC?

NO

Action Greensboro was in violation of North Carolina General Statute 163-278.19 because Action Greensboro is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 group and therefore is prohibited from making contributions to political action committees registered in the State of North Carolina. The next letter of inquiry should be to the Internal Revenue Service.

What happened to the $5,000 given to the Simkins PAC?

The state board concluded that this money was considered a prohibited receipt and would need to forfeit the contribution to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

On March 6, 2009 a check in the amount of $5,000 was given to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund by none other than Melvin "Skip" Alston, the treasurer of the Simkins PAC and also chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissions and local lawyer R. Steve Bowden name was also on the letter from the state.

As reported in the past on Triadwatch, Skip Alston has his own link CLICKHERE , where you can see from past post that the Simkins PAC might need to hire another treasurer because he doesn't have a clue on campaign law or lately he doesn't have a clue on open meetings law as well.

This campaign contribution from Action Greensboro brings up a whole lot of issues that have been talked about in the past and need to be looked at more closely in the future.

Here is a good post on Joe Guarino's blog where Skip Moore from the Weaver Foundation and a member of Action Greensboro wanted to cover his you know what on this $5,000 contribution, here is the link CLICKHERE with a title "Action Greensboro's Pay to Play".

Campaign laws in this state are pretty clear and the total lax reporting of our local Guilford County politicians in regards to campaign contributions need a complete overhaul. The Greensboro municipal elections are coming up in fall and I would like to suggest to all of them to clean up their reports and make sure you are following state law or it will get reported and brought to the attention of our local board or in the case of the Action Greensboro, illegal contribution to the George Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee it will need to go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

This is citizen journalism at it's best.

Update: Local Post
Greensboro News and Record article CLICKHERE
Joe Guarino's Blog CLICKHERE
FEC CLICKHERE
Spag Report CLICKHERE
Yes! Weekly CLICKHERE
Piedmont Publius CLICKHERE
Tony Wilkins CLICKHERE
Greensboro Metro CLICKHERE

Simkins PAC Fourth Quarter Campaign Contributions Are In

The George Simkins Political Action Committee Fourth Quarter campaign forms are reported with a total of $4,500 coming from 3 people. To see the returns click on the title above or CLICKHERE then go to fourth quarter.



Contributions from individual came from one person


Charles T. Hagan Jr. gave $2,500 with the usual missing report about job title and employers name from treasurer and Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston

Committee Contributions



Citizens for John Parks gave $1,000 who is a Guilford County Commissioner



Cowell for Treasurer gave $1,000 N.C. State Treasurer



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UPDATE: There is a letter that was sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections on the status of the George Simkins PAC third quarter returns which uncovered contributions made from Action Greensboro $5,000 and to find out how a non profit can give money to this Political Action Committee, and other discrepancies in their filings.

If you would like to see the other post on this issue CLICKHERE