RSM Councilman Beall Attacks Resident AGAIN
Long-time RSM city councilman Tony Beall has gone on another long-winded and unhinged rant about me on Facebook. I’ll break them down in chunks here, but his gaslighting is pretty amazing to watch. I’m not sure that he actually wants to go “ON THE RECORD” as he stated, but let’s break it down in chunks, I’ll do this as screenshots of his post and then a link and full copy/paste at the end with the text. Note that I will provide links and screenshots to support what I am saying, which Beall never does, he just makes outlandish statements and expects you to believe them.
Again with the two-time failed candidate, as though that means something. Everything he says in that paragraph is a lie, it isn’t even worth taking line by line because all of it is a fabrication, every last word of it after the word “Watchdog”. It is breathtaking to watch the stunning abuse of power by this man.
I have never said that RSM City Council Members are entitled to receive a pension if you look at the city website it clearly has a column for “Pension”. I did talk to one former city councilman and he also told me they get a pension.
First, I’ve never claimed anything about spiking a pension, I don’t even know what that means frankly, but as we saw above, the city lists a pension cost. At this point, Tony is just playing word games and he is leaving out the value of the monthly health benefit, which is about $19,000 a year and most or all of the council members put that in another account for retirement or deferred salary. There are lots of words you can use for money when you retire and regular people tend to lump those things together. What Tony is doing here is what he always does, which is Bill Clinton level word parsing.
I have said it is my belief he supports a rezone, I don’t believe I’ve ever said that he specifically supports high-density housing, and I’ve never claimed he has made that statement, here we are at Clinton deflection and parsing again. What is interesting is that in 3 ½ years or so of being asked for a position on the rezone, he said he couldn’t comment, but now he can suddenly comment after the plans have been submitted? He approved the rezoning of the old “bull lot” into the Dahlia Court high-density housing project a few years ago, so he can’t be that worried. Also note that he says he is “opposed”, not that he would never vote for a rezone. This again is careful word parsing because what he can do later when the owners have forced the center to be empty is say that while he is opposed, there are no other good options and the state is pushing for high-density housing. You always have to look for the nuance and wiggle words with Tony, he’s a lawyer.
This is 100% fabrication on the part of Tony, a total lie, every word about it is a lie. I’ve never said any of those words and I don’t have “supporters” that I’m aware of, just thousands of people in town that agree that Tony is a blight on this city and all of Orange County.
I’ve never said that his law firm represents any of those agencies or that Tony is buddies with any of them. Note however the nuance, he says “personal relationship”, so that leaves open the possibility of other relationships. Tony didn’t knock out this missive in 2 minutes, every word was carefully considered, so you need to carefully consider his words as you read it. I don’t know who his political opponents are, I’m certainly not one, I’m a citizen activist that is looking out for the community. I never said Tonys firm Troutman represents the TCA, I don’t know if anyone else has falsely said that, but I only speak for myself. In the interest of full disclosure though, Tony has earned about $30,000 going to TCA board meetings. I have copies of all the payments if anyone is interested.
I am not aware of a single instance of anyone saying that his law firm Troutman represents the TCA in other states, as Tony correctly notes, there is no such thing as the TCA in other states.
Again, I don’t know who these political opponents are. I’m not sure what he is on about here if there is building then DIF is paid to the city which is paid to the TCA. Maybe Tony can answer why some of his fellow city councilmembers were unaware of the DIF despite you attending those meetings for a decade and reporting back. They didn’t know about them until I told them. You can see all the DIF fee schedules here.
The TCA has spent $6 billion over the last 20 years and hasn’t built anything. That is what your DIF fees are supposed to pay, the financial problems with the TCA are a whole other topic. No one ever claimed DIF fees are being paid to him or his law firm, if he is so interested in facts, then he should post those claims, but he can’t, because he is just making it all up out of whole cloth again. The potential conflict is that his law firm represents toll road agencies in other states, as you can see in this story and as a partner, Tony receives financial benefit for that work. Is it a conflict? Possibly. I’d be happy to have an independent government agency evaluate the relationships for potential conflict and if Tony is being honest, he would request it. One of Troutman's managing partners has been involved in Georgia with the Governor on transportation matters (Toll Roads). Tony profits off of the survival of toll roads. His firm is very active in constructing contracts between states and toll road agencies. Again, is it a conflict? Maybe, let’s get an outside arbiter to decide.
Now, to continue…
Well, Tony is retiring, that’s news to me, I’ll be glad to see him go and I can guess who the anointed successor will be, but going to his other points. My antics have cost the city and taxpayers over $10,000? Really? Back that up Tony, let’s see the bill. Oh wait, you can’t back it up because you are making it up. Again Tony, it doesn’t matter how often you try to make me the boogeyman, I’m not behind the recall, it isn’t my recall and always trying to give me the credit is an insult to the people who have done the hard work on it so far, but you just can’t seem to wrap your head around the fact that so many people despise you. Tony didn’t care about cost when he helped recall 7 Capo Unified School District supervisors and got over a $600,000 settlement from the school district, which he kept six figures of. YOU are the one that is dividing the city, YOU are the one that is attacking residents from the dais, and I’m not the only one you’ve done it to. YOU can save all this grief and expense by retiring now — it will heal the city, it will save money, it will allow you to save face instead of ending your near 20 years in office with a humiliating recall. This also gives you the chance to help hand pick your successor. Step down now Tony before you beclown yourself even further.
https://www.facebook.com/tony.beall.5/posts/2513512222060884
Tony Beall, October 22, 2019
ATTENTION RSM RESIDENTS (ESPECIALLY DOVE CANYON RESIDENTS):
If you love living in RSM please watch/listen to this video in which all five members of your RSM City Council set the record straight and warn residents ON THE RECORD during our most recent council meeting about the disturbing political situation currently unfolding in your city. Please SHARE.
What is going on?
SHAWN GORDON — a two-time failed candidate for RSM City Council, who has now anointed himself the “RSM Government Watchdog,” is working with a small group of individuals (primarily special interests from outside RSM) to sow the seeds of dissension and division into our planned community. For many weeks now, Mr. Gordon has repeatedly attacked and harassed the majority of your City Council members, our City Manager, City Clerk and other staff members — even our family members and our places of employment. Now, in a transparent effort to further his own selfish political agenda, he is attempting to launch a recall campaign to remove me from your City Council — and he is doing so by making slanderous, bold-faced lies about me and our great city…
…and he is intentionally trying to deceive you.
RSM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT RECEIVE A PENSION.
Mr. Gordon claims that RSM City Council Members are entitled to receive a pension.
That is FALSE.
RSM City Council members do not receive a pension related to their service on the RSM City Council. None of our former council members are receiving a pension today — and none of the current members of our RSM City Council will be entitled to receive a pension when they complete their service to our city.
Mr. Gordon claims that I voted twice to spike my City pension.
That is FALSE.
As described above — your RSM City Council members are not entitled to receive a pension. Obviously, I could never have voted in favor of “spiking my city pension” — because I do not have a city pension.
RSM Residents should know that in reality, in 2006, I voted with the rest of your city council members to prohibit and exclude any RSM City Council member from ever receiving a city pension!
RSM City Council Members only have access to a 457 retirement savings plan — which is similar to a 401K plan that folks are familiar with in a private business setting. Your City Council members may elect to deposit into a 457 savings plan their monthly stipend (approximately $460) and any unused monthly health benefit allowance. In addition, the City is required by law to deposit approximately $60 per month into each council member’s 457 savings plan in lieu of social security.
All of this compensation information has been published for years on our city website.
In our city’s most recent citizen satisfaction survey (completed in 2012), more than seven in ten RSM Residents (72%) approved the above described compensation payable to RSM City Council members.
PROPOSED RE-ZONING OF DOVE CANYON SHOPPING CENTER.
Mr. Gordon claims that I support high density residential development at the Dove Canyon Plaza Shopping Center.
That is FALSE.
I have never made such a statement — never!
I am opposed to any zone change or general plan amendment that would result in the construction of any residential housing at the Dove Canyon Plaza or anywhere in the Plano Trabuco/Dove Canyon Drive corridor area.
To be clear — I am opposed to the construction of any more residential housing in this area (whether high density or medium density). I’m primarily opposed because I believe this particular area of our City already suffers from significant ingress/egress, parking and circulation challenges. I am also deeply concerned about the negative impact such a zone change would have upon our business community.
BOGUS ALLEGED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
Mr. Gordon and his few supporters claim I have a conflict of interest because my law firm represents the owners of the Dove Canyon Plaza Shopping Center — and they’ve stated I want to provide “sweetheart deals in Dove Canyon for [my] buddies…”
That is FALSE.
My law firm does not represent the owners of the Dove Canyon Shopping Center — we do not represent the William Lyon Company nor Raintree Investment Corporation. The owners of the Dove Canyon Shopping Center are not my “buddies” — I have no personal relationship with anyone associated with those companies.
My political opponents claim I have a conflict of interest because I am our city’s representative on the TCA (the toll road agency) and my law firm represents the TCA.
That is FALSE.
My law firm does not represent the TCA.
My political opponents claim I have a conflict of interest because my law firm “represents the TCA in other states.”
That is FALSE.
My law firm does not represent the TCA in other states — in fact, there is no such thing as the TCA in other states.
The TCA is a special governmental organization (e.g. a joint powers authority) formed more than 30 years ago among the County or Orange and most Orange County cities solely for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing and operating the toll road system in Orange County, California. The TCA does not exist or operate in other states — and is not related in any manner to any other toll road agency that may exist in any other state.
My political opponents claim I have a conflict of interest because development impact fees (DIFs) would be payable to the TCA in the event the proposed Dove Canyon Plaza rezoning was approved and new building permits issued.
That is FALSE.
DIFs are payable when building permits for any new residential or commercial construction are issued anywhere in South Orange County. DIFs are payable to help pay for infrastructure, including the toll roads, the new construction will require.
None of the DIF payments are payable to me or my law firm — or to any of the other 30 city and county representatives who serve with me on the TCA Board.
I have no conflict of interest. Period.
DANGER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
My wife and I celebrate our 32ND Anniversary this year — and for 30 years, as the parents of four children, we’ve been proud to call Rancho Santa Margarita home.
I’m proud to serve on your RSM City Council — I have served as your Mayor five times. Over the past 15 years, there is no person in this City that has fought harder to protect, preserve and enhance our master planned community than I have. I am not beholden to any person or any special interest — my only allegiance is to you, the residents of Rancho Santa Margarita — as has always been the case.
My current term of office expires next year in 2020 — and I am not running for re-election. I will retire at the end of my term.
Recall campaigns are bitter and divisive — they carry on for many months and can tear a city apart. It can take years for a community to heal.
Mr. Gordon’s antics have already cost your city and taxpayers more than $10,000 — and a recall campaign and special election would likely cost your city and taxpayers in excess of another $200,000 — a needless expense.
Keep in mind, even if Mr. Gordon’s recall was successfully completed (which is highly unlikely), that would not occur until mid-2020 (at the earliest) — just a few short months before I’m already leaving office in November 2020 when my term ends.
Our community deserves better. You deserve better.
I respectfully ask for your continued support. Please let me know if you have any questions.
PLEASE SHARE
