Mercury News editorial: M8trix casino charges are no surprise
Guilt has yet to be proven, but the accusations revealed Thursday against Casino M8trix by California Attorney General Kamala Harris are no surprise. From the start, the San Jose card room's baroque corporate structure alarmed authorities because they couldn't figure out how to follow the money.
Now Harris essentially says it was a shell game to hide tens of millions in profits and avoid several million in required payments to a nonprofit agency that treats gambling addiction. More may come out at a state gambling commission hearing May 29.
M8trix owners always have ...
Mercury News: Casino M8trix charged with hiding profits, could lose license
By: Mark Gomez
SAN JOSE -- Casino M8trix is facing an accusation by the state Attorney General of hiding millions of dollars in profits to avoid making required payments to a non-profit organization, a claim that may threaten to close the doors of the gambling establishment, according to a city official.
The state Attorney General's Office filed a report on May 2 that accuses the casino of "engaging in a shell game with tens of millions of dollars to avoid making legal required payments under a settlement agreement with city and likely to avoid federal and state tax ...
NBC Bay Area: Liccardo: Close Casino M8trix Unless It Pays Millions Owed to City of San Jose
San Jose City Councilman Sam Liccardo said Wednesday that Casino M8trix cardroom has hidden tens of millions in profits and he called for the city to close the club down if it does not pay millions Liccardo said it owes under city agreements.
Liccardo claims that an investigation by the California Attorney General into Casino M8trix concluded its operators engaged in a "shell game" to hide $66.5 million in profits from taxation and regulatory oversight.
The attorney general's office has sought to revoke Casino M8trix's gaming license and the city should do the same, ...
KTVU: Casino M8trix accused of hiding profits to avoid paying out to charity
By: Robert Handa
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A legal fight is brewing that could threaten the future of San Jose’s huge gambling complex, Casino M8trix.
Sources at City Hall tell KTVU the California Attorney General Kamala Harris filed a complaint against the casino accusing it of lying about profits to avoid paying a mandated percentage to a local charity.
The casino agreed to pay 5.15 percent of net profits to AACI, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, to fund gambling addiction programs as part of its 2009 deal with the city to operate.
But sources tell ...
Ballots have arrived
This election will be historically important for San José. That’s why I hope you will consider a candidate with a detailed plan for how to make San José safer, restore city services and broaden opportunity.
The Mercury News has endorsed me for mayor, saying “In a field of five to succeed Chuck Reed, Liccardo is by far the most thoughtful, creative and capable of lifting the city beyond its fiscal limitations to thrive as the urban heart of Silicon Valley. In fact, he wrote the book.”
That book is available for you to read online here. Take a look and let ...
Coverage of Last Night’s Affordable Housing Debate
Coverage of last night's debate on affordable housing in San José. I appreciated the chance to discuss the initiatives I've crafted to increase the stock of affordable housing and the importance of smart development.
KTVU coverage of the debate can be found here.
Mercury News editorial: Sam Liccardo for San Jose mayor
Mercury News Editorial
Sam Liccardo is the best choice for mayor of San Jose.
In a field of five to succeed Chuck Reed, Liccardo is by far the most thoughtful, creative and capable of lifting the city beyond its fiscal limitations to thrive as the urban heart of Silicon Valley.
In fact, he wrote the book.
Following the example of David Pandori, a strong contender in the 2006 mayor's race, Liccardo has written about his plans and ideas on his web site and will distribute a paper version. Political operatives mock the strategy; voters want sound bites, not ...
NEW TV AD: Watch Sam’s New Ad on Making Government More Efficient
San José, CA – City Councilman Sam Liccardo today released his first TV spot of the mayoral campaign, focusing on making government more efficient, saving taxpayer dollars so we can improve safety and create jobs.
“We know that we need to be smarter about how we spend taxpayer dollars so that we don’t burden our kids with huge amounts of debt,” said Liccardo. “I’m focused on making government more innovative so we can do more without having to tax more or borrow more.”
The commercial, titled “The Tab,” began airing on cable TV in San José today. ...
Mercury News: San Jose fire 911 response times getting worse, fixes sought
By Mike Rosenberg
Already heavily fined for consistently showing up late to 911 medical calls, the San Jose Fire Department said Wednesday that its response times for other types of emergencies are also too slow -- and that the problem is getting worse.
Interim fire Chief Ruben Torres says the department for the year ending in June responded on time to about 72 percent of all emergencies -- from structure and vehicle fires to heart attacks and creek rescues. The city's goal is 80 percent.
What's more, from July to March, the on-time response rate dropped to 65 ...
On Earth Day Sierra Club Endorses Sam Liccardo for Mayor
Organization Cites His Continuing Commitment to Innovative Solutions that Protect the Environment and Improve the Quality of Life for Residents
San José, CA – The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter has become the second major environmental organization to endorse Sam Liccardo for mayor of San José. As San José celebrated Earth Day, the group noted Sam’s work to improve public spaces, promote the green economy and push the development of alternative forms of transportation.
“San José deserves a mayor who will be a true leader on critical environmental issues. Sam ...