Steve Gidaro (aka Steve Guidero) is a land speculator who makes a lot of money buying options on prime ag land and convincing elected officials to let him rezone it to housing. He has a great financial stake in the decisions elected officials make throughout the region. We first learned about him in his devious attempt to influence the March 2004 Davis City Council Election (see below). Now we see him controlling the Shriners Hospital and Mace Gateway sites on Covell and Mace Blvds in Davis, the 17300 acre Conaway ranch and a number of other possible developments in Yolo County. Please help us keep track of what Mr. Gidaro and his associates are doing. Unfortunately, his history here in Davis should warn us that he is sneaky, cunning, hires lawyers who misspell his name, misses deadlines for election filings, and has his own best financial interest as his top most priority. If you find information about his shenanigans, please send them to me and we will keep track of it here. Kevin Wolf
Why I Support Covell Village
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Land Speculation in DavisWhy does Sacramento developer Steve Gidaro bankroll anti-Covell Village "No on X" politicians in Davis? It's pretty simple, really. If "No on X" wins, and the voters don't put Covell Village back in the Davis General Plan -- where it was and where it belongs -- Gidaro hopes to use that housing allocation for his own sprawling, 800-acre project, Mace Gateway, on the outskirts of the city. If Measure X passes, Davis will meet its housing goals through 2017, and Gidaro won't be able to get his project approved for a long time. He'll lose a bundle on his land speculation bet. So even though Gidaro's candidates lost the last election, he's still getting help in his overall plan to rezone his farmland to the west and north of Davis into massive new housing tracts. And if Gidaro’s funds can't influence enough politicians to get his way, he's not afraid to recall them, according to Supervisor Mariko Yamada. Or Gidara and other developers around Davis will do what North Natomas land speculators almost did when they considered running an initiative to rezone 9000 acres of farmland there to development to fund a new Kings Arena. An initiative would take the place of a vote required by Measure J, which sunsets in 2010 by the way. The longer as no-growth politics prevail in Davis, more voters (e.g. renters, first time home buyers) benefit from fast new growth. If you want to learn more about the power Gidaro can have on an elected body, read more about his recent successful effort to get the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to rezone 100 acres of farmland into 3 acre lots. |
City denies new ag land project Developer Appeals Decision |
Steve Gidaro (aka Steve Guidero) and his 5G Consulting company attempted to influence the March 2004 Davis City Council election through the spending of $20,000 plus as an independent expenditure committee. This page will provide links to relevant material to document for history his exploits in Davis. We hope that if he ever does this to another election in another town, that local citizen activists will find this website by searching under his real name or pseudonyms and learn how we turned back his efforts. Both the candidates on whom he spent the vast majority of the money trying to help elect lost by significant numbers. His efforts backfired in Davis. We hope they they aren't successful in other locations either. If he or his associated companies or partners attempt to do this in your area, send us the information, newspaper stories etc and we will post them here. We encourage Mr. Gidaro to reconsider his efforts to meddle with democracy and his business practices that convert prime ag land or habitat into housing tracts. Kevin Wolf |
Campaign Disclosure Notice of Independent Expenditures Complaint filed with FPPC Out of town developer trying to steal Davis election Firm secretly spends $21,000 on candidates Update on Davis Election Hijacking - Help call off the developer's Get Out the Vote Drive Residents asked to fight back Officials rap 'corrupt' vote Election loophole reviewed Latest breaking news on the attempt to hijack the Davis election Amendment to Complaint |
As court date nears, battle begins for hearts and minds of Yolo voters Veto Deals Yolo a blow on Conaway Veto aids developer in dispute over land Governor Lobbied By Foes, Supporters of JPA Legislation Conaway hearing set for November 1 Controversial Conoway Supes come out swinging for Conaway Here’s the Real Debate Over Conaway Ranch Conaway Ranch sale sparks fear it will be sold down the river; Steve Gidaro says he wants to protect the bucolic Yolo County farmland he bought with other investors. Local officials have doubts Letter to the Sacramento Bee - Kevin WolfCovell Village is Protection Against Gidaro's Development Plans Gidarao Wins Sacramento Support for Stupid Sprawl Yolo County supervisors are right not to trust Steve Gidaro. |