Garofalo at a glance

Here’s what we know so far. In all cases, Huntington Beach Mayor Dave

Garofalo has denied any wrongdoing and said he’s consistently followed

the advice of the city attorney regarding any potential conflicts of

interest.

* Garofalo’s company has had the no-bid contract to publish the

city-funded Huntington Beach Conference & Visitor’s Bureau annual guide

since 1993. The bureau pays nothing up front to Garofalo, but his

business keeps all the profits. The arrangement could a violate state law

that prohibits city employees from benefiting from city business.

* Garofalo’s company received a $2,995 advertising check from

Commercial Investment Management Group for an ad in the visitors guide,

and four months later he voted to push forward the Downtown developer’s

$46-million project. A CIM executive said Garofalo personally solicited

the ad. Garofalo said the check was immediately deposited into the

account of a company he doesn’t own.

* Garofalo voted at least 87 times on issues involving his advertisers

in either the Local News or the visitors guide. All 87 times he voted in

their favor. City Atty. Gail Hutton has advised Garofalo that he should

abstain from voting when his advertisers come before the council, which

excludes the mayor from voting on many, if not all, major issues. At the

last City Council meeting, he abstained from five of 24 votes due to

potential conflicts.

* Garofalo’s company has had the contract to publish the Chamber of

Commerce’s Business Directory since 1996, a year after he started his

first term as a Huntington Beach councilman. The chamber receives a fee

and copies of the directory, which includes a community overview. In

exchange, Garofalo’s business gets to keep all the profits from

advertising. Advertisers include Rainbow Disposal Co. Inc., which has an

exclusive trash contract with the city; Time Warner Communications, which

has the city’s exclusive cable franchise; and New Urban West, a developer

that’s building 53 homes next to the Bolsa Chica wetlands. There is some

debate as to whether Garofalo still holds the contract.

* Garofalo secured a home in the city’s new St. Augustine tract after

voting numerous times to approve various stages of the project. Garofalo

said he bought the home, using cash from a friend, for $565,000 and sold

it to that same friend for $635,596 three days later. Garofalo said he

made $1 on the deal after upgrades. Garofalo has refused to say whether

he competed in a lottery as other home buyers did.

* Contrary to Garofalo’s previous assertion to state officials that

his role in the visitors guide involved only “non-sales issues” -- such

as “mechanical and technical aspects of publishing” -- he personally sold

ads in the 2000 visitors guide. At least one advertiser said he gave

Garofalo cash on the spot for a partial payment.

* Hutton has said she plans to send information about Garofalo’s

alleged conflicts of interests to the Fair Political Practices

Commission. Her office will conduct an investigation of alleged

violations of a state law prohibiting public officials from profiting

from government contracts.