It goes deeper than the son of councilman Robbie Waters.

Sacramento’s leadership is facing another go-around with the Natomas Flood Basin and illegal permits for more homes to be built to favor developers and their campaign contributions, as well as Sacramento politicians and a higher rate of tax revenue. The scandal was broken by the Sacramento Bee this week.

Here is the behind the scenes connections; follow the money folks. 

Dan Waters over-rode the computer system that allowed Hovnanian homes building permits in Natomas where all new building was banned by FEMA due to the flooding issues.

Currently Hovnanian is being sued by previous homeowners for shoddy contruction.  Now some of the owners of the homes in question are wondering if their homes are going to be worth anything if indeed the permits were invalid?  I smell a lawsuit right quick. Waters is now on paid administrative leave from the city.

I cannot find any money coming from Hovnanian to Councilman Waters except this very large link.  Waters’ finance manager, Greg Thatch, is also the attorney for Hovnanian Homes and… has been the attorney of record for every major home builder in North Natomas for a many years.  So lets back up and see what has transpired in Natomas over the years.

1.  Congresswoman Doris Matsui and her deceased husband Congressman Robert Matsui were  partners in the Greenbrier Development in Natomas headed by AKT Developments.  Aka Angelo Tsakopoulos.  One of the biggest developers in Sacramento and has given thousands of dollars to the Matsui’s over the years.  The Matsui’s have got the federal government to spend million of dollars in flood and levy work to allow developers to profit form building homes.

2.  City Planning Commission on November 8 voted 5-3 to recommend that the City Council deny this project. They had concerns about the location, the timing and specific design features of the project. (Sacramento Bee 11/10/07).  Both LAFCo and the City have used unprecedent procedures to accelerate this project and exempt it from the normal sphere of influence and general plan processes.

3.  The primary beneficiary and proponent for the project is AKT Development/Angelo Tsakopoulos who is a politically influential developer and political patron. He, his family, employees and contractors have given thousands of dollars of campaign contributions to the region’s decisionmakers over the last decade.

AKT Campaign Contributions to Greenbriar Decisionmakers Source: Secretary of State, Campaign Finance, http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees

Councilmember Rob Fong, City of Sacramento AKT, $750, 6/25/03 AKT, $2500, 10/23/02 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 3/01/04

Councilmember Steve Miklos, City of Folsom AKT, $150, 7/12/06 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $150, 7/12/06  Alexandra Tsakopoulos, $150, 7/12/06 Katina Tsakopoulos, $150, 7/12/06 Sofia Tsakopoulos, $150, 7/12/06

Susan Peters, Sacramento County Supervisor AKT, $500, 10/21/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, $500, 10/21/03

Jimmie Yee, Sacramento County Supervisor AKT, $250, 1/05/07 Eleni Tsakapolous-Kounalakis, $500, 2/21/06 Sofia Tsakapolous, $500, 2/21/06

Gay Jones, Metropolitan Fire District AKT, $1000, 11/01/04 Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, $1000, 11/01/04

Linda Budge, City of Rancho Cordova, Alternate AKT, $2500, 10/3/06

Roberta MacGlashan, County of Sacramento, Alternate AKT, $500, 10/23/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $500, 10/23/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $250, 9/23/03

Kevin McCarty, Alternate AKT, $750, 11/20/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 11/20/03

Mayor Heather Fargo AKT, $2000, 1/24/01

Councilmember Ray Tretheway AKT, $750, 3/05/01 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $800, 12/11/06 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 2/28/01

Councilmember Sandy Sheedy AKT, $800, 12/29/06 AKT, $750, 2/2/04 AKT, $950, 2/24/00  AKT, $950, 10/30/00 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $800, 12/29/06 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $250, 2/5/04 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $500, 5/30/01

Councilmember Steve Cohn AKT, $500, 9/29/05 AKT, $300, 4/04/06 AKT, $750, 11/04/04 AKT, $1000, 11/30/00 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $500, 9/26/05 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $300, 4/07/06

Councilmember Rob Fong AKT, $750, 6/25/03 AKT, $2500, 10/23/02 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 3/01/04

Councilmember Lauren Hammond AKT, $800, 12/06/05 AKT, $6400, 9/30/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $800, 12/06/05

Councilmember Kevin McCarty AKT, $750, 11/20/03 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 11/20/03

Councilmember Bonnie Pannell AKT, $250, 2/2/04 AKT, $1000, 12/13/00 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, 2/28/06, $500 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, 1/29/04, $250

Councilmember Robby Waters AKT, $750, 9/20/05 Eleni Tsakopoulos–Kounalakis, $750, 9/19/05

This is the city council that over-rode their own planning commission that allowed all the development into Natomas that included the Hovnanian Development.  Throw in Greg Thatch who has been a huge contributor to Doris Matsui and you can quickly see who has been scratching each others back to get this whole area developed. 

As you can see from above the money has been spread around by the Tsakopoulos family for years in their attempt to get Natomas developed.  Hovnanian homes just benefited from all the side deals that were cut over the past 10 years and now should be facing major lawsuits from the existing homeowners.

Folks ask anyone who has lived in Sacramento in the last 25 years and they will tell you that that whole area has flooded many times over in the past and we are just one bad storm from flooding every single home in Natomas and possibly have folks die from it. 

This is the #1 area of flood risk behind New Orleans.

If you think those folks were stupid for building then and there, just take a look at the Natomas area!  Who are you going to blame when this area goes 10 feet underwater.  Start with the Developers, the City Council and Congressman/woman Robert and Doris Matsui who have been lining theirpockets with developers money, real estate deals, and getting the US taxpayer to pay for all the improvements in Natomas, to help make a few builders wealthy beyond belief.

I am calling for a full investigation to all the shenanigans that have gone on over that past decade in Natomas starting with Congresswoman Doris Matsui, AKT Developments, Greg Thatch, Sacramento City Council  and every other builder that built homes in this area.  Its time for folks to know the truth about Natomas!

The Paul Smith for Congress website is www.PaulSmithforCongress.org 
Republican Candidate for the 5th Congressional District (Sacramento)