Editorial Editorial (December 17, 2004)

Cop-out on Shoreline tickets

Why is it so difficult for city council members to admit that accepting a pair of season box-seat tickets to Shoreline Amphitheatre worth nearly $9,000 is an obvious conflict of interest?

Ever since Council member Greg Perry brought up the issue last April, the council has been the subject of strong criticism from this newspaper and others for accepting the perk. But even when given a clear opportunity to cleanse themselves last week, the council could muster only two of the four votes needed to end the practice, which means there will be no change in policy.

The tickets come to the city through its contract with Clear Channel Communications, which operates Shoreline under virtually the same lease that the city signed about 18 years ago. Under its terms, the city is provided season passes to 20 box seats, with a face value of $175,000, as well as 300 additional general admission tickets a year worth $7,500 if the tickets are valued at $25 each. The seven council members each receive two of the VIP passes, and the remaining six are shared with city employees or volunteers.

City Attorney Michael Martello has ruled that no conflict of interest results when council members accept the tickets because they are received by the city as part of the contract with Clear Channel.

Under state guidelines, however, public officials who accept cash or gifts valued at more than $340 are discouraged from voting on a related issue. It is also extremely worrisome that the city is now involved in a significant contract dispute with Clear Channel over parking revenue that could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to either party.

Rather than sweeping this critical issue under the carpet with the naive defense that members could not be influenced by sitting in Shoreline's most expensive box seats throughout the concert season, it is time for council members to act on their own.

Since they cannot agree on the issue, we urge council members to voluntarily direct the city to sell their allotted tickets at the Performing Arts Center box office and place the money back into the general fund. If a member wants to attend a Shoreline concert on official company business, a ticket could be found or even expensed. If all 14 tickets were sold at face value, the city would have $122,500 extra dollars to spend on charitable causes.

There is absolutely no need for council members, who are paid $6,000 a year, to receive more compensation from Clear Channel. The city has every interest in making sure its contract with Clear Channel is being followed to the letter. But that knowledge will come from court documents and other investigative techniques, not a personal council investigation during an Aerosmith or Metallica concert.

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