Sally Lieber - Recall Sally Lieber in 2002(Mountain View Vice Mayor faces local recall in 2002)recall is the first time in Mountain View history.

Fact Sheet for Recall Notice

The Recall Notice limits the reasons for the recall to 200 words

Please see the articles and video clips on this website for additional details about the reasons for her recall.

Additional notes on the reasons for the recall:

Sally Lieber violated the non-profit status of the YWCA by circulating her political propaganda at a major non-profit event. The violation of non-profit rules and her behavior at the November 13, 2001 YWCA luncheon were validated with a representative of the YWCA. Here’s an excerpt from the San Jose Mercury News article of December 2, 2001 to explain it: "After the event, which featured former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, YWCA chief executive officer Keri Procunier McLain wrote a scathing letter to Lieber accusing her of jeopardizing the women’s empowerment group. ‘The bottom line is your actions may have cost us not only friends but future dollars, and we as an agency find these actions unacceptable, unethical and irresponsible.’ Procunier McLain, a former Santa Clara City Council member, fumed. Lieber’s action were even more worrisome, she said later, because Lieber is co-president of the YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula, so some people may have thought she had the organization’s permission."

Sally Lieber intentionally lied, on two separate occasions, to community members in an attempt to gain support for her position on the development of open space parcels on Shoreline Boulevard. Sally Lieber specifically named people, one of whom was a leader of a neighborhood group, who supported this development. These were lies.

The portion of the Mountain View City Charter Section 1003 relevant to this matter states: "Political activities prohibited. No employee of the city shall, while in uniform or during that employee’s city working hours take an active part in any municipal or other political campaign, nor seek or accept contributions for or against any candidate or issue therein, nor seek or accept signatures to any petition for or against any such candidate or issue. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any such persons from seeking election or appointment to public office." Sally Lieber called the President of the Firefighters union for an endorsement for her Assembly campaign while he was at work. Sally Lieber is paid by the city for her role as council member and made the call as a council member; a member of the city’s highest office. Sally Lieber is required to understand and follow the city charter. She knowingly placed a city employee in violation of the city charter. (Click here to see the Real Audio video ) - (Get Free Player)

Due process requires that, before a person is condemned, the person is given a fair opportunity to explain his or her version of events. On November 29, 2001, based solely on an "accusation" of misconduct, Sally Lieber immediately called for the Mayor of Mountain View to resign. Sally Lieber was the only one to do so; no other council member called for his resignation.
Violation of State Elections Code: Sally Lieber falsified information on her Assembly application. Elections Code Section 13107 allows candidates to designate on the ballot "the elective office" held at the time of filing and/or any "current principal professions, vocations, or occupations of the candidate." Filed on December 7, 2001, Lieber listed her occupation as "councilwoman/transit director." The Secretary of State's Office, responsible for the ballot, says that there are over 700 candidates for state offices and that only some designations on the ballot statements are checked for truthfulness. For example, designations such as "mayor" are checked because most often mayors are just Councilmembers appointed by their colleagues and not "elected by vote of the people" to the position. Lieber serves on the Valley Transit Authority (VTA) Board as an appointment by her city council colleagues. The Board meets once a month. Sally Lieber is not a "Transit Director" and serving on the VTA board is not her principal profession, vocation or occupation.
Sally Lieber claimed falsely on her response to the notice of her recall that "through her leadership on our City Council we started a firefighter-paramedic program…" The reality is that the firefighter-paramedic program was established and paramedics were hired in 1998. Lieber's first term on city council didn't begin until 1999. Read the Answer to the Recall (PDF) Read the June 9, 1998 Council Minutes (PDF)
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Special deals for supporters who have given her money for her campaigns.
1. In May of 2000, Sally Lieber introduced the motion and voted to authorize city staff to sell a 13,093 square foot residential lot to her supporters based on a $195,000.00 "appraisal" and without any public bidding to determine the actual value. Only after fliers from a concerned citizen exposed this scheme, did the would-be buyers stop pursuing the lot. The City later accepted public bids and the high bid was $558,000.00. A house is now being built on the property.
2. At the September 25, 2001, City Council meeting, Lieber advocated that the City pay half (up to $19,000.00) toward the purchase and installation of a tent for the patio area at Michael’s of Shoreline in Mountain View. The restaurant is leased from the City of Mountain View and is operated by the brother and "former" business partner of Mountain View Councilmember Ralph Faravelli. (Ralph Faravelli has endorsed Lieber for Assembly and has given money to her campaign.)
  
  Lieber’s Assembly campaign statement filed August 2, 2001, disclosed that she had conducted a fundraiser at Michael’s on June 26, 2001. She reported that the restaurant donated "beverages" for the event she valued at $360.00. While it is not strictly illegal to take campaign contributions and then turn around and give your contributors public funds, her enthusiastic support looked like a quid pro quo or favor in return.
  
  The ethical issue turned into a legal matter when attendees at the fundraiser reportedly said they had received free food as well. Lieber's campaign statement did not disclose any payment for food to Michael’s at Shoreline – indicating that Lieber had also received a non-monetary donation or gift of food that had not been reported. As a result, a complaint against Lieber was filed with the Fair Political Practice’s Commission (Case No. 010519).
3. At the November 27, 2001 City Council meeting, Lieber once again led the charge to sell city-owned property at Phyllis Avenue and El Camino Real to the developer of the adjacent property – again without any public bidding to determine the actual value. It turned out that Lieber had reported receiving on June 29, 2001, a substantial ($500.00) campaign contribution from the wife of the developer (Michele Tomlinson of Pleasanton). Needless to say, the 22^nd Assembly District does not include Pleasanton. (Click here to see the Real Audio video) - (Get Free Player)